History | |
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United States | |
Name | USS Niobrara |
Namesake | Niobrara River |
Builder | Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard |
Laid down | 29 June 1942 |
Launched | 28 November 1942 |
Acquired | 13 March 1943 |
Commissioned | 13 March 1943 |
Decommissioned | 24 September 1946 |
Recommissioned | 5 February 1951 |
Decommissioned | 30 November 1954 |
Recommissioned | 14 December 1956 |
Decommissioned | 12 November 1957 |
Stricken | 1 February 1959 |
Honors and awards | 4 battle stars (World War II) |
Fate | Sold for scrap, 22 March 1982 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Chiwawa class oiler |
Type | MARAD T3-S-A1 |
Tonnage | 16,543 DWT |
Displacement | 21,077 tons |
Length | 501 ft 7.75 in (152.9017 m) |
Beam | 68 ft (21 m) |
Draft | 29 ft 10.5 in (9.106 m) |
Depth | 37 ft (11 m) |
Installed power | 7,000 shp (5,200 kW) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 15.3 knots (28.3 km/h) |
Range | 14,500 nmi (26,900 km; 16,700 mi) |
Capacity | 133,800 bbl (~18,250 t) |
Complement | 247 |
Armament |
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USS Niobrara (AO-72) was a T3 Kennebec-class oiler constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the only U.S. Navy ship named for the Niobrara River in Nebraska.
The ship was laid down on 29 June 1942 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Sparrows Point, Maryland, as a type T3-S-A1 tanker named SS Citadel, under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 520). Launched on 28 November 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Mark O'Dea, she was acquired by the Navy and commissioned as USS Niobrara on 13 March 1943.
Shakedown and fueling-at-sea training completed, Niobrara sailed from Norfolk, Virginia, on 17 April 1943 to carry oil to Argentia, Newfoundland, then ferried oil from ports in Texas and Aruba, Netherlands West Indies, to Mediterranean ports to support operations in the invasions of North Africa and Sicily. In March 1944 she was altered at Norfolk for Pacific service, and sailed for the Panama Canal, Pearl Harbor, and Kwajalein where she fueled transports bound for the Marianas invasions begun in June 1944.
Niobrara served as station tanker at Eniwetok until July, then operated from that base fueling ships at sea, thus enabling carrier task forces to roam the western Pacific and the Philippine Sea without interrupting their strikes to return to port. On 1 October she arrived in Kossol Roads, Palaus, to serve as station tanker for smaller combatants patrolling during the assault and occupation of the Palaus, then for forces preparing for the return to the Philippines. On 8 January 1945, she herself proceeded to Leyte, then into the South China Sea to fuel task force TF 38, then attacking the China coast.
During the next two months, she served at Ulithi and Saipan fueling ships for the Iwo Jima invasion and preparing for the Okinawa campaign. She sailed 26 March from Ulithi for Okinawa, and after refueling 5th Fleet striking units at sea, closed Hagushi Beach on 5 April to fuel radar picket destroyers. Air and submarine alerts, as well as gunfire close ashore, required expert seamanship to refuel ships alongside while maneuvering to protect the ship. She continued to support ships patrolling off Okinawa and carrier striking forces until the end of the war.
Niobrara entered Tokyo Bay on 30 August to witness the surrender, and after three months' occupation duty, sailed for Guam, where she aided in salvage work. On 10 December she sailed for the Panama Canal and the east coast, along which she operated until decommissioning on 24 September 1946.
She lay in reserve at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, until recommissioning on 5 February 1951 for three years' service with the Atlantic Fleet along the east coast, in the Caribbean, and in the Mediterranean. On 13 June 1954 she arrived in San Diego, California, to join the Pacific Fleet's operations until decommissioning on 30 November 1954.
She recommissioned at San Francisco, California, on 14 December 1956 and again served in the Pacific Fleet until sailing to Galveston, Texas, where she decommissioned on 12 November 1957.
She transferred to the Maritime Administration on 5 December 1957 and joined the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Beaumont, Texas. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 February 1959, and disposed of by MARAD (Trade-in-exchange) on 22 March 1982, and then scrapped in Germany.
Niobrara received 4 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 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 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 Nantahala (AO–60), the second ship of this name, was laid down under Maritime Commission contract by Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard, Inc., Sparrows Point, Maryland, on 31 October 1943. Launched on 29 April 1944; sponsored by Miss Mary Louise Reed; delivered to the Navy 19 June 1944; and commissioned the same day.
The third USS Merrimack (AO-37) (ex-Caddo) was one of five Kennebec-class fleet oilers built during World War II for service in the United States Navy. She also service in the Cold War. She was named after the Merrimack River in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
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 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 Kankakee (AO-39) was a Kennebec-class fleet oiler of the United States Navy. The ship was built as SS Colina by Bethlehem Steel Co., Sparrows Point, Maryland, launched on 24 January 1942, sponsored by Mrs. D. A. Little, acquired for the Navy on 31 March through the Maritime Commission from her owner, Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, New York City, and commissioned as Kankakee at Norfolk, Virginia, on 4 May.
USS Lackawanna (AO-40) was a Kennebec-class type T2 fleet oiler of the United States Navy. The ship was laid down 27 December 1941, as SS Conastoga, by the Bethlehem-Sparrows Point Shipyard Inc., Sparrows Point, Maryland, under Maritime Commission contract number 147. Launched on 16 May 1942, sponsored by Mrs. S. J. Dickey, acquired by the Navy on 20 June 1942, and commissioned on 10 July 1942 at Baltimore, Lt. Comdr. S. R. Sands, Jr., USCG, in command.
The second USS Monongahela (AO-42) was a Kennebec-class oiler in the United States Navy which saw service during World War II and the Korean War. She was the second U.S. Navy ship named for the Monongahela River in West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
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 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 Saranac (AO-74), originally named the SS Cowpens, was a Type T2-SE-A1 Suamico-class fleet oiler of the United States Navy, and the fourth ship of the Navy to bear the name.
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 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.
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 Escalante (AO-70) was a T3 Kennebec-class oiler built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the only U.S. Navy ship named for the Escalante River in Utah.