uss castor aks1 uss vega af59

• USS Castor (AKS-1) and USS Vega (AF-59) were both supply ships – While the USS Castor was a general stores issue ship (AKS), the USS Vega was a stores ship (AF), both playing crucial roles in keeping the fleet supplied with food, equipment, and other essentials. • USS Castor was launched in 1939 – Built at the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Kearny, New Jersey, she was commissioned into the U.S. Navy in March 1940, just before the U.S. entered World War II. • USS Castor was present during the attack on Pearl Harbor – On December 7, 1941, Castor was moored at Pearl Harbor, and her crew manned anti-aircraft guns to help repel the Japanese attack. • USS Castor supported multiple Pacific campaigns – She delivered supplies to American forces at Midway, Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, playing a vital role in sustaining combat operations during World War II. • USS Vega (AF-59) was launched much later, in 1954 – Built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation, USS Vega was originally a civilian ship (SS Lebanon Victory) before conversion and commissioning into the Navy in 1955. • USS Vega served in the Vietnam War – She supplied fresh and frozen provisions to the U.S. 7th Fleet and other units operating in the Vietnam combat zone, supporting lengthy deployments at sea. • USS Castor received 6 battle stars during World War II – These awards were for her significant service in combat areas, highlighting her hazardous and vital support missions. • USS Vega had a globe-trotting career – Besides Vietnam, Vega supplied U.S. naval forces in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and North Atlantic, making several cruises to support NATO operations. • USS Castor participated in Operation Magic Carpet – After WWII, she helped transport returning U.S. servicemen from the Pacific back to the United States. • Both ships were eventually scrapped – USS Castor was decommissioned in 1950 (with brief recommissioning for the Korean War) and sold for scrap in 1969; USS Vega was decommissioned in 1977 and also sold for scrap, marking the end of their long service lives.