USS Procyon (AKA-2)

History
United States
Name	USS Procyon
Namesake	Procyon, a star in the constellation Canis Minor
Builder	Tampa Shipbuilding Company, Tampa, Florida
Laid down	15 January 1940, as SS Sweepstakes
Launched	14 November 1940
Acquired	14 November 1940
Commissioned	28 August 1941, as USS Procyon (AK–19)
Decommissioned	23 March 1946
Reclassified	AKA-2 (attack cargo ship), 1 February 1943
Stricken	12 April 1946
Fate	Sold for scrap, 19 November 1973
General characteristics
Class and type	Arcturus-class attack cargo ship
Type	Type C2 ship
Displacement	14,225 long tons (14,453 t)
Length	459 ft 3 in (139.98 m)
Beam	63 ft (19 m)
Draft	25 ft 6 in (7.77 m)
Speed	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Complement	412
Armament	1 × 5"/38 caliber gun mount 4 × twin 40 mm gun mounts
Service record
Operations:	Invasion of North Africa (1942) Invasion of Sicily (1943) Salerno Landings (1943) Landings in southern France (1944) Battle of Okinawa (1945)
Awards:	5 battle stars

USS Procyon (AKA-2) was an Arcturus-class attack cargo ship of the United States Navy, named after Procyon, a star in the constellation Canis Minor. She was laid down and launched in 1940, entering service shortly before the American entry into World War II. She served with distinction in World War II, earning five battle stars. Her work included shipping planes in the Pacific, and troops in North Africa. She was part of the Invasion of Sicily and the Invasion of Okinawa. She served as a commissioned ship for 5 years and 4 months. In 1946, the ship was decommissioned, and was later sold to Levin Metals Corp. on 19 November 1973.