USS Kerstin

History
United States
Ordered	as R1-M-AV3 hull, MC hull 2198
Builder	Pennsylvania Shipyards
Laid down	date unknown
Launched	16 July 1944
Acquired	22 January 1945
Commissioned	23 February 1945
Decommissioned	12 May 1950
Stricken	16 June 1950
Fate	Scrapped (date unknown)
General characteristics
Tonnage	2,120 long tons deadweight (DWT)
Displacement	3,139 t.(lt) 6,240 t.(fl)
Length	338 ft (103 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draught	18 ft (5.5 m)
Propulsion	diesel engine, single screw, 1,700shp
Speed	12 kts. (max)
Complement	84
Armament	one single 3 in (76 mm) dual purpose gun mount, six single 20 mm gun mounts

USS Kerstin (AF-34) was an Adria class stores ship in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1950.

Kerstin was launched 16 July 1944 by Pennsylvania Shipyards, Beaumont, Texas, under a United States Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. W. B. Towns; acquired by the Navy 22 January 1945; and commissioned 23 February 1945 at Houston, Texas.

Departing Galveston, Texas, 14 March, Kerstin loaded cargo at Mobile, Alabama, and arrived Pearl Harbor 14 April. Assigned to Service Squadron 8, she took on board 1,680 tons of refrigerated and dry provisions and sailed 20 April, reaching Eniwetok 2 May. For more than 6 months she made supply runs, transporting frozen food to ships and bases at Iwo Jima, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Ulithi, Manus, Nouméa, and Auckland, New Zealand.

While steaming from Saipan to Iwo Jima 13 July, she directed the prompt rescue of nine men from a disabled B-29 bomber, which splashed about 2 miles off her port quarter while returning to Tinian after a raid over Tokyo. Before departing Saipan 29 November for her return to the United States, Kerstin had travel led more than 26,000 miles and delivered over 5,500 tons of refrigerated cargo.

Arriving San Pedro, California, 20 December, Kerstin again deployed to the Pacific Ocean, 1 January 1946, to transport provision to Wake Island, Tarawa, Samoa, and the Marshalls before returning to San Francisco, California, 24 May. Departing 29 June for cargo operations in the Far East, Kerstin made 11 voyages to the Pacific between June 1946 and December 1949. Steaming to bases scattered throughout the Pacific, her deployments included four runs to the Far East, three to the Marianas and the Marshalls, and four to Pearl Harbor.

Departing Manila Bay 25 November 1949, Kerstin steamed via Guam en route to San Francisco, where she arrived 22 December. After overhaul at Mare Island Navy Yard, she decommissioned 12 May 1950 and transferred to the Maritime Commission. Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register 16 June. She was placed in the Maritime Administration Reserve Fleet, berthed at Suisun Bay, California and struck from the Naval Vessel Register, 16 June 1950. Final disposition: scrapped (date unknown).

Kerstin's crew was eligible for the following medals:

• American Campaign Medal
• Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal
• World War II Victory Medal
• Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia Clasp)

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

Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Kerstin (AF-34).

• NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive – AF-34 Kerstin