The USS Arethusa (IX-135) was originally built as a tanker named Gargoyle in 1921 by the Moore Shipbuilding Co. in Oakland, California. She was acquired by the U.S. Navy on 23 March 1944 from the War Shipping Administration and was renamed Arethusa, receiving the designation IX-135. The vessel was a mobile floating storage tanker, primarily serving as a fuel supply ship during World War II. Constructed as a tanker, the Arethusa was repurposed for wartime logistics, providing vital fuel to Allied ships across the Pacific Theater. She was commissioned at Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands and operated there through early June 1944, supporting fleet operations. Her service included fueling operations at Eniwetok, Manus in the Admiralty Islands, and later at Leyte Gulf in the Philippines during the reconquest of the archipelago in October 1944. She continued her support roles at Ulithi in the Western Caroline Islands and later at Kerama Retto near Okinawa, where she was stationed at the time of Japan’s surrender in mid-August 1945. Throughout her service, Arethusa was an essential component of the logistical chain, ensuring fleet vessels remained fueled during critical campaigns in the Pacific. After the war, she remained in operational status at Subic Bay, Philippines, until early March 1946, supporting fleet ships there. She then moved to Pearl Harbor for a brief period of repairs before returning to San Francisco, where she was decommissioned on 16 May 1946. The vessel was transferred back to the War Shipping Administration and was eventually sold for scrap to Kaiser Co., Inc., in December 1947. Throughout her wartime service, USS Arethusa earned two battle stars, recognizing her contributions to the Pacific campaign. Her service exemplifies the vital logistical support that underpinned Allied naval operations during World War II.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.