USS Alameda (AO-10)

The first USS "Alameda" (AO-10) was a fuel ship in the United States Navy.

"Alameda" was laid down on 16 December 1918 at Philadelphia, Pa., by William Cramp & Sons for the United States Shipping Board (USSB); launched on 15 July 1919; sponsored by Mrs. Richard G. Widdows; acquired by the Navy from USSB on 17 October 1919; and commissioned that same day at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Comdr. Malcolm P. Nash, USNRF, in command.

Soon after commissioning, "Alameda" was assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS). She embarked upon her first voyage—to Port Arthur, Tex.—took on a cargo of oil at that Gulf of Mexico port—and headed back to the Atlantic coast. She entered port at Norfolk on 27 November and underwent repairs there until 5 December. After visiting Boston and New York, she departed the latter port on 29 December and once again headed for Port Arthur. She stopped at Charleston for engine repairs between 2 and 11 January 1920, then resumed her voyage to the gulf coast, and arrived at Port Arthur on 16 January. Since no fuel oil was available at that time, she headed back to Hampton Roads on the 23d without a cargo. The fuel ship arrived at Norfolk on 29 January and began another round of engine repairs.

"Alameda" departed Hampton Roads on 11 February and arrived at Port Arthur on the 18th. There, she loaded a cargo of fuel oil in preparation for her first transatlantic voyage. On the 21st, she set sail for the British Isles. She entered port on the River Clyde in Scotland on 13 March and remained there until the 24th when she headed back toward the Texas coast. The fuel ship reached Port Arthur on 16 April and began loading another cargo of fuel oil. Upon completing that evolution, she put to sea bound for Norfolk where she arrived on 2 May. She underwent 10 days of repairs at Norfolk before heading for New York on the 12th. She entered port on the following day and began fueling ships of the Atlantic Fleet. Four days later, she departed New York and headed back to Norfolk for additional repairs. On 1 June, "Alameda" exited the Chesapeake Bay and shaped a course back to Port Arthur. Arriving at the latter port on the 6th, she loaded fuel oil and then put to sea bound for Glasgow, Scotland. Later that summer, the Navy adopted the alphanumeric system of hull designations; and "Alameda" became AO-10.

"Alameda" continued to serve with NOTS for the remainder of her brief naval career. In addition to operations between Port Arthur and east coast ports, she also made further voyages across the Atlantic to support American warships operating in European waters. On 19 November 1921, while steaming about 30 miles off Cape Henry, Va., she suffered an explosion in her fireroom. She was abandoned when firefighting efforts proved fruitless. The fuel ship remained afloat, however, and was towed into Norfolk, Va., on the 20th. There she remained until formally decommissioned on 29 March 1922. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 8 August 1922, and she was sold to the Newport Engine Co., of Washington, D.C., on 9 August 1922.

After serving in merchant service as "Olean" and "Sweep", the ship was transferred from the War Shipping Administration to the Navy under a bareboat charter on 12 July 1944, serving under the name USS|Silver Cloud|IX-143.