USS PICTOR AF-54

• Origins as a Liberty Ship: USS Pictor (AF-54) was originally built as the SS Great Republic, a C2-S-B1 type cargo ship, during World War II before being converted to a stores ship for the U.S. Navy. • Commissioning Date: She was commissioned into the U.S. Navy on September 13, 1950, during the Korean War, to support fleet operations with provisions and supplies. • Namesake: The ship was named after the constellation "Pictor," which is Latin for "the painter's easel." • Korean War Service: USS Pictor played a key role in the Korean War, delivering food, refrigerated goods, and other supplies to U.S. Navy ships and bases in the Western Pacific. • Vietnam War Support: The ship was active throughout the Vietnam War, supplying the U.S. Seventh Fleet and supporting combat operations off the coast of Vietnam. • Nickname: Among her crew, she was affectionately called "The Refrigerator Ship" due to her primary mission of transporting perishable goods. • Global Reach: USS Pictor made repeated deployments to the Far East, visiting ports in Japan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and occasionally Australia, demonstrating the logistical reach of the U.S. Navy. • Long Service Life: The ship served for over two decades, from 1950 until her decommissioning in 1969, highlighting her reliability and importance to fleet logistics. • Awards and Honors: USS Pictor earned multiple campaign stars and commendations for her service in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. • Final Fate: After decommissioning, she was struck from the Naval Register and eventually sold for scrapping in 1976, ending her long and storied career.