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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Tippecanoe (AO-21)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Golf - Victor NUGV

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

Patoka Class Fleet Oiler:

Laid down, 1 October 1919, under United States Shipping Board (USSB contract # 1660) for the Emergency Fleet Corp., at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock, Co., Newport News, VA.

Launched, 5 June 1920

Acquired by the Navy at Mare Island Navy Yard, 6 March 1922. (Note: Official yard logs indicated she actually arrived on the 7th.)

Held in Reserve at Navy Yard Mare Island until 1940

Commissioned, USS Tippecanoe (AO-21), 6 March 1940, CDR. Hugh W. Olds USN in command

During World War II USS Tippecanoe was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater

Following World War II USS Tippecanoe was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 8 September to 28 November 1945

Decommissioned, 6 March 1946 at Mare Island, Vallejo, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 12 April 1946

Transferred to Maritime Commission, 7 Oct 1946 for disposal

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 8 August 1946, to National Metal Steel Co. for $35,000.00 in a three ship sale (PD-X-194), withdrawn 20 November 1946

Specifications:
Displacement 5,400 t.(lt) 17,820 t.(fl)
Length 447'
Beam 60' 3"
Draft 29'
Speed 11 kts.

Complement

Officers 15

Enlisted 193

Largest Boom Capacity10 t.

Armament

two single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

Cargo Capacity Oil 7,940 Bbls, 11,100 DWT.

Fuel Capacity. 4,780 Bbls

Propulsion

one Newport News-Curtis geared turbine

three Scotch boilers 220psi, Sat

single Newport News Main Reduction Gears
Ship's Service Generators
two turbo-drive 50Kw 120V D.C.
one Diesel-drive 50Kw 120V D.C.

single propeller, 2,600hp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
091902119	194k	*Namesake* Tippecanoe - The Tippecanoe River is a 182-mile-long river in northern Indiana. It flows from Big Lake in Noble County to the Wabash River near what is now Battle Ground, IN, about 12 miles northeast of Lafayette, IN. The name "Tippecanoe" was derived from a Miami-Illinois word for buffalo fish. (Wikipedia) *Photo* - Wabash River in Limberlost Recreation Area, south of Berne, Indiana.©Chris Light *Map* - Wabash River watershed with the Tippecanoe River in Indiana highlighted.©Kmusser	Tommy Trampp
	342k	*USS Tippecanoe* (AO-21) forward of USS Sepulga (AO 20)** in reserve at the south end of Mare Island in 1930. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 467, 1930	Darryl Baker
	339k	*USS Tippecanoe* (AO-21) forward of USS Sepulga (AO 20)** in reserve at the south end of Mare Island in 1930. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 466, 1930	Darryl Baker
	224k	*USS Tippecanoe* (AO-21) forward of USS Sepulga (AO 20)** in reserve at the south end of Mare Island in 1930. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 465, 1930	Darryl Baker
091902120	226k	*USS Tippecanoe* (AO-21) coming alongside USS Wasp (CV-7), 11 July 1942. The ships were steaming with a convoy of transports taking the 2nd Marine Regiment** from San Diego to the Tonga Islands. US National Archives photo # 80-G-12234, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command	Tommy Trampp
	92k	Broadside view of *USS Tippecanoe* (AO-21) off Mare Island, 14 November 1942. Tippecanoe** was at Mare Island for repairs from 12 October to 12 November 1942. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 7069-11-42	Darryl Baker
	92k	*USS Tippecanoe* (AO-21)** with new 5"/38 guns fore and aft. She was one of four ships of the class to receive this dual-purpose weapon. US National Archives Photo # 80-G-177788, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Robert Hurst
	29k	*USS Tippecanoe* (AO-21), center, at anchor in Ominato Bay, Japan. USS Hughes (DD-410) and USS Anderson (DD-411) had escorted a force built around USS Panamint (AGC-13) to get the surrender of Japanese forces in Northern Honshu in September, 1945. At far distant left is USS Xanthus (AR-19)*. Photo by Chester Bradley, USS Hughes.*	John Chiquoine and Dave Schroeder

USS Tippecanoe (AO-21)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Olds, Hugh Wilson, USN (USNA 1919)	6 March 1940 - 16 January 1941
02	CDR. Couble, Alexander John, USN (USNA 1920)	16 January 1941 - 19 April 1941
03	CDR. MacOndray Jr., Atherton, USN :RADM	19 April 1941 - 21 September 1942
04	CDR. Myers, Ralph Orsen, USN (USNA 1921A)	21 September 1942 - 30 September 1943
05	CDR. Vensel Jr., Frank Ernest, USN	30 September 1943 - 22 March 1944
06	CDR. Arntz, George Donald, USNR	22 March 1944 - 12 February 1945
07	LCDR. Banister, Harold Robert, USN	12 February 1945 - 6 March 1946


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Fleet Tankers Association
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
MARAD Vessel History Database

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 26 February 2021