Service history USS Mintaka (AK-94)

1 service history

1.1 cargo new zealand
1.2 alaska cargo runs
1.3 conversion troop transport
1.4 transporting troops war zone
1.5 delivering troops okinawa
1.6 end-of-war operations

service history
cargo new zealand

mintaka steamed san francisco late in month , after loading cargo sailed south pacific ocean 15 june. steaming via new caledonia, reached new zealand 15 july, , discharged cargo @ auckland , wellington before departing west coast 1 august.

alaska cargo runs

she arrived san francisco, california, 23 august, thence steamed 11 september, seattle prepare supply runs in alaskan waters. departing puget sound 24 september, touched @ dutch harbor 11 october, , during next month shuttled cargo american bases in aleutians.

conversion troop transport

after returning seattle, washington, 27 november, underwent conversion troopcarrying cargo ship @ portland, oregon, in december.

transporting troops war zone

mintaka sailed 11 january 1944, san francisco whence, after embarking 1,056 troops, sailed 2 february, south pacific. reached nouméa, new caledonia, 23 february, , began troop , cargo shuttle runs among islands of south pacific. between 27 february , 10 march, carried 1,800 troops new zealand , back: thence, made run new hebrides before arriving guadalcanal 9 april. during next several months maintained busy schedule transporting fighting men , supplies numerous american bases in melanesia admiralties fijis. carried thousands of troops , staging areas; on 1 run between green islands , guadalcanal in late may, carried more 1,500 soldiers.

mintaka departed guadalcanal 26 september; operated out of manus, admiralties, during of october; , sailed in convoy 26 october, shuttle duty in palaus. between 31 october , 30 november, operated kossol passage south peleliu discharging troops , cargo. after embarking 994 veterans of palaus campaign, returned guadalcanal 10 december, , resumed shuttle runs among solomons , bismarck archipelago. 968 seabees embarked, departed guadalcanal 26 april 1945, bound okinawa.

delivering troops okinawa

steaming in convoy via eniwetok , ulithi, mintaka reached okinawa 21 may, , began debarking troops , unloading cargo. despite periodic japanese air attacks, continued off-loading operations during next week. on 25 may, gunners splashed enemy plane during assault damaged nearby merchant ship. mintaka sailed 31 may, touched @ ulithi 6 june, pearl harbor 23 june, , arrived san francisco 3 july.

end-of-war operations

after voyage repairs, mintaka embarked 1,035 troop reinforcements , departed portland, oregon, 24 july. cessation of hostilities found @ eniwetok. on 20 august, reached saipan, marianas, , began debarking troops. subsequent troop , cargo runs during remainder of year carried iwo jima, okinawa , ulithi.