USS Lancaster (AK-193) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship constructed by Walter Butler Shipbuilding Inc. in Superior, Wisconsin. Laid down under Maritime Commission contract MC hull 2124 on July 1, 1944, she was launched within the same year. The vessel was acquired by the U.S. Navy and commissioned on September 21, 1945, making her the fourth ship to bear the name Lancaster. Designed as a cargo ship, Lancaster was intended to serve logistical and supply roles during World War II. However, her active service was brief; due to the war’s end, the need for additional cargo vessels diminished rapidly. She was decommissioned on November 23, 1945, just a couple of months after her commissioning, and her name was reverted to Coastal Ringleader. Subsequently, she was returned to the War Shipping Administration on the same day. Following her decommissioning, the vessel was operated by various shipping companies from 1945 to 1948 under the name Coastal Ringleader. In 1948, she was placed in the reserve fleet, remaining inactive for several years. On July 13, 1956, she was sold to the Companhia Nacional de Navegacao Costerira, Patrimonio Nacional of Brazil for $693,682, with the condition that she be used for coastal shipping. The transfer was completed, and she was delivered to her new owners on October 2, 1956. Although her service was brief and mainly characterized by her role as a wartime cargo vessel, USS Lancaster (AK-193) exemplifies the rapid wartime shipbuilding program and the post-war transition of naval vessels to commercial use. Her construction at the tail end of World War II and subsequent sale to Brazilian interests reflect broader patterns of military surplus disposal and maritime commerce in the mid-20th century.

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