Cimarron-class oiler (1939)

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USS Mississinewa (AO-59) anchored in Hampton Roads, Virginia (USA), on 25 May 1944 (NH 97279).jpg
USS Mississinewa
Class overview
NameCimarron class
OperatorsFlag of the United States Navy (official).svg  United States Navy
Preceded by Kaweah class
Succeeded by Chicopee class
Subclasses
  • Ashtabula class
  • Mispillon class
Built1938–1945
In commission1939–1992
Completed35, later 4 converted to escort carriers
Lost2
Retired29
General characteristics
Type Oil tanker
Displacement
  • 7,470 long tons (7,590 t) light
  • 24,830 long tons (25,228 t) full load
Length553 ft (169 m)
Beam75 ft (23 m)
Draft32 ft 4 in (9.86 m)
PropulsionGeared turbines, twin screws, 13,500 shp (10,067 kW)
Speed18 knots (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Range12,100 nmi (22,400 km; 13,900 mi)
Capacity146,000 barrels (23,200 m3)
Complement304
Armament
General characteristics
Class and type Ashtabula-classoiler (Jumboized Cimarron)
Displacement
  • 12,840 tons (light);
  • 33,987 tons (full load)
Length644 ft (196 m)
Beam75 ft (23 m)
Draft34 ft 9 in (10.59 m)
Installed power13,500 hp (10,100 kW)
Propulsiongeared turbines, four boilers, twin screws
Speed16 knots (30 km/h)
Capacity180,000 barrels (29,000 m3) of fuel oil
Complement304 (as USS)
Crew108 civilians plus U.S. Navy detachment (as USNS)
Notes"Jumboization" involved the lengthening of the hull and installation of additional cargo capacity during 1965–66

The Cimarron-class oilers were an underway replenishment class of oil tankers which were first built in 1939 as "National Defense Tankers," United States Maritime Commission Type T3-S2-A1, designed "to conform to the approved characteristics for naval auxiliaries in speed, radius and structural strength", anticipating their militarization in the event of war. "Tentative plans had been reached with the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey to build ten high-speed tankers with the government paying the cost of the larger engines needed for increased speed. By the first week in December [1937], Standard Oil had solicited and received bids from a number of yards providing for the construction of a number of 16,300-ton (deadweight) capacity tankers. Bids were requested for two versions: a single-screw design of 13 knots and a twin-screw design of 18 knots. The price difference between the two would be used to establish the government's cost subsidy for greater speed. Plans and specifications for both designs were prepared for Standard Oil by naval architect E. L. Stewart. It seems certain that the design for the 18-knot tanker (Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey Design No. 652 NDF) evolved out of the bureau's (C&R) design for a fleet oiler." [1]

Contents

Three of the original twelve ships were commissioned directly into the Navy at launch in 1939; the remainder entered merchant service with Standard Oil of New Jersey and Keystone Tankships before being acquired under the Two-Ocean Navy Act of July 1940. A further eighteen were built for the Navy between 1943 and 1946, with five additional units, sometimes called the Mispillion class, built to the slightly larger Type T3-S2-A3 design.

Four of the Cimarrons were converted to escort carriers in 1942; two others were sunk by enemy action.

Ships

Ships in class [2]
NameHull NumberBuilderLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedFate
Cimarron AO-22 Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. 18 April 19387 January 193920 March 19391 October 1968Struck 10 October 1968, Sold for scrap 1969
Neosho AO-23 Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey 22 June 193829 April 19397 August 1939N/AScuttled, Battle of the Coral Sea, 11 May 1942
Platte AO-24 Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Sparrow Point Shipyard 14 September 19388 July 19391 December 193919 September 1970Struck 25 September 1970, Sold for scrap 14 May 1971
Sabine AO-2518 September 193927 April 19405 December 194020 February 1969Struck 1 December 1976, Sold for scrap 1 August 1983
Salamonie AO-26 Newport News Shipbuilding 5 February 194018 September 194028 April 194120 December 1968Struck 2 September 1969, Sold for scrap 24 July 1970
Kaskaskia AO-2716 January 193929 September 193929 October 194019 December 1969Struck 19 December 1969, Sold for scrap 3 August 1970
Sangamon AO-28 Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey 13 March 19394 November 1939N/AConverted to Sangamon-class escort carrier
Santee AO-29 Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. 31 May 19384 March 1939N/AConverted to Sangamon-class escort carrier
Chemung AO-30 Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Sparrow Point Shipyard 20 December 19389 September 19393 July 194118 September 1970Struck 18 December 1970, Sold for scrap 14 May 1971
Chenango AO-31 Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. 10 July 19381 April 1939N/AConverted to Sangamon-class escort carrier
Guadalupe AO-32 Newport News Shipbuilding 8 May 193926 January 194019 June 194115 May 1975Struck 15 May 1975, Sold for scrap 16 October 1975
Suwannee AO-33 Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Kearny, New Jersey 3 June 19384 March 1939N/AConverted to Sangamon-class escort carrier
Ashtabula AO-51 Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Sparrow Point Shipyard 1 October 194222 May 19437 August 194330 September 1982Struck 6 September 1991, Partially scrapped 1995, expended as SINKEX target ship, 15 October 2000
Cacapon AO-5216 November 194212 June 194321 September 194314 August 1973Struck 14 August 1973, Sold for scrap 10 December 1973
Caliente AO-532 January 194325 August 194312 October 194315 December 1973Struck 15 December 1973, Sold for scrap 5 April 1974
Chikaskia AO-543 February 19432 October 194310 November 194318 December 19691 December 1976, Sold for scrap 26 May 1982
Elokomin AO-559 March 194319 October 194330 November 194317 March 1970Struck 17 March 1970, Sold for scrap 2 November 1970
Aucilla AO-5625 May 194320 November 194322 December 194318 December 1970Struck 1 December 1976, Sold for scrap, 25 October 1992
Marias AO-5715 June 194321 December 194312 February 194422 November 1982Struck 12 December 1992, Sold for scrap 18 September 1995
Manatee AO-5828 August 194318 February 19446 April 194414 August 1973Struck 14 August 1973, Sold for scrap 10 December 1973
Mississinewa AO-595 October 194328 March 194419 May 1944N/ASunk on 20 November 1944
Nantahala AO-6031 October 194329 April 194419 June 19442 July 1973Struck 1 July 1973, Sold for scrap 5 March 1975
Severn AO-6124 November 194331 May 194419 July 19441 July 1973Struck 1 July 1974, Sold for scrap 22 January 1975
Taluga AO-6223 December 194310 July 194425 August 19444 May 1972Struck 21 February 1992, Sold for scrap 1 July, 2010
Chipola AO-633 May 194421 October 194430 November 194414 August 1973Struck 14 August 1973, Sold for scrap 15 July 1974
Tolovana AO-645 June 19446 January 194524 February 194515 April 1975Struck 15 April 1975, Sold for scrap 16 October 1975
Allagash AO-9726 October 194414 April 194521 August 194521 December 1970Struck 1 June 1973, Sold for scrap 22 March 1976
Caloosahatchee AO-9830 November 19442 June 194510 October 194528 February 1990Struck 18 July 1994, Sold for scrap to Able UK and towed to Hartlepool UK, 2003. Scrapping complete, April 2010.
Canisteo AO-9911 January 19456 July 19453 December 19452 October 1989Struck 31 August 1992, Sold for scrap to Able UK and towed to Hartlepool UK, 2003. Scrapping complete, August 2010.
Chukawan AO-10025 January 194528 August 194522 January 194613 June 1972Struck 1 July 1972, Sold for scrap 1 March 1973

Mispillion and Ashtabula subclasses

There is some controversy about the MARAD Type T3-S2-A3 oilers being a class of their own, the Mispillion class. This is further complicated by the fact that these ships were jumboized in the 1960s, together with Ashtabula (AO-51), Caloosahatchee (AO-98), and Canisteo (AO-99), for some then comprising the Ashtabula class – sometimes with or without the Mispillions. Adding to the confusion, some sources refer to the 18 war-construction repeat Cimarrons as the Ashtabula class.

The argument for separation of Ashtabula, Caloosahatchee, and Canisteo as a separate class from Mispillion, Navasota, Passumpsic, Pawcatuck, and Waccamaw can be made by comparing the actual design and equipment of the two groups. The Ashtabulas and Mispillions are quite different in appearance and UNREP equipment. The three Ashtabulas have a fully enclosed well deck, no exterior deck walkways on the forward superstructure, a tunnel through the forward superstructure to allow the movement of cargo to the forward deck, two sets of STREAM gear, the second being forward of the forward superstructure, and no helo deck on the bow. The Mispillions have none of these features.

Ships in class [2]
NameHull NumberBuilderLaid downLaunchedCommissionedJumboizedDecommissionedFate
Mispillion AO-105 Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. 14 February 194510 August 194529 December 19451965-661990Struck 15 February 1995, Sold for scrap December 2011
Navasota AO-10622 February 194530 August 194527 February 19461963-641991Struck 2 January 1992, Sold for scrap 25 October 1995
Passumpsic AO-1078 March 194531 October 19451 April 19461964-651991Struck 17 December 1991 or 18 December 1991, Sold for scrap 19 December 1991
Pawcatuck AO-10822 March 194519 February 194610 May 19461965-661991Struck 21 September 1991, Sold for scrap 21 September 2005
Waccamaw AO-10928 April 194530 March 194625 June 19461964-651989Struck 11 October 1991, Sold for scrap and towed to Brownsville, TX, 11 October 2005.

Jumboization

From 1964 through 1967, eight of the T3 type oilers were "jumboized" in order to increase their capacity to 180,000 barrels, which the Navy considered the amount necessary to support a supercarrier and its jet air wing's fuel needs. The conversion of the Mispillion sub-class was designed under project SCB 223, while that of the Ashtabula sub-class was designed under SCB 706. [3] This jumboization was done by cutting the ships in two with cutting torches, then the aft section was pulled away, and new mid-body moved in and welded to the bows and sterns. After many other cutting and welding modifications a new long ship was created; a helipad was also fitted forward on the five Mispillions. Ashtabula, Caloosahatchee and Canisteo were jumboized after the five Mispillions and were given a limited capacity for ammunition and dry stores as well as a new midships superstructure and full scantlings, whereas AO-105 through 109 retained their shelter-deck configuration.

Importance

The US Navy's mastery of underway replenishment and its ability to refuel the fleet at sea without returning to port was a major factor in its successful operations against the Japanese during the Second World War. As the largest and fastest of the Navy's oilers, the Cimarrons were the principal class employed in direct support of the task forces. Many of the Cimarron class continued to sustain this function through the Korean and Vietnam wars as well, with the "jumbos" serving right up to the Persian Gulf War.

US Navy captains who had flight status ("wings") were eligible to command aircraft carriers, but it was a prerequisite that the officer in question first have a "deep-draft" command; accordingly the Navy assigned these officers to oilers which had a similar draft.

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

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USS <i>Canisteo</i> (AO-99) Oiler of the United States Navy

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USS <i>Platte</i> (AO-186) Oiler of the United States Navy

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USS <i>Cimarron</i> (AO-177) Oiler of the United States Navy

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T3 tanker

The T3 tanker, or T3, are a class of seaworthy large tanker ships produced in the United States and used to transport fuel oil, gasoline or diesel before and during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The T3 tanker classification is still used today. The T3 tanker has a full load displacement of about 24,830 tons.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Wildenberg, Thomas (1996). Gray Steel and Black Oil: Fast Tankers and Replenishment at Sea in the U.S. Navy, 1912–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
  2. 1 2 Whitley 1999, p. 269.
  3. ↑ Fahey, pp. 63

Sources

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .

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