US Navy Service
The US Navy bareboat chartered Quirigua through the Maritime Commission on 2 June 1941 under Public Law 101, 77th Congress and Executive Order 8771. Brewer's Drydock Co. of Staten Island, New York converted the ship for Navy service by adding one single 5"/38 caliber gun, four 3"/50 caliber guns for anti-aircraft (AA) and anti-submarine use and up to eight Oerlikon 20 mm cannon AA guns. She was renamed Mizar and commissioned into the US Navy on 14 June 1941, commanded by Cmdr E.D. Walbridge.
With some modification Mizar was able to carry a number of troops as well as her refrigerated stores. She was crewed by Merchant mariners plus a team of United States Navy Armed Guard sailors to man her guns. The Guards were assisted by the "civilian" crew and all took equal risk of being sunk by submarine or aircraft; but only the Armed Guard were judged eligible for G.I. Bill benefits.
For the early part of 1942 Mizar sailed the western Atlantic from a number of US East Coast ports, supplying bases and ships from Iceland to the Virgin Islands.
Read more about this topic: USS Mizar (AF-12)
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