The USS Charlevoix (AK-168) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship constructed for the U.S. Navy during World War II, designed to transport troops, goods, and equipment to key locations in the war zone. Launched on April 20, 1944, by Froemming Brothers, Inc., in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2141), she was sponsored by Mrs. E. Buchanan. The vessel was commissioned on February 1, 1945. Equipped for cargo transport, the Charlevoix departed Gulfport, Mississippi, on February 24, 1945, bound for Manus, arriving on April 5. During her initial voyage, she was part of a convoy heading to the Philippines, with her passage potentially involving submarine contact, as indicated by depth charges from convoy escorts. She arrived at Subic Bay on April 24 to unload her cargo, then returned to Manus on June 1. After reloading, she set out on June 7 for Samar in the Philippine Islands, where she completed unloading on June 28, before returning to Manus on July 5. On July 11, 1945, Charlevoix loaded aviation gasoline at Lae for the New Zealand Air Force stationed on New Britain, delivering the dangerous cargo safely on July 20, supporting Allied air operations against Japan. She made another voyage to Hollandia, delivering cargo, then returned to Manus with rolling stock for repairs in August. The ship later moved to Samar and Subic Bay for a brief overhaul in October. She reached Norfolk, Virginia, on December 23, 1945, and was decommissioned there on January 18, 1946. The vessel was returned to the Maritime Commission on January 25, 1946. Subsequently, she entered commercial service under various names, including Benny, Benny Viking, Stella Oceanica, Jasolinan, and Paraskevi, before being scrapped in Spain in 1970. The USS Charlevoix's service exemplifies the vital logistical role played by cargo ships during WWII, supporting military operations across the Pacific theater and later serving in commercial maritime activities.

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