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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Tallulah (T-AOT-50)
ex
 USNS Tallulah (T-AO-50) (1949 - c. 1960)
 USS Tallulah (AO-50) (1943 - 1949)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Juliet - Golf
 NUJG
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (15 February 1943) - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (7) - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (1) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Suamico/Pecos Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 1 December 1941, as SS Valley Forge, a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A1) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract, (MC hull 321), at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.
  • Launched, 25 June 1942
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission, 30 July 1942
  • Commissioned USS Tallulah (AO-50), 5 September 1942, at Bethlehem Ship Building Navy Yard, Brooklyn N.Y., CDR. Jesse B. Goode in command
  • During WWII USS Tallulah (AO-50) was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Consolidation of Solomon Islands
    Consolidation of Southern Solomon Islands, 17 February 1943.     		Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 11 June to 10 August 1944
    Battle of Philippine Sea, 19 to 20 June 1944
    Capture and occupation of Guam, 12 July to 15 August 1944
    Gilbert Islands operation
    30 November to 7 December1943     		Iwo Jima operation
    Capture and occupation of Iwo Jima, 15 February to 2 March 1945
    Marshall Islands operation
    Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 29 January to 8 February 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 10 March 1945
    5th and 3rd Fleet raids in support of Okinawa Gunto operation, 16 March to 9 June 1945
    Asiatic-Pacific Raids - 1944
    Palau, Yap, Ulithi, Woleai raid, 30 March to 1 April 1944     		 

  • Following World War II USS Tallulah (AO-50) was assigned to China service from 2 September to 14 December 1945
  • Decommissioned 2 April 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 5 June 1946
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 3 October 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • Reacquired, and placed in service with the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 1 October 1949, as USNS Tallulah (T-AO-50)
  • During the Korean War USNS Tallulah (T-AO-50) participated in the following campaign:

    Korean War Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Second Korean Winter
    24 March to 30 April 1952

  • Reclassified Oil Transporter (T-AOT-50), date unknown
  • Placed out of service in May 1975
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 31 March 1986
  • USS Tallulah earned seven battle stars during World War II service and one battle star for Korean War service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 18 November 1986, to C.J.W. Shipping and Trading Inc. of San Francisco, CA. for $238,000, scrapped in Taiwan by Chi Shun Hua Steel Co., Ltd.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,782 t.(lt) 22,380 t.(fl)
    Length 523' 6"
    Beam 68'
    Draft 30' 10" (lim)
    Speed 15.1 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 23
    Enlisted 325
    Largest Boom Capacity 7 t.
    Armament
    two single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity NSFO 15,300 DWT
    Oil 120,400 Bbls
    Gasoline 575,000 Gals
    Fuel Capacity 9,235 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric turbo-electric engine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 400Kw 450V A.C.
     two turbo-drive 85Kw 120V D.C.
     two turbo-drive 55Kw 120V D.C.
     one turbo-drive 450Kw 450V D.C.
    single propeller, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Tallulah (AO-50)
    Tallulah
    091905011    		 315k
    Namesake
    Tallulah - The Tallulah River is a 47.7 mile long river in Georgia and North Carolina. It begins in Clay County, North Carolina, near Standing Indian Mountain in the Southern Nantahala Wilderness and flows south into Georgia, crossing the state line into Towns County. The river travels through Rabun County and ends in Habersham County. It cuts through the Tallulah Dome rock formation to form the Tallulah Gorge and its several waterfalls (collectively known as Tallulah Falls). The Tallulah River intersects with the Chattooga River to form the Tugaloo River at Lake Tugalo in Habersham County. It joins South Carolina's Seneca River at Lake Hartwell (also created by a dam upriver) to form the Savannah River, which flows southeastward into the Atlantic Ocean. (Wikipedia)
    Photo - Tallulah River at the bottom of the Tallulah Gorge, ©Thomson2000    		 Tommy Trampp
    Tallulah
    091905012    		 65k USS Tallulah (AO-50), underway, 17 September 1942, in New York Harbor near Bethlehem Ship Building Yard, Brooklyn.
    US Navy photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T-Tankers Pages    		 Robert Hurst
    Tallulah 267k USS Tallulah (AO-50) at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, 10 October 1942. She has PT-111 and PT-112 loaded on her forward deck.
    US National Archives, Photo No. 19-N-35464, US Navy Bureau of Ships photos now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Mike Green
    Tallulah 244k USS Tallulah (AO-50) at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, 10 October 1942. She has PT-111 and PT-112 loaded on her forward deck. Another oiler, unidentified, is astern of her. A British battleship and another foreign warship are in the dry docks in the background at extreme left. Also note the refrigerated boxcar at extreme left center.
    US National Archives, Photo No. 19-N-35465, US Navy Bureau of Ships photos now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Mike Green
    Tallulah 177k The bows of USS Canberra (CA-70) and USS Tallulah (AO-50) as seen from USS Yorktown (CV-10), 24 June 1944, as the oiler refuels both ships simultaneously following the Battle of the Philippine Sea.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-376116 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Tracy White
    Tallulah 114k USS Tallulah (AO-50) refueling USS Essex (CV-9), to port, and a destroyer, to starboard, probably during the Gilbert Islands operation. Tallulah is wearing camouflage scheme 32/7AO in this photo. Bob Pettit and Chet Morris
    CV-9 Essex 157k USS Tallulah (AO-50) refueling USS Essex (CV-9) in a heavy seas off Luzon, 9 November 1944. Pieter Bakels
    Tallulah 202k USS Tallulah (AO-50) transferring a Japanese pilot picked up by USS Laffey (DD-724) (seen on the far side of the ship) to USS Enterprise (CV-6), 12 November 1944. Tallulah was transferring aviation fuel to the carrier for strikes on Luzon the next day.
    US National Archives Photo # 80-G-288433, a US Navy Photo now in the collections of the National Archives at College Park, MD.    		 Tracy White
    Tallulah 47k USS Tallulah (AO-50) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages    		 Robert Hurst
    USNS Tallulah (T-AOT-50)
    Tallulah 84k USNS Tallulah (T-AOT-50) shuttling water between Florida and Guantanamo Bay Cuba, date unknown. Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Tallulah 113k USNS Tallulah (T-AOT-50) entering Hampton Roads, VA., 9 February 1964.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # USN 1088985, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    Tallulah 38k USNS Tallulah (T-AOT-50) in reserve laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 1975.
    US Maritime Administration photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Tallulah (AO-50) / USNS Tallulah (T-AO-50) / USNS Tallulah (T-AOT-50)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Goode, Jesse Benjamin, USN (USNA 1920)5 September 1942 - 14 March 1944
    02LCDR. Huckaby, William F., USNR14 March 1944 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 1 November 2024