USS Cacapon

Last updated

Cacapon (AO-52).JPG
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameUSS Cacapon
Namesake Cacapon River in West Virginia
Builder Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard, Sparrows Point, Maryland
Launched12 June 1943
Sponsored byMrs. A. V. Doherty
Acquired21 September 1943
Commissioned21 September 1943
DecommissionedAugust 1973
StrickenAugust 1973
FateSold for scrap
General characteristics
Class and type Cimarron-class oiler
TypeT3-S2-A3 tanker hull
Displacement
  • 7,236 long tons (7,352 t) light
  • 25,440 long tons (25,848 t) full load
Length553 ft (169 m)
Beam75 ft (23 m)
Draft32 ft (9.8 m)
PropulsionGeared turbines, twin screws, 30,400 shp (22,669 kW)
Speed18 knots (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Capacity146,000 barrels
Complement314
Armament
Service record
Operations: World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War
Awards:

USS Cacapon (AO-52) was a T3 Cimarron-class fleet oiler acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served her country primarily in the Pacific Ocean Theater of Operations, and provided petroleum products where needed to combat ships. For performing this dangerous task, she was awarded battle stars and citations during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Contents

Cacapon was launched 12 June 1943 at Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard, Sparrows Point, Maryland, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. A. V. Doherty; acquired by the Navy 21 September 1943; and commissioned the same day. The name is derived from a Shawnee word meaning "medicine waters". [1] Cacapon River and Cacapon Mountain are in West Virginia.

World War II Pacific Theatre operations

On 22 October 1943 Cacapon sailed from Norfolk, Virginia, to load fuel at Aruba in the West Indies en route to Pearl Harbor, where she arrived 12 November. On 30 November she rendezvoused with the U.S. 5th Fleet to deliver fuel at sea to the ships carrying out the Gilbert Islands operation. After a west coast overhaul, she returned to Pearl Harbor, from which she sailed 3 February 1944 to carry her vital logistic support to task force TF-50, then engaged in the Marshall Islands operation. She carried fuel on which all modern naval warfare depends to units of the U.S. 3rd Fleet from March into May, as the mighty task forces sent their strikes against Rabaul, Kavieng, Green, Emirau, and the Admiralties. During a part of this period, she served temporarily with the U.S. 7th Fleet's service support group for the New Guinea operation.

Cacapon served as station tanker successively at Efate and Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides; Port Purvis on Florida Island in the Solomons; and Manus, Admiralty Islands, until 8 January, when she cleared Manus for Ulithi. Here she reported to the 3rd Fleet, and between 12 and 27 January her operations supported task force TF-38 during its series of strikes against Luzon and Formosa supporting the Philippine attacks and consolidation. Cacapon lengthened the list of operations to which she had given vital support as she steamed with the 5th Fleet during the Iwo Jima operation, from 15 to 26 February, and the Okinawa operation from 24 March to 30 June. Between these, she served briefly as station tanker in San Pedro Bay, Philippine Islands.

End-of-war activity

Cacapon brought her essential aid to the 3rd Fleet in its final devastating air attacks and bombardments on the Japanese home islands in July 1945, and on 20 September entered Tokyo Bay. Ten days later she cleared for San Pedro, California, arriving for overhaul 11 October. She returned to the Far East in December, providing support to occupation forces with a shuttle service between Yokohama, Japan, and Shanghai and Qingdao, China.

Running aground in the Persian Gulf

In April 1946 she sailed to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf to load oil for delivery to Kwajalein Atoll, where her cargo was to be used during Operation Crossroads. However, on the first day at sea, 24 April, she ran on Shah Allum Shoal in the Persian Gulf. While the current pulled her clear, her engine and fire rooms began to flood and all power was lost. Aided by SS Fort Erie, SS Fort Stanwick, and USS Chikaskia (AO-54), Cacapon put back to Bahrain for temporary repairs, and proceeded to San Pedro, California, for permanent repairs.

Supporting Antarctic operations

On 2 December 1946, Cacapon cleared San Pedro, California, for 10 weeks in the Antarctic in Operation Highjump. She called at Sydney, Australia, en route Long Beach, California, returning home 8 April 1947. Between 1947 and 1950 she cruised in the Pacific on two extended Far Eastern tours.

Korean War operations

Far Eastern operations continued to be the rule for Cacapon when war broke out in Korea in June 1950; she completed four lengthy tours of duty there during the three years of fighting. Sailing with the U.S. 7th Fleet and the Formosa Patrol Force, she carried fuel and supplies to these sea forces. On her first tour, during which she helped to support the amphibious landing at Inchon on 15 September 1950, she earned the Navy Unit Commendation for her high performance of duty.

From the end of hostilities in Korea through 1960, Cacapon made six more Far Eastern tours, continuing to sail with the 7th Fleet and the Taiwan Patrol Force. In 1958 she served as the oiler replenishing the ships in Operation Hardtack, which conducted nuclear bomb tests in the lagoons of Bikini and Eniwetok, Marshall Islands.

Vietnam War operations

During her 1955 tour she took part in the evacuation of the Tachen Islands from 6 to 14 February, and the Vietnam evacuation "Operation Passage to Freedom" of 6 to 15 March. From February to August 1958, she joined in Operation Hardtack I at Bikini Atoll. The intervals between deployments have found her operating locally from Long Beach, California.

Murder of Andrew Muns

Cacapon was the site of the 1968 strangulation of Ensign Andrew Muns. He was murdered after uncovering a theft of $8,600 from the ship's safe by Michael LeBrun. The Navy initially branded Ensign Muns the thief and accused him of deserting with the stolen cash. At the insistence of the Muns' family, the case was reopened by NCIS in 1998 and a subsequent cold case investigation led to Michael LeBrun. [2] After a lengthy interrogation, LeBrun confessed to the murder and to disposing of the body by throwing Ensign Muns into one of the oiler's massive fuel tanks. [3] The body was never recovered.

Final decommissioning

She was decommissioned, and struck from the Navy List in August 1973 and transferred to the Maritime Administration for disposal. Her final disposition was to be sold for scrapping (date unknown) to Zidell Exploration Portland, Oregon.

Awards

Cacapon received four battle stars for World War II service, and the Navy Unit Commendation and nine battle stars for Korean War service.

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Chemung</i> (AO-30) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Chemung (AO-30), a Cimarron-class fleet replenishment oiler serving in the United States Navy, was the second ship named for the Chemung River in New York State.

USS <i>Guadalupe</i> (AO-32) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Guadalupe (AO-32), a Cimarron-class fleet replenishment oiler that served in the United States Navy, it was named for the Guadalupe River in Texas.

USS <i>Cimarron</i> (AO-22) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Cimarron (AO-22) was a Cimarron-class oiler serving with the United States Navy and the second ship to be named for the Cimarron River in the Southwestern United States. She was launched 7 January 1939 by Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Chester, Pennsylvania; sponsored by Mrs. William D. Leahy; and commissioned 20 March 1939.

USS <i>Kaskaskia</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Kaskaskia (AO-27) was a Cimarron-class fleet replenishment oiler serving in the United States Navy, named for the Kaskaskia River in Illinois.

USS <i>Neosho</i> (AO-48) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Neosho (AO–48) was a Kennebec-class type T2 fleet oiler of the United States Navy. The ship was laid down on 8 July 1941, as SS Catawba, by the Bethlehem-Sparrows Point Shipyard Inc., Sparrows Point, Maryland. The purchase came under Maritime Commission contract number 145 for the Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, later renamed Mobil Oil.

USS <i>Tappahannock</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Tappahannock (AO-43) was a Kennebec-class oiler in the United States Navy that served during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. She was sold for scrap in 1987.

USS <i>Patuxent</i> (AO-44) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Patuxent (AO-44) was a Kennebec-class oiler in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the second U.S. Navy ship named for the Patuxent River in Maryland.

USS Cache (AO-67) was a Type T2-SE-A1 Suamico-class fleet oiler of the United States Navy.

USS <i>Tallulah</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Tallulah (AO-50), originally named the SS Valley Forge, was a Type T2-SE-A1 Suamico-class fleet oiler of the United States Navy.

USS <i>Millicoma</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Millicoma (AO-73) was a United States Navy fleet oiler which served in the Pacific Theatre during World War II, winning eight battle stars for her dangerous work. Post-war she was recommissioned and was placed under the control of the MSTS with a civilian crew until finally assigned for disposal in 1987.

USS <i>Schuylkill</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Schuylkill (AO-76), originally named the SS Louisburg, was a Type T2-SE-A1 Suamico-class fleet oiler of the United States Navy.

USS <i>Caliente</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Caliente (AO-53) was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler built during World War II for the U.S. Navy. During her career in the Pacific Ocean, Caliente participated in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. She was highly decorated for fulfilling her dangerous mission of carrying fuel into battle areas. She received ten battle stars for World War II, four for the Korean War and eight campaign stars for the Vietnam War.

USS <i>Mascoma</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Mascoma (AO-83) was a Escambia-class replenishment oiler constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. She served her country in the Pacific Ocean Theatre of Operations, and provided petroleum products where needed to combat ships. For her very dangerous work under combat conditions, she was awarded seven battle stars by war's end.

USS <i>Chikaskia</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Chikaskia (AO-54) was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served her country primarily in the Pacific Ocean Theatre of Operations, and provided petroleum products where needed to combat ships. For her very dangerous work under combat conditions, she was awarded six battle stars for World War II and one for the Korean War.

USS <i>Marias</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Marias (AO-57) was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served her country primarily in the Pacific Ocean Theatre of Operations, and provided petroleum products where needed to combat ships. For performing this dangerous task, she was awarded eight battle stars during World War II, and one campaign star during the Vietnam War for her bravery in combat areas.

USS <i>Cahaba</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Cahaba (AO-82) was an Escambia-class replenishment oiler acquired by the United States Navy for use during World War II. She had the dangerous but necessary task of providing fuel to vessels in combat and non-combat areas primarily in the Pacific Ocean. For her brave efforts, she received eight battle stars during the war.

USS <i>Pamanset</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Pamanset (AO-85) was a Escambia-class replenishment oiler acquired by the United States Navy for use during World War II. She had the dangerous but necessary task of providing fuel to vessels in combat and non-combat areas.

USS <i>Anacostia</i> (AO-94) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Anacostia (AO-94) was a Escambia-class replenishment oiler acquired by the United States Navy for use during World War II. She had the dangerous but necessary task of providing fuel to vessels in combat and non-combat areas. She served in the Pacific Ocean Theater of operations late in the war, and returned home with one battle star.

USS <i>Ashtabula</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Ashtabula (AO-51) was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler of the United States Navy in service from 1943 to 1991. She survived three wars and was awarded eight battle stars for World War II service, four battle stars for Korean War service, and eight campaign stars for Vietnam War service. In the mid-1960s Ashtabula became the lead ship of her class, when she and seven other Cimarron-class oilers were lengthened ("jumboized"). She has been the only U.S. Navy ship to bear the name Ashtabula, after the City of Ashtabula which was named after the Ashtabula River in northeast Ohio.

USS <i>Mispillion</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Mispillion (AO-105) was an Ashtabula-class oiler that served in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1974. She was then transferred to the Military Sealift Command to continue in non-commissioned service as United States Naval Ship USNS Mispillion (T-AO-105), in which capacity she served until 1994. Thus far, Mispillion has been the only U.S. Navy ship to bear the name.

References

  1. Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. pp. 146–147.
  2. "NCIS agents vow to solve "unsolvable" cold case and restore a sailor's honor". www.cbsnews.com. 29 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  3. "Man pleads guilty to manslaughter in '68 killing". NBC News. 8 September 2005. Retrieved 25 May 2023.

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entry can be found here.

Further reading