USS Celtic (AF-2) was a Celtic-class stores ship built in 1891 by Workman, Clark and Co., Ltd., in Belfast, Northern Ireland, originally named SS Celtic King. The vessel was acquired by the U.S. Navy on May 14, 1898, during the Spanish–American War, and was commissioned shortly thereafter on May 27, 1898, after being fitted out at the New York Navy Yard. Throughout her service, USS Celtic played a vital logistical role, supplying fleet units with medical supplies, fresh provisions, and ice in Cuban and Florida waters during the Spanish–American War. In October 1898, she departed New York to navigate around Cape Horn to reach the Asiatic Station, arriving at Cavite in the Philippine Islands in March 1899. She supported U.S. military efforts during the Philippine–American War by transporting stores and passengers between the Philippines and Australian ports until July 1903. After a brief period out of commission, she returned to service in 1906, operating with the Atlantic fleet, and was recommissioned in October 1908 at Boston. Notably, during her service, USS Celtic was tasked with humanitarian assistance following the 1908 Messina earthquake in Sicily, where she set up a tent city at Messina to aid in relief efforts, demonstrating her versatility beyond mere logistics. She also supported operations during the Veracruz incident in 1914-1915, anchored off Veracruz for replenishment. With the onset of World War I, Celtic's duties expanded to transatlantic supply missions. Starting in July 1917, she carried cargo to American bases in Ireland and France, and later, as part of the Naval Overseas Transportation Service, she transported ammunition and stores to European ports, including the Adriatic. In June 1919, she was reassigned to the U.S. Pacific Fleet, operating along the West Coast and later serving as a cold storage station at Guam. USS Celtic was decommissioned on June 23, 1922, at Cavite and sold in January 1923. Her service history highlights her importance as a logistical vessel supporting U.S. military operations across multiple conflicts and theaters, from the Spanish–American War to World War I, emphasizing her maritime significance in U.S. naval logistics and humanitarian 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.