The first USS Pyro (AE–1) was an ammunition ship of the United States Navy, commissioned from 1920 to 1924 and from 1939 to 1946. Primarily operating in the Pacific Ocean, the Pyro was present during the Attack on Pearl Harbor. History The ship was laid down 9 August 1918 at Puget Sound Navy Yard in the state of Washington; launched 16 December 1919; sponsored by Mrs. G. A. Bissett, wife of Commander Guy Aloysius Bissett, the Construction Officer at Puget Sound Navy Yard. A sister ship, the USS Nitro (AE-2), was launched the same day. First commission The ship was first commissioned on 10 August 1920. After shakedown, Pyro was assigned to the Naval Transportation Service. She departed Puget Sound 18 September 1920 on her first voyage to the east coast, arriving New York one month later. Her principal operations were conducted between ports which extended from Puget Sound on the west coast to as far north as Boston on the east coast. Her most frequent ports of call included Mare Island, San Francisco, San Pedro, San Diego, Balboa, Guantanamo Bay, Norfolk, Philadelphia, and New York. Besides ammunition and explosives, she also carried general cargo and some passengers. By April 1924, Pyro completed five additional runs to the east coast from California ports. Her Pacific operations took her as far as the Philippine Islands. Upon return from the east coast on 22 April 1924, she put in at Bremerton and decommissioned at the Puget Sound Navy Yard on 10 September. Second commission Pyro was recommissioned on 1 July 1939. In late 1939, Doris Miller, who later became the first Black American to be awarded the Navy Cross, served on the ship. Assigned to the Naval Transportation Service, Pyro resumed transport of ammunition, general cargo, and passengers, making five voyages to the east coast and five to Pearl Harbor by August 1941. She was assigned to Commander, Base Force, Train Squadron 8, Pacific Fleet on 22 August 1941. Departing Mare Island on 1 October, she arrived at Pearl Harbor one week later to commence operations in the Hawaiian area. Pyro was moored at West Loch in Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack on 7 December 1941. She suffered no serious damage and was credited with damaging one Japanese plane. Four days later, she departed Pearl Harbor for San Francisco, and carried ammunition from the west coast to Pearl Harbor until 30