USS Susquehanna (AOG-5)

USS "Susquehanna" (AOG-5), a "Patapsco"-class gasoline tanker, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for a river which rises in Lake Otsego in central New York and flows across Pennsylvania and the northeast corner of Maryland to empty into the Chesapeake Bay. Her keel was laid down on 9 September 1942 by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation of Seattle, Washington. She was launched on 23 November 1942; sponsored by Mrs. William Lindstrom and commissioned on 7 June 1943 with Lieutenant Peter H. V. Bamberg, USNR, in command.

"Susquehanna" sailed for San Diego, California, on 25 June to begin her shakedown cruise which ended one month later. She moved up the coast to San Pedro, California, to load and, on 27 July, got underway for Australia. The tanker arrived at Townsville, Queensland, on 18 August and was attached to the Service Force, Seventh Fleet. On 4 September, she was underway for the Milne Bay area of New Guinea to service fleet units there. She returned to Australia to load cargo and aviation gas, from 23 November to 29 November, and delivered it to Milne Bay. "Susquehanna" operated between Australian and New Guinea ports until December 1944. She made two trips to the Netherlands East Indies and, in addition to supplying gas for large fleet units, serviced PT boats at Buna and other bases.

"Susquehanna" departed New Guinea on 20 December 1944 with a load of cargo and fuel for Leyte, and arrived there on 26 December. She departed the Dulag transport area on 2 January 1945 for Mindoro with gasoline for the United States Army air strips. The convoy that "Susquehanna" was attached to, composed mostly of minesweepers, was under enemy air attack on 2 January, 3 January, and 4 January. Of four planes that attacked the convoy on 3 January, one was splashed by gunfire from "Susquehanna".

She sailed from the Philippines on 16 February, returned to the New Guinea operating area, and remained there until returning to Manila on 13 December 1945. She operated in the Philippine Islands until mid-August 1946.

"Susquehanna" was transferred to the United States Army on 15 August 1946 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 23 April 1947. The tanker was reacquired and reinstated on the Naval Vessel Register on 1 July 1950. She was assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) at that time with hull classification symbol T-AOG-5.

For the next nine years, "Susquehanna" shuttled between ports in Japan and Korea. The tanker finally departed Yokosuka for the United States on 17 February 1959 and arrived at San Francisco, California, on 6 March. "Susquehanna" moved to Suisun Bay on 26 March 1959 and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on that date.

See USS "Susquehanna" for other ships of the same name.

References