USS Escambia (AO-80) in late 1943 | |
History | |
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United States | |
Name | USS Escambia |
Namesake | Escambia River in Georgia and Florida |
Builder | Marinship, Sausalito, California |
Laid down | December 1942 |
Launched | 24 April 1943 |
Commissioned | 28 October 1943 |
Decommissioned | 20 February 1946 |
Stricken | (date unknown) |
Acquired | 26 January 1948 |
In service | 18 July 1950, as USNS Escambia (T-AO-80) |
Stricken | 1957 |
Honors and awards | 5 battle stars (World War II) |
Fate |
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General characteristics | |
Class and type | Escambia-class replenishment oiler |
Displacement |
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Length | 523 ft 6 in (159.56 m) |
Beam | 68 ft (21 m) |
Draft | 30 ft 10 in (9.40 m) |
Propulsion | Turbo-electric, single screw, 8,000 shp (5,966 kW) |
Speed | 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
Capacity | 140,000 barrels (22,000 m3) |
Complement | 267 officers and enlisted |
Armament |
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USS Escambia (AO-80) was the lead ship of her subclass of the Suamico class of fleet oilers 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 valiant efforts, she received five battle stars during the war.
Escambia, a type T2-SE-A2 hull, was launched on 25 April 1943 by Marinship Corp., Sausalito, California, sponsored by Mrs. Joseph Cooper, and commissioned on 28 October 1943.
After a December 1943 voyage from the U.S. West Coast to Pearl Harbor with oil cargo, Escambia departed San Francisco, California, on 21 January 1944 for Majuro, arriving on 9 February. For the next month she fueled ships at Roi Namur and Majuro as the Marshall Islands were assaulted. From 15 March to 30 August, she sailed out of Espiritu Santo, fueling the fast carrier task force in their raids on the Palaus and during the Hollandia operation.
Escambia arrived at Manus on 14 September 1944, and sailed out of this port to rendezvous at sea to fuel the carriers as they launched the air strikes preliminary to the assault on the Philippines. She sailed on to Ulithi on 25 October, and at this vast fleet anchorage, fueled the carrier task forces as they continued their operations in the Philippines. After a voyage to Eniwetok to reload oil, she sailed from Ulithi on 11 December for a west coast overhaul.
The oiler returned to Ulithi on 18 April 1945, and for the remainder of the war used this as her base as she fueled the carrier task forces supporting the Okinawa invasion, and raiding and bombarding the Japanese home islands. Escambia paid calls to Okinawa and Wakayama Wan to fuel ships at anchor there until leaving Tokyo astern, homeward bound, on 4 November 1945.
She was decommissioned on 20 February 1946, struck from the Navy List, and transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal in June.
Reacquired by the Navy on 26 January 1948, she performed no further commissioned service, but was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service on 18 July 1950 to serve as USNS Escambia (T-AO-80) with a civilian crew. Placed out of service (date unknown), she was struck from the Navy List for a second time in 1957.
She was acquired by the United States Army in May 1966 and converted to a Mobile Army Emergency Power Plant assigned to Vietnam service.
She was transferred to the Vietnam Government and scrapped by them in August 1971.
Escambia received five battle stars for World War II service.
USS Pecos (AO–65) was laid down 20 April 1942 by the Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. as a type T3-SE-A1 tanker, Chester, Pennsylvania, as Corsicana ; launched 17 August acquired by the Navy 29 August 1942; and commissioned 5 October 1942.
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 Kaskaskia (AO-27) was a Cimarron-class fleet replenishment oiler serving in the United States Navy, named for the Kaskaskia River in Illinois.
USS Suamico (AO-49) was the lead ship of her class of Type T2-SE-A1 fleet oilers 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 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 Cowanesque (AO-79) was a Type T2-SE-A1 Suamico-class fleet oiler of the United States Navy during World War II.
USS Kennebago (AO-81) was an Escambia-class replenishment oiler serving in the United States Navy during World War II. Laid down on 9 January 1943, she was named for the Kennebago River located in Rangeley, Maine.
USS Bangust was a Cannon-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. In 1952, she was sold to Peru, where she served as BAP Castilla (D-61). She was decommissioned and scrapped in 1979.
USS Weaver (DE-741) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1947. In 1952, she was sold to Peru, where she served as BAP Rodriguez (D-63) until being decommissioned and scrapped in 1979.
USS Lamons (DE-743) was a Cannon-class destroyer escortin service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was sold for scrapping in 1973.
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 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 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 Chipola (AO-63) was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served her country primarily in the Pacific Theater of Operations, and provided petroleum products where needed to combat ships. For performing this dangerous task in combat areas, she was awarded three battle stars during World War II and thirteen campaign stars during the Vietnam War.
USS Tomahawk (AO-88) was an Escambia-class fleet 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 valiant efforts, she received six battle stars during the war.
USS Sebec (AO-87) was a Escambia-class fleet 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 valiant efforts, she received six battle stars during the war.
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 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 Caney (AO-95) 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. She served in the Pacific Ocean Theatre of operations late in the war, and returned home with two battle stars.
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entry can be found here.