USS Stag

Last updated

AW-1 Stag.jpg
USS Stag (AW-1) c. mid-1944, probably upon completion of conversion to a water distilling ship.
She is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 11F. The medium tones of this pattern are only faintly visible on the ship's forward and midships hull sides.
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSS Stag
Builder Delta Shipbuilding Company, New Orleans, Louisiana
Laid down13 November 1943
Launched7 January 1944
Commissioned16 February 1944
Decommissioned30 April 1946
Stricken1 July 1960
FateScrapped, 1970
General characteristics
Type Distilling ship
Displacement
  • 3,745 long tons (3,805 t) light
  • 14,350 long tons (14,580 t) full
Length441 ft 6 in (134.57 m)
Beam56 ft 11 in (17.35 m)
Draft28 ft 4 in (8.64 m)
Installed power2,500 hp (1,900 kW)
Propulsion
Speed12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement171 officers and enlisted
Armament

USS Stag (AW-1) was one of four water distilling ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. The lead ship of two in her class, she was named for a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae.

Contents

Originally laid down as the SS Norman O. Pedrick on 13 November 1943 a Maritime Commission type (Z-ET1-S-C3) tanker hull (MC hull 1932) under Maritime Commission by the Delta Shipbuilding Company of New Orleans, Louisiana; launched on 7 January 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Parks B. Pedrick; acquired by the Navy from the War Shipping Administration under a bareboat charter on 16 February 1944; and commissioned the same day as the Armadillo-class tanker USS Stag (IX-128).

Service history

Stag was converted from a tanker to a water distilling ship by the Tampa Shipbuilding Company in Tampa, Florida from 1 March through late July. Redesignated as USS Stag (AW-1) [1] (date unknown), she held sea trials and shakedown off Galveston, Texas on 7 August. Twenty days later, she got underway for the Panama Canal. On 13 September, Stag stood out of the canal and proceeded independently to New Guinea. The 32-day cruise proved uneventful, and the tanker dropped anchor in Finschhafen, New Guinea, on 15 October only to receive orders to move to Hollandia that day. She arrived at Humboldt Bay on 18 October and was assigned to Service Squadron 9, Service Force, 7th Fleet. From 19 October through 21 November, she supplied fresh water to fleet units and merchantmen.

Stag sailed for the Philippines with a convoy on 22 November and arrived in San Pedro Bay, Leyte, six days later. She shuttled between there, Lingayen, Subic Bay, Mindoro, and Manila until mid-May 1945, supplying water to fleet units. On 16 May, she sailed for Morotai, Netherlands East Indies, and supplied water to units there for two months before returning to the Philippines. She continued operating in that archipelago until the end of the year when she was ordered to return, via Pearl Harbor and San Diego, to the East Coast.

Stag reported to the Commander, Atlantic Fleet, at Norfolk, Virginia on 25 February 1946 for duty and to the 5th Naval District on 5 March for disposal. She was decommissioned at Norfolk on 30 April and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 8 May 1946. Transferred to the Maritime Commission for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at James River, Fort Eustis, Virginia and renamed SS Norman O. Pedrick, the ship was ultimately scrapped in 1970 at Burriana, Spain.

Vessels in the class

There were two vessels in the Stag-class:

Other distilling ships

The other two distilling ships built during World War II were the two Pasig-class:

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Abatan</i> Distilling ship in the US Navy

USS Abatan (AW-4) was a Pasig-class distilling ship built for the United States Navy during World War II, named after the Abatan River located in the southwestern part of Bohol Island in the Philippines.

USS <i>Ponaganset</i> WWII-era American fleet oiler

USS Ponaganset AO-86/AOG-86) was a Suamico-class fleet oiler, of the T2-SE-A2 tanker hull type, serving in the United States Navy during World War II. Laid down on 27 April 1942, she was named for the Ponaganset River located in Foster and Glocester, Rhode Island.

USS <i>Raccoon</i> (IX-127)

The second USS Raccoon (IX-127), an Armadillo-class tanker designated an unclassified miscellaneous vessel, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the raccoon. She was built as the Liberty ship J. C. W. Becham by the Maritime Commission and renamed Raccoon by the Navy on 27 October 1943. Her keel was laid down on 7 November 1943 by the Delta Shipbuilding Company, in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was launched on 23 December 1943 sponsored by Mrs. J. C. W. Becham, accepted from the War Shipping Administration under bareboat basis on 31 January 1944, and commissioned on 1 February 1944.

USS <i>Camel</i> (IX-113)

USS Camel (IX-133), an Armadillo-class tanker, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the camel, a ruminant found in Asia and Africa. She was launched 31 October 1943 as William H. Carruth by California Shipbuilding Corporation, in Wilmington, California, under a Maritime Commission contract sponsored by Mrs. J. Low, was acquired by the Navy 22 November 1943, and commissioned the same day.

USS Beagle (IX-112), was an Armadillo class tanker designated an unclassified miscellaneous vessel. She was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the beagle, a breed of small, short-coated hunting hound.

USS Caribou (IX-114), an Armadillo-class tanker designated an unclassified miscellaneous vessel, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the caribou. Her keel was laid down by the California Shipbuilding Corporation, in Wilmington, California, as Nathaniel B. Palmer under a Maritime Commission contract. She was launched on 2 November 1943 sponsored by Mrs. T. A. Gregory, acquired by the Navy on 25 November 1943 and commissioned the same day and reported to the Pacific Fleet.

USS Armadillo (IX-111), the lead ship of her class of tanker was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the armadillo, an insect-eating mammal which has an armorlike shell encasing its back and head.

USS Ibex (IX-119), an Armadillo-class tanker designated an unclassified miscellaneous vessel, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the ibex, a variety of wild goat found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Her keel was laid down as Nicholas Longworth under a Maritime Commission contract by the California Shipbuilding Corporation in Wilmington, California, on 16 October 1943. She was renamed Ibex on 27 October, launched on 15 November sponsored by Mrs. A. T. Olson, acquired by the Navy 13 December 1943; and commissioned the same day.

The second USS Kangaroo (IX-121), an Armadillo-class tanker designated an unclassified miscellaneous vessel, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the kangaroo, a family of herbivorous, leaping, marsupial mammals of Australia, New Guinea, and adjacent islands. Her keel was laid down as Paul Tulane under Maritime Commission contract by Delta Shipbuilding Company, New Orleans, Louisiana, on 28 September 1943. She was renamed Kangaroo 27 October 1943, launched on 6 November 1943 sponsored by Mrs. Rufus C. Harris, acquired by the Navy on bareboat basis 17 December, and commissioned on 20 December.

The second USS Whippet (IX-129), an Armadillo-class tanker designated an unclassified miscellaneous vessel, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the whippet. Her keel was laid down on 31 October 1943 at New Orleans, Louisiana, by the Delta Shipbuilding Company under a Maritime Commission contract. She was launched on 15 December 1943 sponsored by Mrs. Will Camp Sealy, delivered to the Navy on 13 January 1944, and commissioned on 14 January 1944.

USS <i>Wildcat</i> (AW-2)

USS Wildcat (AW-2), was a Stag-class distilling ship, built for the United States Navy during World War II, the only U.S. Naval vessel to be named for Felis silvestris.

USS <i>Chicopee</i> (AO-34) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Chicopee (AO-34) was the lead ship of her class of oilers for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the second U.S. Navy ship named for the Chicopee River located in Massachusetts.

USS <i>Pasig</i> (AW-3) Water distilling ship

USS Pasig (AW-3) was one of four water distilling ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. The lead ship in her class, she was named for the Pasig River which flows through Manila on the Island of Luzon, Philippines.

USS <i>Zaniah</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Zaniah (AK-120) was a Basilan-class cargo ship commissioned by the United States Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

USS <i>Luna</i> Liberty ship of WWII

USS Luna (AKS-7) was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was originally named for Harriet Hosmer, a neoclassical sculptor, considered the first female professional sculptor. She was converted shortly after completion to an Acubens-class general stores issue ship and renamed Luna, the latin name for the Moon. She was responsible for delivering and disbursing goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.

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

USS Passumpsic (AO-107), the only United States Navy ship to bear the name, was an Ashtabula-class fleet replenishment oiler that served in the U.S. Navy from 1946 to 1973, then transferred to the Military Sealift Command to continue service as United States Naval Ship USNS Passumpsic (T-AO-107). She was the only U.S. Navy ship to bear the name Passumpsic, after the Passumpsic River in Vermont.

<i>Suamico</i>-class oiler

The Suamico class were a class of 25 United States Navy oilers during World War II. Built to the Maritime Commission T2-SE-A1, -A2 and -A3 (Cohocton) designs, they used turbo-electric transmission, obviating the need for reduction gearing which was a major issue in US mass-production shipbuilding.

USS <i>Klickitat</i>

USS Klickitat (AOG-64), was the lead ship of the type T1 Klickitat-class gasoline tanker built for the US Navy during World War II. She was named after the Klickitat River, in Washington.

USS Michigamme (AOG-64), was a type T1 Klickitat-class gasoline tanker built for the US Navy during World War II. She was named after the Michigamme River, in Michigan.

References

  1. "USS Stag (AW-1) circa August 1944".

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