USS Medea (AKA-31)

History
United States
Name	USS Medea
Namesake	The asteroid Medea
Builder	Walsh-Kaiser Company, Providence, Rhode Island
Laid down	9 August 1944
Launched	30 November 1944
Commissioned	10 January 1945
Decommissioned	24 April 1946
Stricken	15 October 1946
Honours and awards	1 battle star (WWII)
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 1965
General characteristics
Class and type	Artemis-class attack cargo ship
Type	S4–SE2–BE1
Displacement	4,087 long tons (4,153 t) light 7,080 long tons (7,194 t) full
Length	426 ft (130 m)
Beam	58 ft (18 m)
Draft	16 ft (4.9 m)
Speed	16.9 knots (31.3 km/h; 19.4 mph)
Complement	303 officers and enlisted
Armament	1 × 5"/38 caliber gun mount 4 × twin 40 mm gun mounts 10 × 20 mm gun mounts

USS Medea (AKA-31) was an Artemis-class attack cargo ship named after the minor planet 212 Medea, which in turn was named for a mythical enchantress who helped Jason win the Golden Fleece. USS Medea served as a commissioned ship for 15 months.

Medea (AKA-31) was laid down under Maritime Commission contract 5 August 1944, by Walsh–Kaiser Co., Inc., Providence, RI; launched 30 November 1944; sponsored by Mrs. A. C. Clarke; and commissioned 10 January 1945, Lt. Comdr. Wesley A. Sherberth in command.

Service history[]

Following shakedown in Chesapeake Bay, Medea loaded cargo at Hampton Roads, and steamed to Hawaii, arriving Pearl Harbor 3 March 1945. Departing Honolulu 6 April, she operated in the Marianas for the next two months, before embarking troops for Okinawa. She arrived off the Hagushi beaches, Okinawa 10 June, and spent the next nine days discharging troops and cargo. After the cessation of hostilities on 15 August, she carried occupation troops from the Philippines to Japan until November, when she reported for duty with the "Magic Carpet" fleet.

Medea decommissioned in the 8th Naval District, headquartered at New Orleans, 24 April 1946. She was struck from the Naval Register 15 October, and transferred to the War Shipping Administration 29 October. She was finally scrapped in 1965.

Medea received one battle star for World War II service.

References[]

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links[]

• NavSource Online: AKA-31 Medea
• 51 Years of AKAs
• Photo gallery at Naval Historical Center