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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Aucilla (AO-56)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Lima - Quebec
NZLQ
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Elbow (B)ravo - 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 - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Lebanon Dominican Republic)


Ashtabula Class Fleet Oiler
  • Laid down, 25 May 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 722), at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD.
  • Launched, 20 November 1943
  • Commissioned USS Aucilla (AO-56), 22 December 1943, CDR. Cornelius M. Sullivan USN in command
  • During World War II USS Aucilla was assigned first to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and lastly to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Leyte operation
    Luzon attacks, 14 to 16 December 1944
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    5th and 3rd Fleet operations in support of Okinawa Gunto, 16 March to 4 May 1945
    Luzon operation
    Luzon attacks, 6 and 7 January 1945
    Formosa attacks, 9 and 15 January 1945
    China Coast attacks, 12 and 16 January 1945
    3rd Fleet operations against Japan
    11 July to 3 August and 9 to 15 August 1945
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 15 to 26 February 1945
     

  • Following World War II USS Aucilla was assigned to Occupation service for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    Asia clasp Europe clasp
    2 September to 25 November 19454 to 7 November 1948
    31 July to 12 August 194615 to 22 January 1949
    29 September to 25 December 19466 October 1953 to 24 January 1954
    10 February to 3 March 194710 June to 31 July 1955
    17 to 19 April 19471 August to 25 October 1955
    15 to 25 July 1947
    18 to 20 June 1948
    22 to 25 August 1948
    25 to 28 April 1949

  • USS Aucilla (AO-56) was assigned to China service from 6 to 19 March 1947
  • Decommissioned, 18 December 1970, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Transferred, 7 October 1971, to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Title transferred to MARAD, 1 July 1973
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 December 1976
  • USS Aucilla earned five battle stars for her World War II service
  • Withdrawn by the US Navy for stripping 12 June 1979, returned, 25 June 1979, withdrawn for stripping, 27 July 1985, returned 21 August 1985, withdrawn for stripping 17 April 1991 returned 10 July 1991
  • Final Disposition
    Sold for scrapping, 5 February 1992, to Space International Trading Lte. (MA-12707 for $951,000.00) sale not consummated buyer failed to pay balance of purchase price.
    Resold for scrapping, 27 April 1992, to Trusha Investments Pte. Ltd. (MA-12727 for $620,000.00)
    Scrapped, 25 October 1992

    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,236 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl)
    Length 553'
    Beam 73'
    Draft 32' 4"
    Speed 18 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 22
    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
    Ship's Service Generators
    two turbo-drive 400Kw 230V A.C.
    one Diesel-drive 150Kw 230V A.C.
    two propellers, 13,500shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Source
    YO-141
    141214101
    832k YO-141 keeping station with Aucilla (AO-56) at Norfolk, 27 September 1944.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-280741 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, via usndazzle.com
    Mike Green
    Bunker Hill 90K USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) refueling from USS Aucilla (AO-56) either 13 February 1945 or 18 March 1945, with an unknown destroyer on the starboard side.
    US National Archives Photo # 80-G-307044, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    Tracy White, Researcher @ Large
    Aucilla 210k USS Aucilla (AO-56) underway circa 1947, location unknown. Photo by ©Wynburn Lee Taylor Jr. YN3 USS Aucilla 1947
    Submitted by Mark R. Taylor
    Aucilla 50k USS Aucilla (AO-56) under way in the Panama Canal, circa 1947. Photos by ©Wynburn Lee Taylor Jr. YN3 USS Aucilla 1947
    Submitted by Mark R. Taylor
    Aucilla 65k
    Aucilla 94k Various views of USS Aucilla (AO-56) from her tank deck, circa 1947. Photos by ©Wynburn Lee Taylor Jr. YN3 USS Aucilla 1947
    Submitted by Mark R. Taylor
    Aucilla 138k
    Aucilla 380k
    Aucilla 108k
    Aucilla 243k USS Aucilla (AO-56) moored astern of USS Marias (AO-57), date and location unknown. Photo by ©Wynburn Lee Taylor Jr. YN3 USS Aucilla 1947
    Submitted by Mark R. Taylor
    Aucilla 178k USS Aucilla (AO-56) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.
    Robert Hurst
    Aucilla 57k USS Aucilla (AO-56) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, February 1957.
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Aucilla 43k USS Aucilla (AO-56) refueling USS Newman K Perry (DD-883) and USS Forrestal (CVA-59), 25 March 1960, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # (USN 1047741.
     
    Aucilla
    091905619
    257k USS Aucilla (AO-56) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo negative from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Musuem
    Darryl Baker
    Aucilla 113k USS Aucilla (AO-56) underway, date and location unknown. © Richard Leonhardt
    Aucilla 94k USS Aucilla (AO-56) conducts a replenishment-at-sea with USS Saratoga (CVA-60), circa 1962-63, probably in the Caribbean Sea. © Richard Leonhardt
    Aucilla 78k USS Aucilla (AO-56) under way, date and location unknown. © Richard Leonhardt
    CVA-38 Shangri-La
    NS023865
    35.5M

    USS Shangri-La (CVA-38) refueling from USS Aucilla (AO-56), circa 1967.

    Format: Audio Video Interleave (.AVI)  Duration: 1' 46"  Size: 720 x 480

    Howie Houserman, VA-81 (1966–1969)
    Aucilla 207k USS Aucilla (AO-56) under way in 1968, location unknown.
    US Navy photo.
    David Buell
    Aucilla>
    091905618
    102k USS Aucilla (AO-56) ship's plaque Tommy Trampp

    USS Aucilla (AO-56)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Sullivan, Cornelius Martin, USN (USNA 1925)22 December 1943 - 17 June 1944
    02LCDR. Cover Jr., Charles L., USNR17 June 1944 - 8 December 1945
    03CDR. Sampson, Warren Bell, USN (USNA 1925)8 December 1945 - 18 August 1946
    04CAPT. Allen, Robert Addison, USN (USNA 1927)18 August 1946 - 18 May 1947
    05CAPT. Martell, Charles Bowling, USN (USNA 1930) :VADM18 May 1947 - 28 February 1948
    06CDR. Farmer, William Howard, USN (USNA 1930) :RADM28 February 1948 - 14 April 1949
    07CAPT. Duffill, Monroe Barrows, USN (USNA 1927)14 April 1949 - 19 July 1950
    08CAPT. Esslinger, Robert John, USN (USNA 1930) :RADM19 July 1950 - 21 July 1951
    09CDR. Marks, Lawrence Hall, USN (USNA 1933)21 July 1951 - 8 October 1952
    10CAPT. Lark, Jacob Aucker, USN (USNA 1932)8 October 1952 - 30 October 1953
    11CAPT. Jenson, Marvin John, USN30 October 1953 - 2 October 1954
    12CAPT. Coxe Jr., Alexander Bacon, USN (USNA 1932)2 October 1954 - 15 December 1954
    13LCDR. Davenport, Aaron Miller, USN15 December 1954 - 28 January 1955
    14CAPT. Besson Jr., John Henry, USN (USNA 1935) :RADM28 January 1955 - 8 September 1956
    15CAPT. Taylor, Brown, USN (USNA 1934)8 September 1956 - 5 September 1957
    16CAPT. Reich, Eli Thomas, USN (USNA 1935):VADM5 September 1957 - 18 October 1958
    17CAPT. Pond Jr., John Enoch, USN (USNA 1937)18 October 1958 - 7 October 1959
    18CAPT. Williams, Gordon Bennett, USN (USNA 1938)7 October 1959 - 26 September 1960
    19CAPT. Bogart, Gerald Schouler, USN26 September 1960 - 10 October 1961
    20CAPT. Tucker, Joseph Robbins, USN (USNA 1938)10 October 1961 - 19 September 1962
    21CAPT. Meyer, William Rhett, USN (USNA 1940)19 September 1962 - 11 October 1963
    22CAPT. Tucker, Frederick Birchfield, USN (USNA 1939)11 October 1963 - 20 December 1963
    23LCDR. Nielsen, Richard, USN20 December 1963 - 9 January 1964
    24CAPT. Kittrell, James Reveley, USN9 January 1964 - 25 March 1964
    25CAPT. Shepard Jr., Tazewell Taylor, USN (USNA 1943) :RADM25 March 1964 - April 1965
    26CAPT. Baker Jr., Lawrence Herman, USNApril 1965 - 1 March 1966
    27CAPT. Livingston, William Harold (Tag), USN :RADM1 March 1966 - 17 February 1967
    28CAPT. Zwemke, Darrell Henry, USNR17 February 1967 - 21 February 1968
    29CAPT. Davidson, Paul Devere, USN21 February 1968 - July 1969
    30CAPT. Hazen, Alan Michael, USNJuly 1969 - 8 May 1970
    31CAPT. Spruit, Robert Earl (Bob), USN8 May 1970 - 18 December 1970
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    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 14 June 2024