USS Aldebaran (AF-10)

• Origins and Namesake: USS Aldebaran (AF-10) was named after Aldebaran, one of the brightest stars in the night sky, located in the constellation Taurus. This celestial naming tradition was common for supply ships. • Pre-Navy Career: The ship was originally built as SS Stag Hound in 1939 by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company for the United Fruit Company before being acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1940. • Reclassification: Upon acquisition by the Navy, she was converted to a stores ship and commissioned as USS Aldebaran (AF-10) in December 1940, ready to supply the fleet with perishable foods and dry stores. • Pearl Harbor Connection: Aldebaran was en route to Honolulu with food supplies when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and arrived two days later to support the devastated base. • Service in Major Theaters: Throughout World War II, Aldebaran operated in the Pacific, supporting campaigns in the Solomon Islands, Marianas, Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, crucially keeping frontline ships supplied. • Admiral Halsey’s Praise: Fleet Admiral William F. Halsey once commented on the essential role of supply ships like Aldebaran, stating “without them, the fleet would have been dead in the water.” • Endurance and Reliability: During her World War II service, Aldebaran traveled over 200,000 miles and delivered more than 150,000 tons of supplies, earning praise for her reliability and the crew’s hard work. • Korean War Service: Aldebaran was recommissioned for service during the Korean War and again supplied the U.S. 7th Fleet and United Nations forces, cementing her reputation as a workhorse of the supply fleet. • Decorations and Awards: For her World War II service, USS Aldebaran earned five battle stars, a testament to the ship’s significant contribution to combat operations. • Final Fate: After being decommissioned in 1954, Aldebaran was placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet and eventually sold for scrapping in 1974, ending a distinguished career that spanned two major conflicts.