- USS Seekonk (AOG-20)
USS "Seekonk" (AOG-20) was a "Mettawee"-class
gasoline tanker acquired by theU.S. Navy for the dangerous task of transporting gasoline to warships in the fleet, and to remote Navy stations."Seekonk" was built in 1943 as "Summit Springe" (MC hull 902) under a
Maritime Commission contract by the Marine Maintenance Corp., nowEast Coast Shipyards , Inc.,Bayonne, New Jersey , launched on24 May 1943 sponsored by Miss Gladys G. Merrick; and commissioned on10 February 1944 , Lt.(jg.) Albert E. Eldred,USNR , in command.World War II service
"Seekonk" was the fourth of a group of small, single screw, engine-aft, diesel propelled tankers accepted by the Navy during
World War II . After fitting out atStaten Island, New York ; shakedown training inChesapeake Bay ; and post-shakedown availability at theNorfolk Navy Yard , "Seekonk" got underway inconvoy on22 March 1944 forAruba ,Netherlands West Indies . Putting intoNicolas Bay ,Aruba , on1 April , "Seekonk" loaded cargo, fuel, and aviation gasoline and departed the next day for thePanama Canal Zone . On10 April , thegasoline tanker departed Balboa forNew Guinea , arriving at Finschaven on1 June .South Pacific operations
For the remainder of 1944, "Seekonk" operated off the coast of
New Guinea , visiting such ports asMadang ,Hollandia ,Sansapor ,Mios Woendi ,Biak , andMorotai . On31 October , aided by harbor guns, the small oiler fought off four attacking Japanese planes offSoemoe Island ,Morotai ,Netherlands East Indies , and splashed two and possibly three of the attackers.Serving Philippine invasion forces
From
7 January to14 February 1945 , "Seekonk" fueled a large share of the amphibious ships used in liberatingLuzon and other islands of thePhilippines . On the 18th, the gasoline tanker, towing Army crash boat, "N6-1", took her position in convoy GI 11-(A) en route toLeyte , Philippines, and arrived at San Pedro Bay on4 March .End-of-war activity
"Seekonk" operated in the Philippine area until the cessation of hostilities in August. During this period the ship served as harbor oiler at
Mindoro Island,Subic Bay , andLingayen . From28 August to9 October , the ship fueled Task Group 71.2 as it was engaged in sweeping Allied and Japanese-laid mines from the approaches toShanghai .Post-war operations
On
10 October , "Seekonk" got underway with Task Group 73.14, assigned to clear the mines inHaiphong Harbor,French Indochina , and in theHainan Strait . From12 October , "Seekonk" had to be towed by USS|Frament|APD-77|2 (DE-677) due to a piston seizure in her main engine. On the 20th, she anchored offDoson Peninsula ,Tonkin Gulf . Continuing the fueling of the task group, "Seekonk" was towed to theNorway Islands , Tonkin Gulf, on24 October , and toHainan on the 29th. On2 November thegasoline tanker was towed toHan Dau Island , using her own engine part of the time. On11 November , she got underway with Task Group 74.4 forHong Kong . Towed part of the way, "Seekonk" arrived there on15 November .Continued engine problems
On
21 December , her main engine repaired, "Seekonk" departed Hong Kong en route toPearl Harbor . On26 December , however, her main engine was again disabled, and she limped towardOkinawa , assisted intoBuckner Bay by USS|Cahuilla|ATF-152|2 (ATF-152) on the 29th.Post-war decommissioning
"Seekonk" reached
San Francisco, California , on26 February 1946 . She was decommissioned and stripped on1 May 1946 and struck from theNavy list on21 May 1946 . The small oiler was turned over to theMaritime Commission as a usable vessel on28 August 1946 . "Seekonk" was fitted out and sold as a merchant vessel by the Maritime Commission. She served as such from 1947 until7 June 1963 , when she burned offCharlottetown ,Prince Edward Island ,Canada .Military awards and honors
The Navy record does not indicate whether "Seekonk" was awarded
battle stars . However, her crew was eligible for the following:
*Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
*China Service Medal (extended)
*American Campaign Medal
*Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
*World War II Victory Medal
*Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
*Philippines Liberation Medal References
See also
*
List of United States Navy ships
*World War II External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/#Anchor-Editoria-14954 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/20/2020.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AOG-20 Seekonk]
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