USS Hennepin ( AK - 187 ) USS " Hennepin " ( AK - 187 ) was an " Alamosa " - class cargo ship that served the U . S . Navy during the final months of World War II . Post - war she served briefly with the U . S . Army as USAT " Hennepin " , and then as USNS " Hennepin " ( T - AK - 187 ) with the Military Sea Transportation Service where she was awarded a battle star . She was declared excess - to - needs on 27 March 1959 . Built at Superior , Wisconsin . " Hennepin " ( AK - 187 ) was laid down under U . S . Maritime Commission contract by Walter Butler Shipbuilders , Inc . , Superior , Wisconsin , 29 December 1943 ; launched 27 June 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . F . P . Heffelflnger ; acquired by the Navy 7 June 1945 ; and commissioned 3 July 1945 at Galveston , Texas , Lt . Comdr . Gavin L . Field in command . World War II - related service . After shakedown in the Gulf of Mexico , " Hennepin " departed Galveston 22 July to load cargo at Gulfport , Mississippi , and New Orleans , Louisiana . She departed New Orleans 6 August , steamed via the Panama Canal and the Marshall Islands , and arrived Cebu , Philippines , 23 September . Assigned to Service Squadron 8 , she operated in the Philippines until 19 November when she departed Tacloban , Leyte , for Australia . During the next month she loaded cargo at Melbourne , Sydney , and Brisbane before sailing 17 December with provisions for occupation troops in Korea . Steaming via Okinawa , she reached Jinsen 7 January 1946 ; then sailed for Japan 25 January . She arrived Yokosuka on 30 January , was decommissioned 16 February , and transferred to the U . S . Army . Reacquired from the U . S . Army . " Hennepin " was operated by the U . S . Army for the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Japan until 1 July 1950 when she was reacquired by the Navy . After refitting at Mitsubishi Shipyard , Kobe , Japan , she was assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service ( MSTS ) 28 February 1951 and designated " T - AK 187 " . Korean War support . Manned by a civilian crew , she participated in the Korean supply run during the American effort to repel Communist aggression in South Korea . Operating primarily out of Moji and Sasebo , Japan , she transported vital military cargo to American - held Korean ports during the remainder of the Korean War . Post - Korean War support . Following the in Korea , " Hennepin " continued supply runs between Japan and South Korea . In response to the scheduled transfer of North Vietnam to Communist control , she departed Yokohama 30 August 1954 to provide support for Operation Passage to Freedom . She arrived Haiphong , North Vietnam , 7 September , and for more than 3 months she transported cargo southward to St . Jacques and Saigon . After completing three runs to Saigon , she departed St . Jacques for Japan 22 December and arrived Sasebo 3 January 1955 . Between 1955 and 1958 " Hennepin " remained in the Far East , supporting America ' s determination to keep the peace and contain Communism in Asia . She continued to operate primarily between Japanese and South Korean ports , but cargo runs in 1957 and 1958 again sent her to Southeast Asia . Between 13 May and 3 July 1957 she operated out of Saigon and Bangkok , Thailand , and in addition steamed to Karachi , Pakistan , and Bahrain Island in the Persian Gulf . During September 1957 and April 1958 she steamed out of Yokohama , carrying cargo to Saigon . Final deactivation . After returning to Yokohama from Busan , Korea , 21 June 1958 , she was inactivated by the Navy 16 July . She transferred to the Maritime Administration 27 March 1959 . Honors and awards . " Hennepin " received one battle star for Korean War service .