Service history
Following a short shakedown cruise along the coast, Rutilicus took on a load of general cargo at Port Hueneme, California, and steamed in convoy for the Territory of Hawaii arriving at Pearl Harbor on 21 November. Departing the Hawaiian Islands on 4 December, she continued on to the Gilbert Islands, delivering cargo at both Tarawa and Abemama before returning to Pearl Harbor on 12 January 1944.
Supporting invasion of the Marshall Islands
She got underway on 25 January 1944, for the invasion of the Marshall Islands. Arriving at Majuro on 3 February, she delivered 150 Marines and general cargo and then returned to Pearl Harbor on 21 February. Her next voyage, 29 February to 28 March, was a run to Baker Island, to pick up Army Air Force advance base equipment for return to Pearl Harbor.
Island-hopping in the South Pacific
Rutilicus' next operations involved extensive island-hopping. Standing out from Pearl Harbor on 14 April, she steamed in convoy for Kwajalein Atoll, the Marshalls, arriving on 23 April. She then touched at Makin, Tarawa, Abemama, and Makin again, before returning to Pearl Harbor on 20 May.
Tinian invasion operations
By 14 June, Rutilicus was steaming in convoy for Eniwetok Atoll, arriving there on 25 June. For the next seven weeks, she rode at anchor there, then joined up with a convoy for Tinian, the Marianas. Following offloading at Tinian, she left for Eniwetok 14 August, touching there on 19 August, and then continued on to Pearl Harbor. Then she steamed independently for San Francisco, California, arriving on 8 September. On 12 September, she moved into Amship Corporation Shipyard, Alameda, California, for repairs, alterations, and conversion from a general cargo carrier to a fleet dry provisions issue ship.
Serving the Philippine invasion forces
Rutilicus moved to the Naval Supply Depot, Oakland, California, on 13 October, took on dry provisions, clothing, small stores, ship's store stock, and medical stores for fleet issue in the forward areas. Thirteen days later, she steamed for Leyte, the Philippines, via Manus, Funafuti, and Hollandia. By 1 December, she was serving units of the fleet in Philippine waters. The next 5 months saw her issuing stores between Hollandia, Nouméa, Espiritu Santo, Manus, Ulithi, and Guam. She was back in San Francisco on 6 May 1945.
Okinawa operations
Following repairs, she steamed on 12 June, via the Carolines for Okinawan waters. She commenced operations from Buckner Bay on 21 July; and, on 10 September, she steamed with Task Group 55.7 for Nagasaki, Kyūshū, Japan, arriving on 12 September. She shifted to Sasebo on 25 September.
USS Naos (AK-105) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. Naos was named after the star Naos, in the constellation Puppis. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
USS Murzim (AK-95) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. She was named after Murzim, the star in constellation Canis Major. Murzim was manned by United States Coast Guard personnel and was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
USS Crater (AK-70) was the lead ship of her class of converted liberty ship cargo ships in the service of the US Navy in World War II. She was first named after John James Audubon, an American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. She was renamed and commissioned after the constellation Crater, she was the only ship of the Navy to bear this name.
USS Prince Georges (AP-165/AK-224) was a Crater-class cargo ship in the service of the US Navy in World War II. Named after the Prince George's County, Maryland, it was the only ship of the Navy to bear this name.
The USS Alnitah (AK-127) was a Crater-class cargo ship in the service of the US Navy in World War II. Named a spelling variation of the star Alnitak in the constellation Orion, it was the only ship of the Navy to bear this name.
USS Kenmore (AP-162/AK-221) was a Crater-class cargo ship built during World War II for the US Navy. Kenmore was named after George Washington's sister Elizabeth's house Kenmore. Kenmore was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
USS Cor Caroli (AK-91) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II and manned by a US Coast Guard crew. She was named after Cor Caroli, the brightest star in constellation Canes Venatici. She was responsible for delivering goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
USS Mintaka (AK-94) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. She was named after Mintaka, a star in the Orion constellation. Mintaka was crewed by United States Coast Guard personnel and was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
USS Triangulum (AK-102) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. Triangulum was named after the constellation Triangulum. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
USS Allioth (AK-109/IX-204/AVS-4) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II, named after Alioth, a star in constellation Ursa Major. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
USS Alkes (AK-110) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II, named after Alkes, a star in the Crater constellation. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
USS Shaula (AK-118) was a Crater-class cargo ship, converted from a Liberty Ship, commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. She was first named after James Screven, an American general during the American Revolutionary War. She was renamed and commissioned after Shaula, the second-brightest star system in the constellation of Scorpius. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
USS Matar (AK-119) was a Crater-class cargo ship, converted from a Liberty Ship, commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. She was first named after Napoleon B. Broward, an American river pilot, captain, and politician; he was elected as the 19th Governor of the US state of Florida. She was renamed and commissioned after Matar, a binary star in the constellation of Pegasus. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
USS Azimech (AK-124) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II, named after the Azimech, the other name of Spica, the brightest star in constellation Virgo. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
USS Lesuth (AK-125) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. Lesuth was named after the star Lesuth in the constellation Scorpius. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
USS Megrez (AK-126) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. Megrez was named after Megrez, a star in the constellation Ursa Major. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
USS Ara (AK-136) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. Ara is named after the constellation Ara. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
USS Ascella (AK-137) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. Ascella was named after Ascella, a star in the constellation Sagittarius. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
USS Pavo (AK-139) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II, named after the constellation Pavo. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
USS Livingston (AP-163/AK-222) was a Crater-class cargo ship built for the US Navy during World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
United States
2 × battle stars 
