USS Matar ( AK - 119 ) USS " Matar " ( AK - 119 ) was a commissioned by the U . S . Navy for service in World War II , named after Matar , the star in constellation Pegasus . She was responsible for delivering troops , goods and equipment to locations in the war zone . " Matar " ( AK 119 ) was laid down as " SS Napoleon R . Broward " under Maritime Commission contract by St . Johns River Shipbuilding Company , Jacksonville , Florida , 16 October 1943 ; launched 30 November 1943 ; sponsored by Mrs . Napoleon B . Broward ; acquired by the Navy under bareboat charter 10 December 1943 ; converted for Navy use by Merrill Stevens Drydock & Repair Co . , Jacksonville , Florida ; and commissioned as " Matar " at Jacksonville 17 May 1944 , Lt . Comdr . Erwin E . Smith in command . World War II Pacific Theatre operations . After completing conversion , " Matar " steamed to Norfolk , Virginia , 28 May for shakedown in Chesapeake Bay . Thence , she loaded cargo at Davisville , Rhode Island , and Bayonne , New Jersey , before departing New York for the Pacific Ocean 25 June , arriving Pearl Harbor 25 July . " Matar " discharged cargo and refilled her holds with ammunition , field ration s and amphibious equipment . Operating under Service Squadron 8 , she sailed with units of task force TF 31 on 20 August for the Palaus . Transporting troops to invasion beaches . Steaming via the Marshalls and the Admiralties , " Matar " reached Kossol Passage 20 September . As flagship for CTG 31 . 4 , she operated at Kossol until 17 October when she departed for Angaur Island . From 19 to 24 October she discharged cargo into boats for transfer to the beaches ; thence , she embarked marines and amphibious tanks at Peleliu and sailed for the Russell Islands the 30th . She debarked her troops there 7 November ; arrived off Guadalcanal the 9th ; and embarked 130 troops . Departing Lunga 18 November , she arrived San Francisco , California , via Pearl Harbor 11 December . Modified as a stores issue ship . Altered for duty as a stores issue ship and loaded with medical supplies and ship ' s stores , Matar departed San Francisco , California , 18 January 1945 and arrived Eniwetok 8 February . Assigned to Service Squadron 10 , she steamed to the Marianas between 10 and 14 February . For the next 3 months she operated out of Saipan and Guam dispensing medical and general stores to the fleet . Supporting Okinawa invasion forces . " Matar " arrived Kerama Retto , the Ryūkyūs , 14 May ; discharged some cargo ; and shifted to the anchorage off Hagushi , Okinawa , 29 May . She issued dry provisions and medical stores and in addition provided smoke cover during enemy airstrikes . On 27 June she sailed for Ulithi and Pearl Harbor . End - of - war activity . Replenishing there between 2 and 14 August she steamed to Eniwetok thence to Japan 7 September arriving Tokyo Bay 15 September to service ships on occupation duty in Japanese waters . She completed this duty early in November and between 5 November and 1 December steamed via Pearl Harbor to San Francisco . Post - war decommissioning . " Matar " sailed 6 February 1946 for Pearl Harbor , arrived the 15th , and decommissioned 15 March 1946 . She transferred to the custody of the Maritime Commission 8 October 1947 and entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet . Her name was struck from the Navy List 31 October 1947 . " Matar " was berthed in Suisun Bay , California , and was scrapped in 1972 . Military awards and honors . " Matar " received two battle star s for World War II service : Her crew was eligible for the following medals and campaign ribbons :