USS Corduba (AF-32)

USS Corduba (AF-32) was an Adria-class stores ship acquired by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. Her task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas.

Corduba was launched 11 June 1944 by Pennsylvania Shipyards, Inc., Beaumont, Texas, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. R. R. Clark; transferred to the Navy 30 December 1944; and commissioned 26 January 1945, Lieutenant A. G. Wood, Jr., USNR, in command.

World War II service
Clearing Galveston, Texas, 13 February 1945 Corduba loaded cargo at Mobile, Alabama, sailed through the Panama Canal, and arrived at Pearl Harbor 19 March. The last day of the month she sailed for Eniwetok, arriving 11 April to report to Commander, Service Squadron 10. Corduba carried provisions from Auckland, New Zealand, to Tinian, Guam, Manus, Peleliu, and Saipan, from 12 April to her return to San Francisco, California, 15 October.

Post-war activity
After reloading at San Francisco, California, Corduba put to sea 27 October 1945 for Okinawa and Tsingtao, China. From 26 November to 23 December she issued refrigerated provisions to ships serving in the reoccupation of China. Returning to San Pedro, California, 18 January 1946, Corduba carried cargo to the Philippines between 31 January and 18 April, and cleared San Francisco 20 May for the U.S. East Coast. She arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, 10 June. Assigned to Service Force, Atlantic Fleet, Corduba carried provisions to Argentia, the Caribbean, northern Europe, and the Mediterranean.

Inactivation and decommissioning
She was placed in commission in reserve 20 August 1955 to begin her pre-inactivation overhaul at Charleston, South Carolina, and was placed out of commission in reserve there. To NDRF 6 Apr 60.

Corduba was loaned by MA to Army reactivated 2 Jan 1962 at Ft. Eustis, VA by U.S. Army personal of the 70th Transportation Detachment. Activation took two weeks at a cost of $6,500. Saving the Army from chartering a similar vessel for 90 days at a cost of $27,000. Corduba was than used to train U.S. Army stevedores from 2 Jan 62 to 10 Jan 64 and 22 Jun 66 to 1 Oct 68.

Sold for scrap 30 Jul 74

Military awards and honors
Corduba’s crew was eligible for the following medals:
 * China Service Medal (extended)
 * American Campaign Medal
 * Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
 * World War II Victory Medal
 * Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
 * National Defense Service Medal