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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Saugatuck (T-AOT-75)
ex
USS Saugatuck (AO-75) (1943 - 1946)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Yankee - Whiskey - Xray NYWX

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (18 June 1944) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (7) - World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
Personnel Awards

Purple Heart (1 KIA, 18 June 1944)

Suamico Class Fleet Oiler:

Laid down, 20 August 1942, as SS Newtown a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A1) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 335) at Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock, Chester, PA.

Renamed Saugatuck, 16 September 1942

Launched, 7 December 1942

Acquired by the Navy, 21 December 1942

Converted for Naval service at Bethlehem Steel Co., Key Highway Plant, Baltimore, MD.

Commissioned USS Saugatuck (AO-75), 19 February 1943, LCDR. Ben Koerner, USNR, in command

During World War II USS Saugatuck was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Saipan, 11 June to 10 August 1944 Capture and occupation of Guam, 12 July to 15 August 1944	Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 23 February to 7 March 1945
Tinian capture and occupation, 20 July to 10 August 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 16 to 24 March 1945
Western Caroline Islands operation Raid on Volcano-Bonin Islands and Yap Island, 31August to 8 September 1944 Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944 Assaults on the Philippine Islands, 9 to 24 September 1944	3rd Fleet operations against Japan, 14 to 28 February 1945
Luzon operation 3rd Fleet supporting operations Luzon attacks, 6 and 7 January 1945 Formosa attacks, 3, 4, 9, 15, and 21 January 1945 China Coast attacks, 12 and 16 January 1945 Nansei Shoto attack, 22 January 1945

Following World War II USS Saugatuck was assigned to Occupation service from 9 September to 8 November 1945

Decommissioned, 17 March 1946, at San Francisco, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 5 June1946

Transferred, 9 October 1946 to the Maritime Commission for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.

Chartered by Pacific Tankers, 30 October 1947

Reacquired by the Navy, 22 January 1948 and assigned to the Naval Transportation Service (NTS)

Assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS Saugatuck (T-AOT-75), 1 October 1949

Placed out of service, and transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 5 November 1974, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 15 February 1995

USS Saugatuck earned seven battle stars for World War II service

Final Disposition, contract for scrapping awarded, 2 June, 2006, removed from the James River Reserve Fleet, 18 July 2006 and moved by tug to Bay Bridge Enterprise of Chesapeake, VA. for scrapping

Specifications:
Displacement 5,730 t.(lt) 22,380 t.(fl)
Length 523' 6"
Beam 68'
Draft 30' 10" (lim)
Speed 15.3 kts. (trial)

Complement

Officers 21

Enlisted 230

Largest Boom Capacity 60 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

six twin 20mm AA gun mounts

Cargo Capacity 15,300 DWT

Oil 120,400 Bbls

Gasoline 575,000 Gals

Fuel Capacity 9,235 Bbls

Propulsion

one Westinghouse turbo-electric engine

two Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers, 450psi, 730°
Ship's Service Generators
two turbo-drive 400Kw 450V A.C.
one turbo-drive 75Kw 120V D.C.
two turbo-drive 55Kw 120V D.C.
one turbo-drive 50Kw 120V D.C.

single propeller, 8,250shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS Saugatuck (AO-75)
	931k	Starboard broadside view of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** underway in Hampton Roads off Portsmouth, VA., prior to departing for the Pacific Theater, 6 April 1943. US Navy Yard Norfolk, photo #5023(43) April 6, 1943 / BUSHIPS photo #45790.	David Buell
	92k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** moored pierside San Francisco, CA., 20 June 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo #4552-43, 6/20/43.	Darryl Baker
	48k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** (stern view) in San Francisco Bay, 21 June 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo #4587-43, 6/21/43.	Darryl Baker
	76k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** (broadside view) in San Francisco Bay, 21 June 1943, near the Mare Island Navy Yard. US National Archives, RG-19-LCM. Photo # 19-N-48364, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Robert Hurst
	46k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** (bows on view) in San Francisco Bay, 21 June 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo #4591-43, 6/21/43.	Darryl Baker
	78k	As seen from *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75), this view is reported as a fading bomb-splash. This near-miss came on a 18 June 1944 horizontal bomber attack off Saipan. USS Saranac (AO-74) and USS Neshanic (AO-71)** had just been damaged in the same attack	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
	271k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75) refueling USS Massachusetts (BB-59)** in mid-Pacific, 20 April 1945. Photo taken from USS Hornet (CV-12).	Pieter Bakels
	199k		Pieter Bakels
	63k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** underway in typhoon weather off Okinawa, post-war, Fall 1945.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
	119k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** underway homeward bound, circa November 1945. Note the Homeward Bound pennant steaming behind the ship and the sign on the side that says "USA 5,xxx miles over an arrow.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
	61k	Port bow view of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75) at anchor in San Francisco Bay with open lighter YC-824** alongside, circa late-1945 early-1946.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
	88k	Starboard bow view of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** at anchor in San Francisco Bay, circa late-1945 early-1946.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
	66k
	64k	Port broadside view of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** at anchor in San Francisco Bay, circa late-1945 early-1946.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
	57k	Starboard quarter view of Saugatuck (AO-75) at anchor in San Francisco Bay with an open lighter alongside, circa late-1945 early-1946.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
	77k	View of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** looking aft from atop the foremast, circa late-1945 early-1946, probably in San Francisco Bay.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
	79k	View of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** looking forward from the afterdeck to the superstructure, circa late-1945 early-1946, probably in San Francisco Bay.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
	92k	View of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** of the foc'sle from the foremast, circa late-1945 early-1946, probably in San Francisco Bay.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
	228k	View of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** the flag bag on the bridge, circa late-1945 early-1946, probably in San Francisco Bay.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
	213k	View of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** aft from the superstructure, circa late-1945 early-1946, probably in San Francisco Bay.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
	167k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Jim Kurrasch Battleship Iowa Pacific Battleship Center
USNS Saugatuck (T-AOT-75)
091907524	171k	*USNS Saugatuck* (T-AO-75)** underway outbound from Rotterdam, Netherlands, July 1973. US Navy photo	Nicholas Tiberio
Maritime Administration (MARAD)
	52k	Ex-*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA. Courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages	Robert Hurst
091907506	66k	Ex-*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** being moved from the James River Reserve Fleet through Hampton Roads while enroute to Bay Bridge Enterprise of Chesapeake, VA. for scrapping, 18 July 2006.Note the Norfolk, VA. skyline in th background of photo 091907506.	Photo 091907506 by Mabel Clark Photo 091907525 contributed by Nicholas Tiberio
091907525	57k

USS Saugatuck (AO-75)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Koerner, Ben	19 February 1943 - 21 August 1943
02	CDR. Edgar, Harold Brown, USN (USNA 1924)	21 August 1943 - 7 April 1944
03	CDR. Kirk, Francis Smith	7 April 1944 - 12 June 1944
04	CDR. Schroeder, Harvey James	12 June 1944 - 8 July 1944
05	LCDR. Ardagh, James Francis	8 July 1944 - 28 June 1945
05	LCDR. Le Viness, Raymond Patrick	28 June 1945 - 17 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 17 March 2023

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Saugatuck (T-AOT-75)ex USS Saugatuck (AO-75) (1943 - 1946)

USNS Saugatuck (T-AOT-75)
ex
USS Saugatuck (AO-75) (1943 - 1946)