USS Hesperia
USS Hesperia was an Acubens-class general stores issue ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering and disbursing goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
Hesperia, built as the Liberty ship SS Sam Dale, was launched under Maritime Commission contract by Delta Shipbuilding Co., New Orleans, Louisiana, 18 November 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Marie Owen; converted to Navy use by Norfolk Naval Shipyard and commissioned 1 April 1945.
World War II service
Following a period of training and shakedown, Hesperia loaded her cargo of general stores for the fleet and sailed 16 May 1945. Transiting the Panama Canal, she arrived Pearl Harbor 13 June 1945. The stores ship then proceeded to the western Pacific for the important job of supplying operating units with some of the thousands of items—from clothing to spare parts—necessary to a modern fighting ship.She arrived Ulithi 6 July and after issuing stores to the ships present sailed with a convoy for Okinawa, site of the Pacific's largest amphibious assault just 3 months earlier. Hesperia anchored in Buckner Bay, Okinawa, 21 July and began issuing supplies of all kinds to the fleet and shore installations. She continued to function as a mobile supply base, interrupted only by occasional enemy air attacks, until after hostilities ended in mid-August. Having issued her entire stock the ship departed Okinawa 26 August for Manus. She arrived 7 September, loaded another full stock of replacement items, and sailed 22 September.