The USS Pontiac (AF-20) was originally built as the Danish refrigerated cargo ship Australian Reefer, launched on February 6, 1937, by Nakskov Skibsværft A/C in Denmark. As a motor ship, she was registered at Esbjerg and operated by J. Lauritzen, with a gross register tonnage of 2,321 GRT and a length of approximately 332.6 feet (101.4 meters). She was powered by a 10-cylinder Burmeister & Wain diesel engine, enabling her to serve routes between Denmark, New York, and South America. Following the German occupation of Denmark in April 1940, Australian Reefer sought refuge in the neutral United States. In 1941, she was seized along with other Danish vessels by U.S. authorities and transferred to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) on July 12, 1941. Operated under a U.S. Army Transportation Corps agreement, she carried refrigerated cargo, primarily food supplies, in the North Atlantic and Caribbean theaters. On May 11, 1942, the ship was transferred to the U.S. Navy under a bareboat charter, renamed USS Pontiac (AF-20), and underwent conversion for her new role. As a refrigerated supply ship, she supported Allied forces by delivering provisions to Newfoundland, Iceland, the Caribbean, and along North American coasts throughout 1942 and 1943. Her service included routes to Argentia, Bermuda, Trinidad, Guantánamo Bay, San Juan, and Boston. Tragically, on January 30, 1945, she was heavily damaged by a paravane off Halifax, Nova Scotia, which caused her hull to be holed and led to her sinking in 40 feet of water. She was subsequently raised, towed to Halifax, and temporarily repaired before being towed to Norfolk. She was decommissioned on May 20, 1945, and returned to the Maritime Commission. The Navy noted deficiencies in her cargo space construction, which contributed to her vulnerability. She was struck from the Navy List on June 2, 1945, and sold for scrapping in May 1945. The ship’s wartime service underscores her maritime significance as a logistical support vessel during World War II.

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