Matar AK-119

Matar

A star.

(AK-119: dp. 4,023; 1. 441'6"; b. 56'11"; dr. 28'4"; s. 13 k.; cpl. 289; a. 1 511, 4 40 mm., 12 20mm.; cl. Crater; T. EC2-S-Cl)

Matar (AK-119) was laid down as Napoleon R. Broward under Maritime Commission contract by St. John's River Shipbuilding Co., Jacksonville, Fla., 16 October 1943; launched 30 November 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Napoleon B. Broward; acquired by the Navy under bareboat charter 10 December 1943; converted for Navy use by Merrill Stevens Drydock & Repair Co., Jacksonville, Fla.; and commissioned as Matar at Jacksonville 17 May 1944, Lt. Comdr. Erwin E. Smith in command.

After completing conversion, Matar steamed to Norfolk 28 May for shakedown in Chesapeake Bay. Thence, she loaded cargo at Davisville, R.I., and Bayonne, N.J., before departing New York for the Pacific 25 June, arriving Pearl Harbor 25 July. Matar discharged cargo and refilled her holds with ammunition, field rations and amphibious equipment. Operating under Service Squadron 8, she sailed with units of TF 31 on 20 August for the Palaus.

Steaming via the Marshalls and the Admiralties, Matar reached Kossol Passage 20 September. As flagship for CTG 31.4, she operated at Kossol until 17 October vvben she departed for Angaur Island. From 19 to 24 October

she discharged cargo into boats for transfer to the beaches; thence, she embarked marines and amphibious tanks at Peleliu and sailed for the Russell Islands the 30th. She debarked her troops there 7 November; arrived off Guadalcanal the 9th; and embarked 130 troops. Departing Lunga 18 November, she arrived San Francisco via Pearl Harbor 11 December.

Altered for duty as a stores issue ship and loaded with medical supplies and ship's stores, Matar departed San Francisco 18 January 1945 and arrived Eniwetok 8 February. Assigned to Service Squadron 10, she steamed to the Marianas between 10 and 14 February. For the next 3 months she operated out of Saipan and Guam dispensing medical and general stores to the fleet.

Matar arrived Kerama Retto, the Ryukyus, 14 May; discharged some cargo; and shifted to the anchorage off Hagushi, Okinawa, 29 May. She issued dry provisions and medical stores and in addition provided smoke cover during enemy airstrikes. On 27 June she sailed for Ulithi and Pearl Harbor.

Replenishing there between 2 and 14 August she steamed to Eniwetok thence to Japan 7 September arriving Tokyo Bay 15 September to service ships on occupation duty in Japanese waters. She completed this duty early in November and between 5 November and 1 December steamed via Pearl Harbor to San Francisco.

Matar sailed 6 February 1946 for Pearl Harbor, arrived the 15th, and decommissioned 15 March 1946. She transferred to the custody of the Maritime Commission 8 October 1947 and entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet. Her name was struck from the Navy list 31 October 1947. At present Matar is berthed in Suisun Bay, Calif.

Matar received two battle stars for World War 11 service.