The USS Hydrus (AKA-28) was an Artemis-class attack cargo ship constructed under a Maritime Commission contract by Walsh-Kaiser Co., Inc., in Providence, Rhode Island. Launched on October 28, 1944, and commissioned on December 9, 1944, she was named after the southern constellation Hydrus. The vessel measured approximately 426 feet in length, with a beam of about 59 feet, and a draft of roughly 21 feet. As an attack cargo ship, her design prioritized rapid loading and unloading of troops and equipment to support amphibious assaults. Following her shakedown training in Hampton Roads, Hydrus departed for the Pacific theater, arriving at Pearl Harbor in January 1945. She played a significant role in the final stages of the Pacific island campaign, participating in the extensive training for the invasion of Okinawa. In early April 1945, she took part in the Okinawa operation, delivering Marines and their equipment to the Hagushi beaches under Vice Admiral Kelly Turner’s command. During the battle, Hydrus remained off Okinawa, often subjected to heavy air attacks, until April 10, before returning to Guam and Pearl Harbor. Post-war, Hydrus was involved in transporting supplies among Pacific islands and later supported the occupation of China, delivering troops and cargo to Tsingtao and Taku. She also participated in the "Magic Carpet" operation, repatriating American servicemen from the Pacific. In 1946, she was decommissioned and repurposed as the training ship Empire State II for the New York State Maritime Academy, serving in this capacity until 1956. After her training career, Hydrus was placed in the Maritime Commission's National Defense Reserve Fleet until she was sold for scrap in 1964. Throughout her service, she earned one battle star for her World War II operations, highlighting her contribution to the Pacific campaigns and post-war 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.