USS Aludra ( AF - 55 ) USS " Aludra " ( AF - 55 ) was an " Alstede " - class stores ship acquired by the U . S . Navy . Her task was to carry stores , refrigerated items , and equipment to ships in the fleet , and to remote stations and staging areas . The refrigerated cargo ship " Matchless " was laid down for the War Shipping Administration under a Maritime Commission contract ( MC hull 1202 ) on 23 August 1944 at Oakland , California , by the Moore Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co . ; launched on 14 October 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . Harry E . Kennedy ; and was delivered to the United States Lines under a bare boat charter on 23 March 1945 . That firm operated the ship in the Pacific Ocean during the final months of the war and during the first four years following Japan ' s capitulation . On 11 August 1949 , the ship was returned to the Maritime Commission at Mobile , Alabama , and she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet berthing area at Bay Minette , Alabama . Activation during Korean War . In November 1950 , the Navy selected " Matchless " for reactivation as it was expanding the Fleet to meet its greatly increased responsibilities resulting from United Nations decision to oppose communist aggression in Korea . The vessel was towed to Camden , New Jersey , where she was overhauled and converted to a store ship by the New York Shipbuilding Corp . During this work , she received the best and most modern equipment to enable her to carry out her primary mission , underway replenishment . Renamed " Aludra " on 16 January 1951 , the ship was placed in commission by the Navy on 19 June 1952 , Comdr . Ralph H . Moureau in command . Assigned to Service Squadron 3 , Service Force , Pacific Fleet Aludra arrived at Sasebo , Japan , on 28 October 1952 and took up the tasks of supporting Task Force ( TF ) 77 in strikes along the east coast of Korea and TF 72 in patrols in the East China Sea and off Formosa . Ending her first deployment to the western Pacific , she returned to San Francisco , California , on 4 May 1953 . Operation Passage to Freedom . Thereafter , for more than 16 years , she alternated operations on the west coast of the United States with tours in the Far East resupplying ships serving in the Orient . Among the highlights of her service was her participation in Operation Passage to Freedom , the evacuation of thousands of Vietnamese refugees from communist - controlled areas of Vietnam after that country had been partitioned in 1954 . During the early years of her career , she was considered to be a pioneer in the development of improved and faster methods of fleet replenishment . To help her achieve this end , she received many alterations and tried out a great deal of experimental logistical equipment . The ship again visited Vietnamese waters in March 1965 and , for a bit over three and one - half years thereafter , devoted most of her efforts to supporting American warships fighting aggression there . She left that war - torn country for the last time on 19 April 1969 and headed — via Sasebo , Japan — for home . Inactivation and decommissioning . " Aludra " arrived at Oakland , California , on 11 May and , a month later , began preparations for inactivation . Decommissioned on 12 September 1969 , she was returned to the Maritime Administration and berthed with the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay , California . She was withdrawn from the reserve fleet on 19 January 1977 for stripping by the Navy prior to sale . She was purchased from MARAD by Sea World Processors Inc . , for non - transportation use , 16 November 1977 and delivered , 16 February 1978 . Final Disposition : burned and scuttled in 1981 . Military awards and honors . " Aludra " received one battle star for Korean War service : She received eight engagement stars for her operations in Vietnam . Five are noted below : : Her crew was eligible for the following medals :