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N7KTP > NAVNET 12.12.04 01:53l 73 Lines 3984 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 29843_N7FSP
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Subj: USS KISHWAUKEE (AOG-9)
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FOR<DB0SIF<DB0FSG<I4UKI<IK5CKL<IZ0AWG<PY1AYH<7M3TJZ<N7FSP
Sent: 041211/1615z @:N7FSP.#SEA.#WWA.WA.USA.NOAM West Seattle, WA. on 145.010
Tanker Kishwaukee pumped gas during World War II, Korea and Vietnam
By FRED MILES WATSON - Managing Editor - Northwest Navigator
The Gasoline Tanker USS Kishwaukee (AOG-9) was built by Cargill
Shipyard, Savage, Minn., and was commissioned May 27, 1944 with Lt.
Cmdr. Francis M. Hillman, USNR, in command.
Displacing 4,130-tons and 311 feet in length, Kishwaukee carried a
draft of 14 feet, six-inches. She could make a top speed of 15 knots
via her four, GE diesel electric engines with two shafts and two
propellers putting out 3,300 shaft horsepower. Aboard were 127 Sailors.
Defensive firepower consisted of four, 3-inch gunmounts and 12-20mm
antiaircraft gunmounts.
After shakedown, Kishwaukee departed Norfolk July 8, 1944, and
joined the Service Squadron at Pearl Harbor Aug. 10. She completed a 2-
month shuttle among the central Pacific islands before sailing west to
support the invasion of the Philippine Islands. Kishwaukee arrived off
Leyte late in October and operated as station tanker, fueling ships in
the vicinity. She supported the Philippine campaign until she sailed
Feb. 1, 1945, for operations in the Palau and Caroline Islands.
Late in March, as the war moved closer to Japan, Kishwaukee sailed for
the Ryukyus to fuel ships engaged in the invasion of Okinawa. In spite
of the constant enemy air raids, the oiler remained as station, tanker
until after Okinawa had been secured and continued servicing Allied
ships in Okinawa until sailing for Japan, arriving at Sasebo on Dec.
22. Following 6 months as station tanker in the Far East, Kishwaukee
departed Japan on July 5 and sailed for San Pedro.
From 1946 to 1950 Kishwaukee remained on active service with the
Pacific Fleet. Based at Pearl Harbor she alternated tours in the Far
East with cruises among the islands off the South and Central Pacific.
During the Korean conflict she supplied vital fuel to Pacific staging
areas and operated as a station ship out of Sasebo, November through
December 1950. Upon cessation of Korean hostilities, Kishwaukee resumed
fuel shuttles from Peal Harbor to the Pacific Islands and Alaska.
During 1954 the oiler unloaded cargo in French Indochina as the
war in that country was nearing an end. That August she sailed to
Formosa with a supply of aviation gasoline in anticipation of a
possible Red Chinese attack on Nationalist held islands in the Formosa
Straits. Kishwaukee returned to Pearl Harbor Oct. 17 and for the next 3
years continued runs between Hawaii and the Marshall Islands before
sailing for the West Coast on Nov. 10,1957.
She arrived at Astoria, Ore., on Dec. 11 and decommissioned later
at Seattle on April 2, 1958. Her name was struck from the Navy's List
on July 1, 1960. Kishwaukee remained with the Maritime Administration
Reserve Fleet until October 1965, when her name reappeared on the Navy
List.
She then underwent extensive overhaul at Astoria and
recommissioned on Sept. 1, 1966. After fitting out, Kishwaukee arrived
at her new homeport of Pearl Harbor on Oct. 7, 1966. Following
shakedown training, she sailed to the Far East on Dec. 5, and arrived
via Guam, at Subic Bay on Dec. 22. The gasoline tanker entered the
combat zone the last day of the year and supplied fuel for naval
aircraft for strikes against Communist targets ashore.
From January through April she operated out of Da Nang, Vietnam,
before departing for Yokosuka, Japan, arriving April 30. Kishwaukee
continued on to Pearl Harbor and joined Service Squadron 5 after her
arrival on May 15.
The gasoline tanker was decommissioned in October of 1969 at Naval
Station Pearl Harbor. She was laid up at the Inactive Ship's
Maintenance Facility, West Lock, Pearl Harbor. She was struck from the
Naval Register Aug. 1, 1974 and disposed of via Maritime Administration
Sale on Nov. 1, 1979.
USS Kishwaukee (AOG-9) was awarded two battle stars for her World
War II service.
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