- USS Chemung (AO-30)
USS "Chemung" (AO-30), a "Cimarron"-class
fleet replenishment oiler serving in theUnited States Navy , was the second ship named for theChemung River inNew York State ."Chemung" was launched 9 September 1939 as "Esso Annapolis" by
Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation atBethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard ,Sparrows Point ,Maryland , under aMaritime Commission contract; sponsored by Miss Howard; acquired by the Navy 5 June 1941; and commissioned 3 July 1941, Commander E. T. Spellman in command.From 13 July 1941 until the entry of the
United States intoWorld War II , "Chemung" operated between east coast ports and the oil ports ofTexas andLouisiana transporting fuel oil.World War II
From 20 December 1941 to 3 January 1942 she issued fuel at NS Argentia, Newfoundland. Reloading at
Norfolk, Virginia , she steamed toHvalfjörður ,Iceland carrying fuel (19 February—25 March), then operated between Norfolk and ports in theGulf of Mexico from 1 April to 16 May. Following another tour as fuel station ship at Hvalfjörður (30 May-26 June), "Chemung" departed fromNew York City 20 August with a convoy bound for theUnited Kingdom . Two days later USS|Ingraham|DD-444|2 collided with her at night. The destroyer sank almost immediately when thedepth charge s on her stern exploded. "Chemung", although heavily damaged by the explosion and resulting fires, reachedBoston, Massachusetts 26 August for repairs.Steaming 1 October 1942 to
Beaumont, Texas , to load fuel, "Chemung" accompanied theNorth Africa n assault force to sea, remained off the coast during the landings, then returned to Norfolk 30 November to resume coastwise fuel runs. From 15 February 1943 to 11 June 1945 "Chemung" alternated five convoy voyages to United Kingdom ports and five to North Africa with coast-wise andCaribbean cargo duty and station duty atBermuda and in theAzores .Post-war service
An assignment to occupation duty in the Far East found "Chemung" circumnavigating the globe as she cleared Norfolk 18 July 1945, passed through the
Panama Canal for service atOkinawa 17 September to 13 October, and returned by way of theCape of Good Hope to Norfolk 6 December. She operated with theUS Atlantic Fleet , serving theUS 6th Fleet in theMediterranean (12 November 1948—1 April 1949), until 17 March 1950, when she sailed forSan Diego , where she was decommissioned and placed in reserve 3 July 1950.Recommissioned 1 December 1950, "Chemung" steamed to the Far East 28 January 1951 for a brief tour refueling forces engaged in the
Korean War . During her second tour of duty (7 July 1951—20 April 1952), she supportedUnited Nations troops inKorea , served on theFormosa Patrol , then transported oil fromRas Tanura ,Arabia , toGuam . She again sailed from San Pedro 24 June 1952 to support theUS 7th Fleet off Korea until returning toMare Island for overhaul on 24 February.In nine succeeding tours of duty in the Western Pacific from her home port at San Diego between 1953 and 1960, "Chemung" supported many of the 7th Fleet's most notable contributions to the keeping of peace in the Far East. During her 1954—1955 tour she provided fuel for the ships carrying out the evacuation of the
Tachen Islands . During each of the tours she has served as station tanker atKaohsiung ,Taiwan , fueling the ships of the Taiwan Patrol."Chemung" served through the 1960s, including service in support of the
Vietnam War , until she was decommissioned on 18 September 1970. She was transferred to the Maritime Administration and ultimately scrapped."Chemung" received two
battle star s for World War II service, and four for service in the Korean War.References
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c7/chemung-ii.htm
External links
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/19030.htm navsource.org: USS "Chemung"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/auxil/ao30.htm hazegray.org: USS "Chemung"]
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