USS Merak (AF-21)

History
Name	Veragua (1932–42; 1946–58);; Merak (1942–46); Sinaloa (1958–64);
Owner	United Fruit Company; Elders and Fyffes (1958–64);
Operator	United Fruit Company (1932–42; 1946–58);; United States Navy (1942–46); Elders and Fyffes (1958–64);
Port of registry	New York (1932–1958); United Kingdom (1958–1964);
Ordered	August 1930
Builder	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation
Yard number	1446
Launched	23 April 1932
Acquired	Delivered: 5 August 1932; Navy: 20 March 1942 (bareboat charter);
Maiden voyage	11 August 1932
In service	1932
Out of service	1965
Identification	U.S. Official Number: 231755; Signal: KDCT;
Fate	Scrapped 1965
Notes	Commissioned U.S. Navy:; 8 May 1942—21 June 1946;
General characteristics
Class and type	"Mail class" passenger/cargo (United Fruit); Navy: Mizar-class stores ship;
Type	Passenger & cargo liner
Tonnage	6,982 GRT, 3,178 NRT, 4,750 DWT
Displacement	7,068 t.(lt) 10,928 t.(fl)
Length	447 ft 10 in (136.50 m) (LOA); 415.8 ft (126.7 m) (Registry);
Beam	60.3 ft (18.4 m)
Draft	24 ft 6 in (7.47 m)
Depth	24.1 ft (7.3 m)
Installed power	4 oil fired Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers, 350 psi 230° superheat driving GE generator sets for main propulsion and auxiliary power
Propulsion	2 GE 4,200 kw, 5,500 hp at 125 rpm, twin 15 ft 6 in (4.7 m), 3 blade screws
Speed	19 knots (35 km/h) (max)
Capacity	Commercial:; Passengers: design 113, postwar 95; Cargo:; 240,070 cu ft (6,798.0 m3) refrigerated; 5,370 cu ft (152.1 m3) baggage, mail & other;
Troops	100+
Complement	Navy: 238
Crew	103 registry, 113 design
Armament	one single 5 in (130 mm) dual purpose gun mount, four single 3 in (76 mm) dual purpose gun mounts, eight 20 mm guns

USS Merak (AF-21), the second Navy ship of the name, was the United Fruit Company cargo and passenger liner Veragua that served as a United States Navy Mizar-class stores ship in World War II.

Veragua was built for United Fruit's subsidiary United Mail Steamship Company by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Fore River Plant, Quincy, Massachusetts. The ship was one of six nearly identical ships with three each built by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company and Bethlehem Shipbuilding.

The ships were designed to take advantage of U.S. subsidies, including mail contracts, and designated by the line as its "Mail class" vessels to meet the company's primary purpose of refrigerated banana transport with passenger and mail being important sources of revenue. Veragua, launched 23 April 1932 and delivered 5 August was one of three ships assigned to the company's Atlantic routes to Panama allowing an intercoastal connection with the three ships assigned to the Pacific.

Veragua was delivered to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) in March 1942 for wartime operation under bareboat charter. The Navy acquired the ship from WSA under sub bareboat charter at the same time, commissioning the ship 8 May 1942 as Merak designated AF-21 after modifications were made for wartime naval service. The ship served in the Atlantic throughout the war. After decommissioning of Merak in June 1946 Veragua was reconverted to commercial operations and then returned to the company for resumption of service on a similar route as before the war. The ship, with two sister ships, was transferred to its British subsidiary Elders and Fyffes to be renamed Sinaloa operating until 1965 when the ship was scrapped.

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