A moon of Jupiter; AK-81 was named for this satellite. The AP-177 retained its former name.
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Europa (AK-81) was delivered uncompleted to the Navy on 24 November 1943 and transferred to the Army the next day.
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Europa (AP-177) was built in 1928 by Blohm and Voss, Hamburg, Germany; taken as a war prize 8 May 1945; acquired by the Navy and commissioned 25 August 1945, Captain B. F. Perry in command.
Europa cleared Bremerhaven 11 September 1945 for Southhampton, England, where she loaded 4,500 homeward-bound troops, with whom she arrived in New York 24 September. After alteration to increase her troop-carrying capacity, she made two voyages to Southampton to bring servicemen home. She sailed from New York once more 15 March 1946, bound for Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, and Bremerhaven, where she moored 24 March. Europa was decommissioned 2 May 1946, and delivered to the State Department 8 June 1946. She was later transferred to France in partial payment of war reparations, and became the French Line's SS Liberte.
