- USS Cuyama (AO-3)
USS "Cuyama" (AO-3) was launched 17 June 1916 by
Mare Island Navy Yard ; sponsored by Miss M. Offley; and commissioned 2 April 1917, Lieutenant I. B. Smith, USNRF, in command.The USS "Cuyama" was named after the Chumash Indian word for "
clams ". [ [http://www.a1pro.net/~kb6dj/v2.htm Cuyama Valley Has Colorful History By Virginia D ] ] After her maiden voyage toPearl Harbor in May 1917, "Cuyama" departedSan Francisco 6 June, loaded petroleum products atPort Arthur, Tex. , and arrived at Norfolk 6 July. She called atBoston ,New York , andBayonne , before sailing from Norfolk 11 August with a convoy bound forEngland . Returning to Norfolk 19 September, she was fitted for transporting aircraft. She made three convoy voyages from New York to England until 9 January 1918 when she was transferred to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service. She made six voyages to theUnited Kingdom delivering war cargo until 17 October."Cuyama" departed New York 16 December 1918 to bring oil and gasoline from Port Arthur to Norfolk, then sailed 4 January 1919 to supply the Fleet in the
Caribbean until returning to Norfolk 13 May.The oiler stood out of Norfolk 25 June 1919, and arrived at
San Pedro, Calif. , 7 August after fueling ships atAcapulco ,Mexico . Classified AO-3 on 7 July 1920, she remained on the west coast procuring and dispensing oil and gasoline cargoes, servicing ships, and occasionally transporting passengers, provisions, and freight, or towing yard craft. In 1927 and 1934 she cruised to the east coast for fleet maneuvers and in 1936, 1937, and 1938 made 13 voyages from the west coast to Pearl Harbor on transport duty. During 1941 she made five similar voyages and practiced refueling at sea with the cruisers of the Scouting Force. She arrived atSan Diego 26 November 1941 for overhaul."Cuyama" began her war service by carrying cargo between Pearl Harbor and San Pedro, Calif., from 27 December 1941 to 1 March 1942. Between 15 March and 29 June, she delivered fuel in two voyages to
Efate ,Noumea , theTonga andSamoa n Islands. She cleared San Pedro once more 25 July loaded men, cargo, and equipment atSeattle, Wash. , and arrived atKodiak, Alaska , 11 August. She operated inAlaska n waters fueling ships and occasionally voyaging to Seattle for replenishment and repairs."Cuyama" cleared Seattle 17 February 1945, delivered cargo to
Eniwetok ,Saipan , andGuam , and arrived atKerama Retto ,Okinawa , 21 April to fuel the ships engaged in the occupation of Okinawa. She splashed a suicide plane 13 May, and bombarded a Japanese-occupied cave onTokashiki Shima 7 July. Returning toUlithi 31 July, she sailed on to Leyte where between 5 and 30 August she fueled ships preparing for the occupation ofJapan . Between 12 September to 6 November, "Cuyama" fueled ships atJinsen ,Korea , then cleared for San Francisco, arriving 27 November. "Cuyama" was decommissioned 12 April 1946 and transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal 1 July 1946."Cuyama" received one
battle star forWorld War II service.References
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