USS Draco

USS Draco (AK-79), Puget Sound, August 1945
History
United States
Name	John M. Palmer Draco
Namesake	John M. Palmer The constellation Draco
Ordered	as a Type EC2-S-C1 hull, MCE hull 453[1]
Builder	Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California
Cost	$1,112,024[2]
Yard number	453[1]
Way number	9[1]
Laid down	15 December 1942[1]
Launched	19 January 1943
Sponsored by	Miss Gayle Marie Sanfacon
Acquired	31 January 1943
Commissioned	16 February 1943
Decommissioned	28 November 1945
Stricken	19 December 1945
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-79 Code letters: NYQQ
Honors and awards	2 × battle stars
Fate	Sold for commercial use, 9 August 1947
Union of South Africa
Name	President Kruger
Namesake	Paul Kruger
Owner	Southern Steamship Proprietary, Ltd., Johannesburg
Acquired	9 August 1947
Renamed	sold 1951, renamed Riviera sold 1953, renamed Effie renamed 1958, President Pretorius, Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
Fate	Scrapped April 1968
General characteristics [3]
Class and type	Crater-class cargo ship
Displacement	4,023 long tons (4,088 t) (standard) 14,550 long tons (14,780 t) (full load)
Length	441 ft 6 in (134.57 m)
Beam	56 ft 11 in (17.35 m)
Draft	28 ft 4 in (8.64 m)
Installed power	2 × Oil fired 450 °F (232 °C) boilers, operating at 220 psi (1,500 kPa) ,  (manufactured by Babcock & Wilcox) 2,500 shp (1,900 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine,  (manufactured by Joshua Hendy) 1 × screw propeller
Speed	12.5 kn (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph)
Capacity	7,800 t (7,700 long tons) DWT 444,206 cu ft (12,578.5 m3) (non-refrigerated)
Complement	206
Armament	1 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber dual-purpose (DP) gun 1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber DP gun 2 × 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors anti-aircraft (AA) gun mounts 6 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannon AA gun mounts

USS Draco (AK-79) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. Named after the constellation Draco. She was responsible for delivering goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

Draco was laid down 15 December 1942, as SS John M. Palmer, MCE hull 453, by Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard No. 2, Richmond, California, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract; launched 19 January 1943, and sponsored by Miss Gayle Marie Sanfacon. She was transferred to the Navy 31 January 1943; and commissioned 16 February 1943.^[4][2]

Draco towed YFD-21 from Seattle, Washington, by way of Pearl Harbor to Espiritu Santo, arriving 5 May 1943. She carried cargo from Auckland, New Zealand, to bases on Nouméa, Espiritu Santo, Guadalcanal, and the Fiji Islands, and acted in support of the consolidation of the Solomons, the invasions of Cape Torokina, Bougainville, and Emirau. From 27 July to 10 August 1944 she unloaded cargo at Guam in the capture and occupation of that island, then returned to cargo runs between New Zealand and the Solomons until arriving at Ulithi 26 May 1945.^[4]

Draco sailed from Ulithi 20 June 1945, for Okinawa, where she discharged Army supplies from 26 June to 12 July. Sailing by way of Guadalcanal to load salvaged equipment and vehicles, Draco arrived at Tacoma, Washington, 27 August 1945.^[4]

Draco was decommissioned 28 November 1945, and returned to MARCOM for disposal the same day.^[4] She entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, Virginia, 28 November 1945.^[5]

On 9 August 1947, she was sold to the South African company, Southern Steamship Proprietary, Ltd., and renamed President Kruger. She was again sold in 1951, and renamed Riviera. In 1953, she was sold and renamed Effie. She was renamed President Pretorius in 1958, and finally sold in April 1968, to be scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan.^[3]

Draco received two battle stars for World War II service.^[4]

• Photo gallery of USS Draco (AK-79) at NavSource Naval History