USS Wacissa (AOG-59)

Last updated
USNS Wacissa (T-AOG-59) in port in the mid-1950s.jpg
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameUSS Wacissa
Namesake Wacissa River in Florida
OrderedAs type T1-MT-M1 tanker hull
BuilderCargill, Inc., Savage, Minnesota
Laid down11 November 1944
Launched15 June 1945
Completed20 May 1946
Stricken23 April 1947
Reinstated30 April 1948
FatePlaced in reserve
NameUSNS Wacissa (T-AOG-59)
Recommissioned18 February 1952
Decommissioned25 May 1954
FatePlaced in reserve
NameUSNS Wacissa (T-AOG-58)
Recommissioned24 May 1956
Decommissioned16 October 1956
In service
  • Loaned to the US Air Force, 16 September 1957
  • Loaned to Canada, 1958-1963
Stricken1 December 1963
FateSold for scrapping May 1964
General characteristics
Class and type Patapsco-class gasoline tanker
Tonnage2,120 long tons deadweight (DWT)
Displacement
  • 1,846 long tons (1,876 t) light
  • 4,130 long tons (4,196 t) full load
Length310 ft 9 in (94.72 m)
Beam48 ft 6 in (14.78 m)
Draft15 ft 8 in (4.78 m)
Propulsion4 × General Electric diesel engines, electric drive, twin shafts, 3,300 hp (2,461 kW)
Speed14 knots (16 mph; 26 km/h)
Complement131
Armament

USS Wacissa (AOG-59) was a Patapsco-class gasoline tanker delivered to the United States Navy in 1946. She was directly put in reserve and reactivated for service with the Military Sea Transportation Service between 1952 and 1956. In 1957, she was transferred to the United States Air Force. Shortly thereafter she was transferred to Canada again. She was finally scrapped in 1964.

Contents

History

Wacissa was laid down on 11 November 1944 at Savage, Minnesota, by Cargill, Inc.; launched on 15 June 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Albert Ford; and completed on 20 May 1946. Declared surplus to U.S. Navy needs on 1 June 1946, the ship was authorized for disposal on the 5th. Struck from the Navy list on 23 April 1947, Wacissa was delivered to the Maritime Commission during the following summer and berthed with the Maritime Commission Reserve Fleet at Lake Charles, Louisiana. She was then placed on a list of ships slated for disposal via sale.

The U.S. Navy, however, requested that the gasoline tanker be taken off the sale list. She was accordingly transferred to the Naval Reserve Fleet berthing area at Orange, Texas, on 3 April 1948. However, as facilities for upkeep and preservation were minimal at Orange, Wacissa was towed to New Orleans, Louisiana, for a preservation process which would prepare the ship for retention in the Navy's inactive fleet. Towed back to Orange, Texas, the ship was reinstated on the U.S. Navy list on 30 April, inactivated on 2 May, and placed in reserve on the 3rd.

Military Sea Transportation Service

The onset of the Korean War caused an expansion of the United States Navy. On 18 February 1952, Wacissa was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and received the designation T-AOG-59. She took part in Operation Sumac, exercises conducted in the North Atlantic from May through July 1952. Subsequently, she carried cargoes of high test aviation gasoline and lubricating oils to Goose Bay, Labrador, and Argentia, Newfoundland. She ran aground at Polaris Reef, Baffin Bay, on 9 October. Floated free on the 16th, the tanker was then put into Halifax, Nova Scotia, for repairs which lasted from 25 October to 19 December. She then resumed her operations along the east coast and continued them into the spring of 1954.

On 25 May 1954, USNS Wacissa was placed out of service, in reserve, and was assigned to the Florida Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Berthed at the Mayport Basin of the Green Cove Springs facility, the gasoline tanker remained in reserve until returned to MSTS on 24 May 1956. She carried a cargo of gasoline and oils from Aruba, Netherlands West Indies, to San Pedro and Long Beach, California, via the Panama Canal, and operated for a time off the west coast, stopping at Seattle, Washington, and San Francisco, California. She was then inactivated at the latter port and delivered to the Maritime Administration - the renamed Maritime Commission - and, on 16 October 1956, was delivered to the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, California.

U.S. Air Force

Remaining in custodial status from that date, she lay there inactive until 8 April 1957, when she was transferred back to MSTS to resume her lubricant and fuel carrying duties off the west coast. USNS Wacissa was transferred to the Department of the Air Force on 16 September 1957.

Canada

Soon after that, she was turned over to the Canadian government to operate with the Northern Transportation Co., Ltd. — the firm which had assumed responsibility for the annual resupplying of Distant Early Warning (DEW) line radar stations in the central Arctic.

The Canadian government operated the tanker in these northern climes until 1963.

Decommissioning and fate

Wacissa was returned to the United States Navy in 1963. Struck from the Navy list on 1 December 1963, she was transferred to the Maritime Administration in May 1964 and was then sold in the same month to the Nicolai Joffre Corp., of Beverly Hills, California, for scrapping.

Related Research Articles

USNS <i>Mission Capistrano</i>

SS Mission Capistrano was a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. After the war she was acquired by the United States Navy as USS Mission Capistrano (AO-112). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Capistrano (T-AO-112). She was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for San Juan Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano, California.

USNS <i>Mission Buenaventura</i> U.S. Navy tanker ship

SS Mission Buenaventura was a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. After the war she was acquired by the United States Navy as USS Mission Buenaventura (AO-111). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Buenaventura (T-AO-111). The lead ship in her class of fleet oilers, she was named for Mission San Buenaventura located in Ventura, California.

USNS <i>Mission San Gabriel</i> American tanker

SS Mission San Gabriel was a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. After the war she was acquired by the United States Navy as USS Mission San Gabriel (AO-124). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Gabriel (T-AO-124). She was a member of the Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USNS <i>Mission Dolores</i>

SS Mission Dolores was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II, named for Mission San Francisco de Asís in San Juan Capistrano, California, one of two named for the Franciscan mission located in San Francisco, California.

USNS <i>Mission Purisima</i>

SS Mission Purisima was a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. After the war, she was acquired by the United States Navy as USS Mission Purisima (AO-118). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Purisima (T-AO-118). She was a member of the Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission La Purísima Concepción near Lompoc, California.

USNS <i>Redstone</i>

USNS Redstone, designated T‑AGM‑20, was a tracking ship assigned to Apollo space mission support under the control of the Eastern Range. For a brief time during conversion the ship was named Johnstown with the designation AGM‑20.

USNS <i>Mission San Fernando</i>

SS Mission San Fernando was a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. After the war she was acquired by the United States Navy as USS Mission San Fernando (AO-122). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Fernando (T-AO-122). She was a member of the Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission San Fernando Rey de España in Los Angeles. She was later renamed USNS Muscle Shoals (T-AGM-19), and, later, USNS Vanguard (T-AG-194).

USNS <i>Mission Santa Ana</i>

USNS Mission Santa Ana (T-AO-137) was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler that served in the United States Navy. The ship was originally intended as USS Concho (AO-102) for the U.S. Navy but her acquisition was canceled. The ship, a Type T2-SE-A3 tanker, was completed as SS Mission Santa Ana and delivered after the end of World War II. The tanker was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1948 as USS Mission Santa Ana (AO-137), but was transferred to the Military Sea Transport Service upon its creation in 1949. The ship was named for the Santa Ana Estancia, she was the only U.S. Naval Vessel to bear the name.

USNS <i>Mission San Luis Obispo</i>

SS Mission San Luis Obispo was a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. After the war, she was acquired by the United States Navy as USS Mission San Luis Obispo (AO-127). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Luis Obispo (T-AO-127). A Mission Buenaventura-class oiler, she was named for Mission San Luís Obispo de Tolosa in San Luis Obispo, California.

SS Mission San Luis Rey was a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. After the war she was acquired by the United States Navy as USS Mission San Luis Rey (AO-128). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Luis Rey (T-AO-128). She was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, located in Oceanside, California.

USNS <i>Mission San Rafael</i>

SS Mission San Rafael was a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. After the war she was acquired by the United States Navy as USS Mission San Rafael (AO-130). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Rafael (T-AO-130). She was a member of the Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission San Rafael Arcángel, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

SS Mission Santa Cruz was a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. After the war she was acquired by the United States Navy as USS Mission Santa Cruz (AO-133). Later she transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Santa Cruz (T-AO-133). She was a member of the Mission Buenaventura class and was named for Mission Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, California.

USS <i>Wabash</i> (AOG-4) Patapsco-class gasoline tanker

USS Wabash (AOG-4) was a Patapsco-class gasoline tanker acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of transporting gasoline to warships in the fleet, and to remote Navy stations.

USS <i>Pinnebog</i> United States Navy Patapsco-class gasoline tanker

USS Pinnebog (AOG–58) was a Patapsco-class gasoline tanker acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of transporting gasoline to warships in the fleet, and to remote Navy stations.

USS <i>Kern</i> Patapsco-class gasoline tanker

USS Kern (AOG-2) was a Patapsco-class gasoline tanker acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of transporting gasoline to warships in the fleet, and to remote Navy stations.

USS <i>Ontonagon</i>

USS Ontonagon (AOG-36) was a Mettawee-class gasoline tanker acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of transporting gasoline to warships in the fleet, and to remote Navy stations.

USS <i>Chestatee</i> Patapsco-class gasoline tanker

USS Chestatee (AOG-49) was a Patapsco-class gasoline tanker in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 and with the Military Sea Transportation Service from 1952 and 1956. From 1957 to 1962, she was lent to the United States Air Force. She was sold for scrap in 1975.

USS <i>Maquoketa</i> Patapsco-class gasoline tanker

USS Maquoketa (AOG-51) was a Patapsco-class gasoline tanker in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1947 and with the Military Sea Transportation Service from 1952 to 1957. She was sold for scrap in 1975.

USNS Rincon (T-AOG-77) was a T1 tanker type, Rincon-class gasoline tanker, in operation for the United States Navy from 1950 through the 1970s. She was originally constructed as MS Tarland for the United States Maritime Commission at the end of World War II, and intended for delivery to the United Kingdom under the terms of Lend-Lease. Completed in October 1945, she was delivered to the Army Transport Service of the United States Army under the name USAT Rincon. Transferred to the U.S. Navy in 1950, she transported gasoline during the Korean War, earning two battle stars in the process. After service extending into the 1970s, the ship was transferred to South Korea in February 1982. As ROKS So Yang (AOG-55), she served the South Korean Navy until the late 1990s, when she was returned to the United States. She was struck from the U.S. Naval Vessel Register on 23 October 1998.

USS <i>Peconic</i>

USS Peconic (AOG-68), was a type T1 Klickitat-class gasoline tanker built for the US Navy during World War II. She was named after the Peconic River, in New York.

References

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