The USS Gazelle (IX-116) was an unclassified miscellaneous vessel of the United States Navy, originally built as an auxiliary oiler. Launched on November 9, 1943, by the California Shipbuilding Corporation in Wilmington, Los Angeles, she was initially named SS Cyrus K. Holliday. The ship was sponsored by Mrs. J. E. Stewart before being acquired by the Navy and commissioned simultaneously on November 29, 1943. Constructed as an auxiliary oiler, the Gazelle was designed to refuel combat ships during operations. She departed Wilmington on January 9, 1944, heading to Pearl Harbor, where she was assigned to Rear Admiral Turner's Southern Attack Force for the upcoming assault on Kwajalein. Arriving in Kwajalein Lagoon on February 2, 1944, she played a vital role in fueling the fleet amid intense fighting. Over the next two weeks, she supplied fuel to battleships such as New Mexico, Mississippi, and Idaho, along with cruisers, escort carriers, and smaller warships. Following her success at Kwajalein, Gazelle moved on to Eniwetok Lagoon on February 18 to support the amphibious invasion of that island, fueling destroyer divisions and other vessels. She then returned to Kwajalein before heading back to Pearl Harbor on April 12, 1944. Her operations continued in the Pacific theater, including stops at Majuro, Roi, and Eniwetok, where she conducted fueling operations and shuttle runs through submarine-infested waters. She reached Ulithi on October 15, 1944, and narrowly escaped damage when Japanese midget submarines attacked the harbor on November 20, 1944. In early 1945, Gazelle continued her service at Palau and Leyte, fueling approximately 100 Allied ships over six months. She later joined the Korean Service Group, Seventh Fleet, in Jinsen, Korea, in September 1945, remaining there through October. During her service, she encountered a nearly sinking typhoon, demonstrating her resilience. Decommissioned on May 9, 1946, in Norfolk, Virginia, she was transferred to the War Shipping Administration and later sold in 1948 to Intercontinental S.S. Corporation, renamed Evistar. For her wartime service, USS Gazelle earned one battle star, marking her contribution to the Pacific theater 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.