Kanawha-class fleet replenishment oiler

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USS Kanawha (AO-1) in the early 1920s.jpg
USS Kanawha
Class overview
NameKanawha class
Builders
Operators
Preceded byNone
Succeeded by Patoka class
SubclassesCuyama class
Built1913–1921
In commission1915–1946
Planned6
Completed6
Lost3
Retired3
General characteristics
Type Oil tanker
Displacement
  • 5,723 long tons (5,815 t) light
  • 14,800 long tons (15,037 t) full load
Length475 ft 7 in (144.96 m)
Beam56 ft 3 in (17.15 m)
Draft26 ft 8 in (8.13 m)
Speed14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement317 officers and enlisted
Armament

The Kanawha-class oiler was a class of oil tankers of United States Navy and later sold to the Republic of China Navy.

Contents

Development

Six oilers were ordered for construction by the Mare Island Naval Shipyard and the Boston Navy Yard. They were one of the earliest purpose-built oilers for the United States Navy. Kanawha and Maumee were recommissioned during the Second World War meanwhile the other ships remained in service ever since commissioning. [1]

The Cuyama subclass was an improved version of the first two ships of the Kanawha class.

Kanawha, Neches and Pecos were sunk in battles in the Pacific against the Japanese while the other three served until the end of the war. Maumee was transferred on a lend lease to the Nationalist Army in China in which she was renamed ROCS Omei (AO-509).

Ships of class

Hull numberNameCallsignBuildersLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedFate
Kanawha-class oiler [2]
AO-1 Kanawha NND / NEQD Mare Island Navy Yard 8 December 191311 July 19145 June 1915Sunk off Tulagi Harbor on 8 April 1943
AO-2 / AG-124 Maumee NNE / NEQL23 July 191417 April 191520 October 19165 November 1946Transferred to the Republic of China and renamed ROCS Omei (AO-509).
Cuyama-class oiler [2]
AO-3 Cuyama NERPMare Island Navy Yard15 December 191517 June 191612 April 191712 April 1946Scrapped on 10 September 1947
AO-4 Brazos NIFK Boston Navy Yard 21 June 19171 May 19191 October 19198 February 1946Scrapped on 6 January 1947
AO-5 Neches NIFP8 June 19192 June 192025 October 1920Sunk by I-72 on 23 January 1942
AO-6 Pecos NIFQ2 June 192023 April 192125 August 1921Sunk by aircraft from Sōryū on 1 March 1942

Citations

  1. ↑ "Kanawha class Oilers - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  2. 1 2 "NavSource Auxiliary Ship Photo Archive". NavSource. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
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