USS Prometheus ( AR - 3 ) USS " Prometheus " ( AR - 3 ) was a repair ship that served the United States Navy during World War I and World War II . Named for Prometheus who , in Greek mythology , stole a spark from heaven and gave it as a gift of fire to newly created mankind , she was originally laid down as a collier on 18 October 1907 at the Mare Island Navy Yard , Vallejo , California ; launched on 5 December 1908 ; and commissioned 15 January 1910 as USS " Ontario " ( Fleet Collier No . 2 ) . Service history . 1910 – 1924 . " Ontario " served with a merchant complement until she decommissioned on 7 April 1913 to undergo conversion to a repair ship . After conversion , she recommissioned 23 December 1914 as USS " Prometheus " ( Repair Ship No . 2 ) . After a cruise to Alaskan waters in 1915 , she was assigned to duty with the Atlantic Fleet , 16 May 1916 operating out of Norfolk , Virginia and bound for Bermuda , remaining there until 29 January 1918 . While at Bermuda she was ordered to join the Naval forces at Brest , France to provide repair services , and she did a commendable job until she sailed on 16 January 1919 for New York . Upon arrival at New York she was assigned to Battleship Force 1 for duty in conjunction with the upkeep of vessels engaged in overseas transportation of troops . She was classified as AR - 3 on 17 July 1920 . " Prometheus " sailed from New York on 1 September 1920 with orders to tow the , disabled at Cuba , to Philadelphia . For her performance in this assignment she was commended by the Commander - in - Chief , Atlantic Fleet . " Prometheus " made additional cruises to Cuba in 1921 and 1923 while operating with the Atlantic Fleet . " Prometheus " transferred to the west coast early in 1923 , arriving at San Pedro , California on 17 April . She operated along the Pacific coast as far north as Washington , until she decommissioned on 4 October 1924 at Bremerton . 1942 – 1946 . " Prometheus " recommissioned on 15 May 1942 at the Bremerton Navy Yard and following shakedown , she sailed from San Francisco , California on 9 August for Pearl Harbor , Hawaii where she took in tow the drydock ARD – 2 and proceeded to Noumea , New Caledonia . She rendered repair services from the largest warship , the , to the smallest amphibious craft , which were beginning to figure so prominently in the island - hopping campaign towards the Japanese home islands . Her only breaks , from a steady demand of hard work from her crew , came on infrequent trips to Sydney , Australia . Following the push westward across the Pacific , " Prometheus " moved in the Spring of 1944 to Tulagi , and after a month ’ s stay there , where she catered primarily to escort carriers , she went to Florida Island and then in September to Manus . She received orders on 25 September to proceed to Kossol Passage , Palau Islands where she came under enemy fire for the first time from a Japanese miget sub . She fired her 3 " deck gun and sunk the sub . " Prometheus " departed Kossol on 21 January 1945 and moved to the now famous Ulithi anchorage to help ready the Fleet for the Iwo Jima campaign and the Okinawa strikes . By 19 February she had moved again to San Pedro Bay , Leyte to ready ships for the take - over invasion of Okinawa . Though her main responsibility was to repair ships and craft of the Amphibious Force , she gained wide acclaim for the excellence of repairs and alterations made to the and in the Philippines . War ' s end found the old repair ship at Guiuan , Samar in the process of commissioning the cargo ship " Justin " , formerly the SS " Gus Darnell " , which required bomb damage repair and alterations to fit her for Navy service during the occupation period ahead . " Prometheus " continued her rigorous schedule at Okinawa and Hong Kong during the Asian occupation , returning to San Francisco at the year ’ s end . At San Francisco she performed decommissioning work on vessels sent there for disposal until she , herself , decommissioned on 1 July 1946 . Decommissioning and sale . " Prometheus " was delivered to the WSA and simultaneously to the Maritime Commission Reserve Fleet for lay up on 16 July at Puget Sound , Washington . She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 31 July . By 26 August 1949 she had been completely stripped , and she was sold on 29 August 1950 to Zidell Shipwrecking Company and subsequently scrapped . " Prometheus " earned one battle star for Pacific service in World War II .