The USS Alcor (AK-259) was a Greenville Victory-class cargo ship that served in the United States Navy from 1952 to 1968. Originally constructed during World War II as the SS Rockland Victory, she was laid down on February 28, 1944, by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corp. in Portland, Oregon, under a Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 101). Launched on April 29, 1944, she was sponsored by Mrs. Thomas M. Jones of Portland and operated as a cargo vessel by the Waterman Steamship Company and other contractors until 1950. During her wartime service, she participated in the Battle of Okinawa from April 16 to May 5, 1945, defending herself with deck guns and earning battle stars for her role. After the war, she was converted to a livestock ship, part of the "cowboy ships" effort, facilitating the transportation of horses, mules, heifers, chicks, and hay to war-torn countries as part of relief efforts organized by the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration and the Brethren Service Committee. She completed seven trips carrying livestock across the Atlantic. Post-war, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet before being acquired by the Navy in 1951. She was converted for naval use and commissioned as USS Alcor on March 1, 1952. Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet's Service Force with homeport in Norfolk, Virginia, she made 19 deployments to the Mediterranean to support the Sixth Fleet, along with Caribbean cruises for base replenishment and training. In the early 1960s, Alcor was modified to support the U.S. Navy's Polaris missile program, enabling her to transport and handle missile components for fleet ballistic missile submarines. She conducted numerous resupply missions to Holy Loch, Scotland, and Rota, Spain, supporting the strategic missile operations of the U.S. Navy during the Cold War. Her activities included delivering supplies and missiles, supporting fleet exercises, and aiding in fleet ballistic missile submarine operations. Decommissioned on December 30, 1968, at Charleston, South Carolina, USS Alcor was struck from the Naval Vessel Register and sold for scrap in 1970. Her service history highlights her role in both World War II and Cold War strategic operations, marking her as a versatile vessel in U.S. naval logistics and missile support efforts.

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