OILERS - AO, AOE, AOG & AOR TANKERS

[Salvage Sailor]

USS AUCILLA (AO-56)

YO-141 keeping station with USS AUCILLA (AO-56) at Norfolk, 27 September 1944.
US National Archives photo # 80-G-280741 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archive

 

USS AUCILLA (A0-56)

Ashtabula class replenishment oiler in service 1943 to 1970

"CUANTO AMIGO"

ANYWHERE ANYTIME

 

 

 

 

Gemsco 1950's

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USS CHEWAUCAN (AOG-50)

Cold War Sixth Fleet gasoline tanker passing under the Cooper River Bridge at Charleston, S.C. while returning from Med deployment in June 1972

 

USS CHEWAUCAN (AOG-50)

Patapsco class gasoline tanker in service 1945 to 1975

 

USS Chewaucan (AOG-50) in the vicinity of Sardinia, fall 1968

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USS CHUKAWAN (AO-100)

Cimarron class Fleet Replenishment Oiler in service 1946 to 1972

 

USS Chukawan (AO-100) conducting an underway replenishment with USS Valley Forge (CVS-45) and USS Eaton (DDE-510). The location is almost certainly the VACAPES operating area off Norfolk, VA., Date is probably sometime in 1958-59. On the flight deck of Valley Forge just aft of the starboard helicopter is a lone Early Warning Configuration AD-5W Skyraider (Guppy) belonging to VAW-12 "Bats". The helicopters on the forward flight deck are HSS-1 Seabat helicopters from HS-7 "Big Dippers". The aft flight deck is filled with S-2 Trackers belonging to VS-36 "Gray Wolves".
Valley Forge (CVS-45) photo.

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USS SABINE (AO-25)

Cimarron class fleet oiler in service 1940 to 1969

USS Sabine (AO-25) refuels USS Enterprise (CV-6) in rough weather, during the approach phase of the Doolittle Raid on Japan, 17 April 1942. Note configuration of refueling gear, and spare anchor stowed on the oiler's after superstructure bulkhead.
US National Archives photo # 80-G-330659

 

Sabine earned ten battle stars for World War II service

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USS SALAMONIE (AO-26)

Cimarron class fleet replenishment oiler in service 1941 to 1968

 

USS Salamonie (AO-26) alongside USS Newport News (CA-148) during an underway refueling.
US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, September 1950 navsource.com

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

"The Genny"

USS GENESSEE (AOG-8)

Patapsco class gasoline tanker in service 1944 to 1972

An aerial view of USS Genesee (AOG-8) at sea, 4 June 1944, wearing camouflage 32/3D. Photo taken by blimp squadron ZP-22.
US National Archives Photo # 80-G-271264 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives

 

 

USS GENESEE (AOG-8) was a Patapsco class gasoline tanker acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of transporting gasoline to warships in the fleet, and to remote Navy stations.  Genesee had the distinction of serving in World War II (1 battle star), the Korean War (1 battle star), and the Vietnam War (5 campaign stars).

 

READY, AYE

 

Vietnam War Operations

While Genesee was being overhauled, fighting in South Vietnam was intensified. Repairs completed, the tanker headed for the fighting zone where her outstanding service won her the Navy Unit Citation. She "contributed materially to the success of military operations by delivering over 9.8 million gallons of petroleum fuel, pumping over 2 million gallons of salt water to aid in air strip construction, delivering diesel fuel from her bunkers and maintaining bottom lay fuel lines on a most demanding schedule and frequently under most adverse weather conditions in an open sea anchorage."  The ship was the second ship of the Service Force Pacific (ServPac) to receive a U.S. Navy Citation in Vietnam.

 

 

She was hit by enemy artillery fire while stuck aground up the Cửa Việt river on 22 APR 1968. One sailor was killed (SF3 Ball) and another injured (SN Perkins).  Steven Friedman, SK2, was awarded the Navy and Marine Medal 01 MAY 1968.

 

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USS PECATONICA (AOG-57)

Patapsco class gasoline tanker in service 1945 to 1961

 

Decommissioned, 24 April 1961, at Tsoying, Taiwan.  Transferred, on loan, the same day to the Republic of China under the Security Assistance Program, renamed ROCS Chang Pei (AOG-307), later (AOG-517) and still in service in 2005

 

ROCS Chang Pei (AOG-517) moored alongside Hsing Lung (AOG-515) ex Elkhorn (AOG-7)

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USS TAPPAHANNOCK (AO-43)

Mattaponi class fleet oiler commissioned in 1942

Nine battle stars for World War II service and seven campaign stars for Vietnam War service

 

    
Seventh Fleet ships replenishing in the South China Sea, May 1969. Ships present are (from front to back): USS Wiltsie (DD-716), USS Tappahannock (AO-43), USS Oriskany (CVA-34), USS Mars (AFS-1), and USS Perkins (DD-877). US National Archives photo # USN 1139357, by PH1 Long USN.