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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Elokomin (AO-55)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Juliet - Foxtrot
 NZJF
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Franco (K)ilo - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (2-Cuba) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Cuba)
Cimmeron Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 9 March 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A1) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 721) at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD.
  • Launched, 19 October 1943
  • Acquired (Purchased) by the US Navy from the Maritime Commission, 30 November 1943 and commissioned USS Elokomin (AO-55), CDR. Joseph A. Ivaldi, USNR, in command
  • Decommissioned, circa 1970
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Title transferred to the Maritime Administration, 2 November 1970, at Philadelphia, PA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 2 November 1970, to Mr. Isaac Varela, Desguaces Varela, Grao, Castellon del la Plana, Spain. (PD-X-885 dated 1 October 1970) for $302,000.00, delivered to J. H. Winchester & Co. (agents for Isaac Varela) 2 March 1971
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,236 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl)
    Length 553'
    Beam 73'
    Draft 32' 4"
    Speed 18 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 20
    Enlisted 291
    Largest Boom Capacity 15 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity 16,350 DWT
    Oil 123,700 Bbls
    Gasoline 780,000 Gals
    Fuel Capacity 15,000 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Bethlehem Ship Building geared turbines
    four Foster Wheeler "K"-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    double Falk Main Reduction Gears
    two propellers, 13,500shp
    Ship's Service Generators
    two turbo-drive 400Kw 230V A.C.
    one Diesel-drive 150Kw 230V A.C.
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Elokomin 89k USS Elokomin (AO-55) off Sparrows Point, Baltimore, MD., 1 December 1943. The assisting tug is Justine of the Curtis Bay Towing Co.. Tugs like this appear in many photos of ships built or converted at Baltimore.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM. Photo # 19-N-55696, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Elokomin
    091905516    		 243k USS Elokomin (AO-55) underway, circa 1945, location unknown.
    U.S. Navy photo.    		 David Wright
    Elokomin 78k USS Elokomin (AO-55) refueling USS Power (DD-839) in the Mediterranean Sea, 7 August 1967 © Richard Leonhardt
    Elokomin 120k USS Elokomin (AO-55) under way, date and location unknown. © Richard Leonhardt
    Elokomin 90k USS Elokomin (AO-55) under way, date and location unknown. © Richard Leonhardt
    Elokomin 67k USS Elokomin (AO-55)under way, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Elokomin 17k Photo taken from USS Davis (DD 937), after refueling from USS Elokomin (AO-55) off San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1968 Photo by Jim Hocking, BM3 USS Davis (DD 937), 1968-69
    Elokomin 23k US Elokomin (AO-55) in dry dock at Maryland Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. Baltimore, MD. while undergoing overhaul circa 1962-63.
    US Navy photo    		 Photo - Edward H. Cleary
    Caption Thomas O'Hara
    Elokomin 40k USS Elokomin (AO-55) refueling USS Steinaker (DD-863), date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Edward H. Cleary
    Elokomin 31k USS Elokomin (AO-55) date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Edward H. Cleary
    Elokomin 96k USS Elokomin (AO-55) under way in the Mediterranean, circa mid-1960s. Barry Smith
    Elokomin 355k USS Elokomin (AO-55) under way, circa 1964, location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hand" magazine, May 1964.    		 Robert Hurst
    Elokomin 66k USS Elokomin (AO-55) conducting an underway replenishment with USS Saratoga (CVA-60) in 1967, location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Elokomin 136k A USS Little Rock (CLG-4) crew member snaps a photo of USS Elokomin (AO-55) as the two ships sail side by side during underway refueling in the Mediterranean Sea, 1 November 1969.
    US Navy photo # K--79305 by D.G. Keske, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Elokomin
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Ivaldi, Joseph Albert30 November 1944 - 27 July 1944
    02LCDR. Breese, Milton27 July 1944 - November 1945
    03CAPT. Henderson, Harry HavelockNovember 1945 - 1946
    04CDR. Walker, Edward Keith :RADM1946 - 1947
    05CAPT. Rice, Herbert Paul1947 - 1948
    06CAPT. Russillo, Michael Peter RADM1948 - January 1949
    07CAPT. DeWolf, Maurice MortimerJanuary 1949 - April 1950
    08CAPT. Davis, Royce PurintonApril 1950 - 1951
    09CAPT. Mullins, Jr., Henry1951 - 1952
    10CAPT. Latham, Richard Clark USN, (USNA 1934) (Photo as CDR)1952 - 1953
    11CAPT. Porter, William Baxter1953 - 1954
    12CAPT. Colwell, John Barr, USN :VADM1954 - 1955
    13CAPT. Shelby, Edward Ellis1955 - 1956
    14CAPT. Santmyers, Selby Krauss1956 - 1957
    15CAPT. Miller, George Harold, USN (USNA 1939) :RADM1957 - 14 November 1958
    16CAPT. Atkins, Nevett Brooke14 November 1958 - 14 November 1959
    17CAPT. Wheeler Jr., Rexford Vinal 14 November 1959 - November 1960
    18CAPT. Blesh, Paul KennethNovember 1960 - November 1961
    19CAPT. Spears Jr., William OscarNovember 1961 - 9 November 1962
    20CAPT. Walline, Charles Sayer9 November 1962 - 1963
    21CAPT. Newbould, Edmond John1963 - 1964
    22CAPT. Carr, Charles Harrison, USN (USNA 1941)1964 - 1965
    23CAPT. Frese Jr., Bernard William, USN (USNA 1943)1965 - 30 September 1966
    24CAPT. Stockton, Jackson Allison, USN (USNA 1944)30 September 1966 - 3 November 1967
    25CAPT. Dudley, Harrison Grover, USN (USNA 1946)3 November 1967 - 1969
    26CAPT. Savage, Richard Austin, USN (USNA 1947)1969 - 17 March 1970
    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
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    Last Updated 5 May 2024