USS Roxane

Roxane (AKA-37) was named after the minor planet 317 Roxane, which in turn was named after Roxana, the wife of Alexander the Great. The ship was laid down 1 December 1944 by Walsh-Kaiser Co., Inc., Providence, R.I.; launched 14 February 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Edwin H. Armstrong; acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission (MC Hull 1898) and commissioned at Boston 12 March 1945.

Following shakedown off Boston, Roxane loaded at Norfolk and transited the Panama Canal 24 April 1945. Arriving Pearl Harbor 11 May, she proceeded on to Eniwetok and Saipan before putting into San Francisco 12 July. Departing San Francisco 25 July, she proceeded by way of Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, and Ulithi, to Manila where she arrived 3 September. She operated on cargo runs between various Philippine ports until arriving Japan 23 October 1945.

On 1 November 1945, Roxane reported to ComServPac for "Magic Carpet" duty at Mitsugahama, and proceeded via Okinawa and arrived San Francisco with returning veterans 22 November. Departing again 11 December, she picked up additional troops at Yokosuka and Sasebo and reached Seattle 7 February.

Roxane reported for disposal to Commander 13th Naval District 18 March 1946, decommissioned 5 June 1946, was transferred to the Maritime Commission 29 June 1946, and was struck from the Navy list 3 July 1946. Scrapped 1966

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

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