The USS Altair (AK-257) was a Greenville Victory-class cargo ship constructed during World War II, originally launched as the SS Aberdeen Victory. Built by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland, Oregon, she was laid down on 20 April 1944, launched on 20 May 1944, and completed by 22 June 1944. As a Maritime Commission type VC2-S-AP3 hull, Aberdeen Victory supported wartime logistics, participating in the Okinawa campaign in May 1945, where her crew earned Battle Stars for her deck gun actions. Post-war, she was assigned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Suisun Bay, California. The U.S. Navy acquired her on 7 July 1951, renaming her Altair and redesignating her AK-257. She was commissioned on 31 January 1952 and assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, operating primarily out of Norfolk, Virginia. Her initial service included visits to Annapolis, Guantanamo Bay, and a deployment to the Mediterranean supporting the Sixth Fleet, with port calls in Gibraltar, France, Italy, and Morocco. In 1953, she was converted into a general stores issue ship (AKS-32) at the Maryland Drydock Company, and she was recommissioned in December of that year. As an AKS, Altair supported logistical operations across the Mediterranean and U.S. East Coast, conducting underway replenishments and port visits. Her role evolved to include pioneering early vertical replenishment techniques using helicopters, notably Sikorsky HSS-2 Sea Kings, beginning in 1962. Throughout her service, Altair participated in rescue and aid missions, including rescuing a downed Air Force pilot in 1961, assisting the Italian passenger ship SS Venezuela in 1962, and delivering aid to Algerian refugees. She played a pivotal role during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, replenishing ships enforcing the quarantine of Cuba. Her operations extended into the mid-1960s, with her home port shifting to Norfolk in 1965. Decommissioned on 2 May 1969, she was later transferred to the Maritime Administration and scrapped in 1975. Her service highlights her significant logistical contributions during the Cold War era.

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