From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

A constellation located in the northern sky south of Cassiopeia and named from Andromeda, in Greek mythology the beautiful daughter of the Ethiopian King, Cephus, and of Cassiopeia. Her mother later angered Poseidon by boasting that Andromeda was more fair than Juno and the Nereides. The sea god retaliated by flooding Ethiopia and by sending a monster ashore to ravage the land. When the terrified people of the country turned to Ammon for counsel, that oracle warned them that the dangers could be warded off only by surrendering Andromeda to the monster.

Accordingly, the maiden was chained to a rock on the beach. However, before the fiend could devour the lass, the hero Perseus - flying back from his victorious encounter with the Gorgons - saw the helpless damsel and was entranced by her beauty. To save her, he uncovered Medusa's horrible head before the monster and thus turned him in stone.

Upon freeing Andromeda, Perseus married the grateful girl who bore him many children. After Andromeda's death, Athena placed her in the heavens as a constellation.

The Dutch freighter Andromeda - seized by United States customs officials at New Orleans on 6 April 1917 - was transferred to the Navy the following month, earmarked for operation by the Naval Overseas Transportation Service. However, she was renamed Bath (q. v.) on 9 June 1917 in General Order No. 301, over a month before her commissioning.

Transcribed by Yves HUBERT (hubertypc@aol.com)