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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Raccoon (IX-127)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Mike - Delta
 NJMD
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Armadillo Class Mobile Station Tanker:
  • Laid down, 7 November 1943, as SS J. C. W. Becham a Maritime Commission type (Z-ET1-S-C3) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1931) at Delta Shipbuilding Corp., New Orleans, LA.
  • Launched, 23 December 1943
  • Accepted by the Navy 31 January 1944
  • Commissioned USS Raccoon (IX-127), 1 February 1944, LT. Michael E. Vallario, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Raccoon was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Decommissioned, 10 July 1946, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Returned to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) 11 July 1946, name reverted to J.C.W. Becham
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 31 July 1946
  • Merchant Service
    Sold in March 1948 to Fordom Trading Corp. for Intercontinental Shipping Corp, Tampa, FL., name retained
    Sold in 1948 to Intercontinental Steamship Corp, renamed SS Chrysanthystar, US flagged
    Sold in 1949 to Orion Shipping & Trading Inc, New York, converted to dry cargo ship by Ferrari Marine Repair Co, Brooklyn, N.Y., for Jupiter Steamship Corp, renamed SS Jupiter, US flagged
    Renamed Searanger in 1951
    Sold in 1953 to Nueva Granada Armadora SA, renamed SS Sariza, Panamanian flagged
    Sold in 1963 to Sara - Cia Nav Continental SA, renamed SS Sara, Panamanian flagged
    Sold in 1965 to Asia Mariner - United Mariners Line Inc, Hong Kong, renamed SS Asia Mariner, Liberian flagged
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in 1968 to Taiwan breakers, arrived Kaohsiung 20 August 1968
    Specifications:
    Displacement 3,665 t.(lt) 14,500t.(fl)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 28' 4"
    Speed 11 kts.
    Cargo Capacity 8,500 DWT
    Oil 63,000 Bbls
    Complement
    Officers 10
    Enlisted 91
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount
    eight 20mm AA guns
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 13,700 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
    two Combustion Engineering boilers, 220psi 450°
    three recip Ship's Service Generators, 20Kw, 120V D.C.
    single 4 blade, 18' 6" propeller, shp, 2,500
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    United States Maritime Commission
    Gemsbok
    094611702    		 140k United States Maritime Commission Tanker Design Z-ET-1-S-C3.
    US National Archives photo thanks to Auke Visser's Famous T-Tanker Pages     		 
    USS Raccoon (IX-127)
    Raccoon
    094612706    		 146k
    Namesake
    Raccoon - is a medium-sized mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family Its grayish coat mostly consists of dense underfur, which insulates it against cold weather. Three of the raccoon's most distinctive features are its extremely dexterous front paws, its facial mask, and its ringed tail,    		 Tommy Trampp
    Raccoon 376k USS Raccoon (IX-127) at anchor, date and location unknown. Robert Hurst and
    Darrell Tripp USS Raccoon
    Raccoon 55k
    Raccoon 37k USS Raccoon (IX-127) moored pierside, date and location unknown. Matt Haywood for his father Kenneth Haywood Pharmacist's Mate 2nd Class
    Merchant Service
    Raccoon 71k Ex-Raccoon (IX-127) under way while in merchant service as the US flagged SS Jupiter, circa 1949-51, place unknown. David Nixon
    Raccoon 346k Ex-Raccoon (IX-127) laid up while in merchant service as the Greek flagged SS Sariza, date and location unknown. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USS Raccoon (IX-127)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 16 July 2021