Sheliak (AKA 62) - Naval Cruise Book

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The USS Sheliak AKA-62 received its commission into the Fifth Fleet in the forenoon of December first, nineteen forty-four at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York. The sponsor Cpic- tured above with Commander Lowreyl was Mrs. Nellie Blanch Regan a school- teacher in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, and the mother of a Navy torpedoman serv- ing aboard a destroyer somewhere in the Pacific. DERIVATION OF HSHELIAIC' By way of origin it would be well to set forth a few pertinent facts concerning the AKA-62 Enters the Fleet A STAR IS BORN meaning of the christening. ttSheliak'l is not an unusual name and many crew members have long since harbored doubts as to the correct origin. An astronomer would describe a con- stellation as a group of stars circum- scribed by an imaginary figure. A few such groups are mentioned by Homer and Hesiodg but Eudoxtus of Cnidus, about 366 B.C., was the first Greek who de- scribed with approxima?Wf1pleteness the constellated heavens, and his work, versified by Aratus, was the chief source of modern star-lore. Most, however, of the 45 constellations thus transmitted to our .3. acquaintance had originated long previ- ously in the valley of the Euphrates, and symbolized the earliest mythological con- ceptions of Sumerians peoples. Ptolemy listed 48 constellations fthere are 85 to datel and in 1603 the scheme was round- ed off from materials furnished by South- ern navigators. According to Bayer's Uranometria, Sheliak is a part of the as- terism of Hydrus ranking fifth in bright- ness and forming part of the northern constellations. If you want to pick it out some night just run your eyes around the upper rim of the constellation near Scor- pio, knock twice and ask for Joe.