The USS Aldebaran (AF-10) was the lead ship of her class of stores ships in the United States Navy, named after the bright star Aldebaran in Taurus. Originally constructed as the SS Stag Hound, she was laid down on November 28, 1938, at Newport News, Virginia, by Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., under a U.S. Maritime Commission contract. Launched on June 21, 1939, and delivered on December 4, 1939, she was a C-2 type cargo vessel, with a displacement of approximately 13,910 tons and a gross register tonnage of 7,169. She measured about 459 feet in overall length, with a beam of 63 feet and a loaded draft of nearly 26 feet. Propelled by two Babcock & Wilcox boilers driving a Westinghouse turbine and a single four-bladed propeller 19 feet in diameter, she achieved a maximum sea speed of 15.5 knots. Her cargo capacity included 3,288 cubic feet of refrigerated space, supporting her role as a logistics vessel. Purchased by the Navy on December 22, 1940, and commissioned in full on January 14, 1941, Aldebaran initially served on routes between the U.S. West Coast, Pearl Harbor, and Samoa. After conversion to a fleet provisioning ship in late 1941, she participated in routine supply missions, supporting U.S. Pacific operations. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, she undertook wartime logistics, operating extensively across the South Pacific and later supporting the Mariana and Okinawa campaigns. Her duties involved replenishing carrier task groups at sea, providing essential provisions during major operations, including the initial occupation of Japan, and supporting fleet units engaged in air strikes against Japan. Aldebaran earned two battle stars for her service during World War II. She continued her logistical support in the postwar years, alternating between the Mediterranean Sea, the West Indies, and Atlantic operations. She participated in notable missions such as the 1958 Lebanon intervention and the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Decommissioned at Norfolk on June 28, 1968, she was transferred to the Maritime Administration and placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, ultimately being sold for scrapping in 1974. Her maritime significance lies in her extensive service supporting U.S. naval operations across the Pacific, Atlantic, and Mediterranean, exemplifying the vital role of auxiliary ships in maintaining fleet sustainability during wartime and beyond.

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