USS Tarazed

USS Tarazed (AF-13) was the United Fruit Company cargo and passenger liner Chiriqui that was acquired by the United States Navy through a sub bareboat charter from the War Shipping Administration (WSA) which acquired the ship by bareboat charter from the company.

[8][9] United Fruit delivered Chiriqui to the government on 4 June 1941 at New York to be operated under bareboat charter.

After returning to New York City, she left late in August for a voyage to Iceland to resupply US and Royal Navy ships.

[11] When the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II, Tarazed was at Halifax, Nova Scotia preparing to join another convoy to Iceland.

Upon completion of the voyage she went to Baltimore, Maryland, for an extensive overhaul before making resupply runs to Newfoundland, Iceland and Bermuda.

[11] In July 1942 Tarazed reached Boston, Massachusetts, from Nova Scotia and loaded a cargo for Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Panama.

[11] In June 1944, Tarazed delivered provisions to ships in the ports of Plymouth, Swansea and Portland Harbour in Britain and at Belfast in Northern Ireland.

She steamed from Norfolk on 24 August and arrived at Oran on 4 September 1944 to supply ships supporting the invasion of southern France.

She continued logistics runs to the Mediterranean into April 1945 and turned to supplying bases and ports in the Caribbean until 14 December 1945 when she was ordered to report to the 8th Naval District for disposal.

[11] Tarazed was decommissioned at New Orleans, Louisiana on 4 January 1946 receiving one battle star for World War II.

Dinner menu cover, United Fruit Company Steamship Service ("Great White Fleet"). Chiriqui at sea.