USS Cheng Ho (IX-52) (also written Chengho), an unclassified miscellaneous vessel, was the only ship of the United States Navy of that name, which was given to her by her civilian owner for Zheng He, the Chinese admiral and explorer.

She was designed and built for a plant collecting expedition to the Dutch East Indies[2] led by botanist David Fairchild.

[3] The expedition was intended to last for two years, but after only six months the outbreak of war made further work impossible.

[5] Cheng Ho was at the Section Base, Bishop's Point, during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.

[2][6] Throughout World War II she served at Pearl Harbor as a picket boat and as an inshore patrol vessel.