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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USNS Pawcatuck (T-AO-108)
ex
USS Pawcatuck (AO-108) (1946 - 1975)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Oscar - Sierra
NHOS
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Mah Jong (F)oxtrot - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation
Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation - Navy Expeditionary Medal (Lebanon, Libya) - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Lebanon, Cuba, Dominican Republic) - Coast Guard SOS Ribbon (3)
Nickname - "The Smiling Indian"

Cimarron Class Fleet Oiler / Jumboized:

Laid down, 22 March 1945, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A3) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC 2704) at Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock, Chester, PA.

Launched, 19 February 1946

Commissioned USS Pawcatuck (AO-108), 10 May 1946, CAPT. Cecil G. McKinney, USNR, in command

Jumboized, circa 1964-65

Decommissioned, 15 July 1975

Placed in service assigned to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as USNS Pawcatuck (T-AO-108)

Placed out of service, circa 1991

Struck from the Naval Register, 21 September 1991

Title transfer to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.

Sold for scrapping, contract awarded to Bay Bridge Enterprises, Chesapeake, VA. Announced by MARAD, 21 September 2005. Bay Bridge will be paid $369,373.00 to cut up ex-Pawcatuck

Final Disposition, withdrawn from the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group and towed to the breakers yard at Bay Bridge Enterprises, Chesapeake, VA., for scrapping, 19 October 2005.

Specifications:

Displacement
As Build 7,423 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl)
Jumboized 12,840 t.(lt) 34,475 t.(fl)

Length
As Built 553'
Jumboized 644'

Beam 75'

Draft
As Built 32'
Jumboized 35' 9" (lim)

Speed 18.3 kts.

Complement
As Build
Officers 22
Enlisted 282
Jumboized
Officers 16
Enlisted 230

Armament
one 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 16,500 DWT
As Built
Oil 123,700 Bbls
Gasoline 788,000 Gals
Jumboized
NSFO 119,000 Bbls
JP-5 50,000 Bbls
AVGAS 8,700 Bbls

Fuel Capacity
15,000 Bbls

Propulsion
one Westinghouse geared turbines
two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 450psi 740°
double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears
three turbo-drive 500Kw 450V A.C. Ship's Service Generators
twin rudders
twin propellers, 6,750shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By / Source
USS Pawcatuck (AO-108)
	38k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108)** underway, date and place unknown.	Tom Blood
	87k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108)** at New York City, date unknown	Courtesy David Willis via David Merrill USS Canisteo (AO-99) Web Site
091910833	118k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108)** underway, 26 May 1952., location unknown. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # USN 446282. Courtesy of Shipscribe	Robert Hurst
	69k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108)** under way entering Hampton Roads, VA., date unknown.	Courtesy David Willis via David Merrill USS Canisteo (AO-99) Web Site
	73k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108)** under way, date and location unknown.	Courtesy David Willis via David Merrill USS Canisteo (AO-99) Web Site
	128k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108) refueling USS Valley Forge (CVS-45) and USS Eaton (DDE-510*, 18 June 1959. Fourteen S2F anti-submarine planes and two HSS-1 helicopters are parked on the carrier's flight deck and deck-edge elevator. US Navy photo # USN 1043955*	US Naval Historical Center
	71k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108)** under way, date and location unknown.	Burton Revell USS Pawcatuck 1963-66
	293k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108) under way in the Mediterranean Sea, Summer 1961. Photo taken from USS William R. Rush (DD-714)**	Photo by Robert "Cliff" Wolff ETC, USN Ret.
	268k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108) under way in the Mediterranean Sea, Summer 1961 while refueling two thirsty destroyers. Photo taken from USS William R. Rush (DD-714)** while she waits in line for a drink.	Photos by Robert "Cliff" Wolff ETC, USN Ret.
	313k		Photos by Robert "Cliff" Wolff ETC, USN Ret.
	401k	*USS William R. Rush* (DD-714) prepares to come alongside USS Pawcatuck (AO-108) for refueling while operating in the Mediterranean Sea, Summer 1961. Photo taken from USS William R. Rush (DD-714)**	Photos by Robert "Cliff" Wolff ETC, USN Ret.
	299k		Photos by Robert "Cliff" Wolff ETC, USN Ret.
091910834	100k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108)** underway circa late 1960s. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (UA-164). Photo # unknown. Courtesy of Shipscribe	Robert Hurst
	162k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108) refuels USS Randolph (CVS-15) from the oiler's port side and USS Waller (DDE-466) from the oiler's starboard side, while USS Eaton (DDE-510)** is steaming astern, waiting her turn for a "drink". US Navy photo # NH 67959 received from USS Waller in 1969, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.	US Naval Historical Center
	84k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108) refueling USS Forrestal (CV-59) and a destroyer, circa August 1960-May 1962, place unknown. Photo taken from USS Goodrich (DDR-831)**	Photo by Leslie Levins USS Goodrich
	101k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108) refueling USS Forrestal (CV-59), circa August 1960-September 1961, location unknown. Photo taken from USS Goodrich (DDR-831)**.	Photo by Leslie Levins USS Goodrich
091910836	135k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108)** underway at Montreal, Canada, 1964. Auk Visser's Famous T-Tankers	Robert Hurst
	178k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108) moored pierside inboard of USS William H. Standley (DLG-32)**, circa 1970. location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	166k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108)** moored pierside, circa 1971, location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	74k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108) refueling USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) and USS Dewey (DLG-14)*, 13 July 1969, Mediterranean Sea. US Navy photo CVA 67-2124-7-69* 13 July 1969, PH2 Weaver.	Roger C. Schulrud MMCS USN Ret. USS Dewey
	169k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108) refueling USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) and USS Dewey (DLG-14)*, 13 July 1969, Mediterranean Sea. US Navy photo CVA 67-2120-7-69* 13 July 1969, PH2 Weaver.	Roger C. Schulrud MMCS USN Ret. USS Dewey
	114k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108) refueling USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) and USS Dewey (DLG-14)*, 13 July 1969, Mediterranean Sea. US Navy photo CVA 67-2122-7-69* 13 July 1969, PH2 Weaver.	Roger C. Schulrud MMCS USN Ret. USS Dewey
	74k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108) refueling USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) and USS Dewey (DLG-14)*, 13 July 1969, Mediterranean Sea. US Navy photo CVA 67-2124-7-69* 13 July 1969, PH2 Weaver.	Roger C. Schulrud MMCS USN Ret. USS Dewey
	32k	Photo from an unidentified destroyer approaching *USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108)** to begin a refueling evolution, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
	104k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108)** under way, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
	245k	*USS Guadalcanal* (LPH-7) and USS El Paso (LKA-117) refueling from USS Pawcatuck (AO-108)*, during operation "Snowy Beach", in January 1972. US National Archives Photo # USN 115089* now in the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command	US Naval History and Heritage Command
	55k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108)** secured to a mooring buoy, date and location unknown. US Navy Photo, courtesy Auke Vissar's Famous T-Tanker Pages	Robert Hurst
	53k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy Photo, courtesy Auke Vissar's Famous T-Tanker Pages	Robert Hurst
091910835	103k	*USS Pawcatuck* (AO-108)** underway in the Mediterranean circa the early 1970s. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # KN-21025 Courtesy of Shipscribe.	Robert Hurst
USNS Pawcatuck (T-AO-108)
	64k	*USNS Pawcatuck* (T-AO-108)** under way in MSC service after jumboization, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Courtesy David Willis via David Merrill USS Canisteo (AO-99) Web Site
	56k	*USNS Pawcatuck* (T-AO-108)** moored pierside, date and location unknown. US Navy Photo, courtesy Auke Vissar's Famous T-Tanker Pages	Robert Hurst
	98k	*USNS Pawcatuck* (T-AO-108)** under way in the Mediterranean Sea, July 1976	© Richard Leonhardt
091910837	300k	*USNS Pawcatuck* (T-AO-108)** underway date and location unknown Auk Visser's Famous T-Tankers	Robert Hurst
	1204k	*USNS Pawcatuck* (T-AO-108)** moored pierside at Genoa, Italy, 14 May 1983.	Photo by Carlo Martinelli
091910832	224k	*USNS Pawcatuck* (T-AO-108)** underway, date and location unknown.	Nicholas Tiberio
	1488k	*USNS Pawcatuck* (T-AO-108) conducting an underway replenishment with USS Doyle (FFG-39)** at the equator, 9 October 1990. Defense Imagery photo VIRIN: DN-SC-91-01685, a US Navy photo by PHAN Sean Linehan.	Robert Hurst
	434k	Aerial view of Unit 7 of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 28 January 1999. From bottom to top; unidentified, *Santa Cruz* Vulcan (AR-5), Redstone (T-AGM-20), 2 unidentified APs, GEN. N.M. Walter (T-AP-125), GEN. Wm. O. Darby (IX-510), Waccamaw (T-AO-109), Canisteo (AO-99), Caloosahatchee (AO-98), Mississinewa (T-AO-144), Pawcatuck (T-AO-108) Truckee (T-AO-147), Neosho (T-AO-143), Benjamin Isherwood (T-AO-191) and Henry Eckford (T-AO-192). These two oilers were both lay-berthed incomplete.
	80k	Ex-Pawcatuck (T-AO-108) under way for the last time as she transits the harbor at Norfolk, VA. on her way to the breakers yard, at Bay Bridge Enterprises, Chesapeake, VA., 19 October 2005	Mabel Clark
	1664k	Ex-Pawcatuck (T-AO-108) in the breakers yard at Bay Bridge Enterprises, Chesapeake, VA., in 2005.	Ron Reeves

For more photos and information about USS Pawcatuck, see;
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
MARAD Vessel History Database
USS Pawcatuck (AO-108)

Commanding Officers
01	CAPT. McKinney, Cecil Gilmore	10 May 1946 - 10 August 1946
02	CAPT. Stokes, Phillip Gaines :RADM	10 August 1946 - 16 June 1947
03	CAPT. Chase, Harry Taylor	16 June 1947 - 11 September 1948
04	CAPT. Fitzgibbon, John Edmondson	11 September 1948 - 27 September 1949
05	CAPT. Carter, Francis Miller	27 September 1949 - 7 December 1950
06	CAPT. Wood, James Marshall	7 December 1950 - 7 April 1951
07	LCDR. Hulings Jr., Joseph S., USNR (acting)	7 April 1951 - 9 April 1951
08	CAPT. Fitzgerald, John Allison :RADM	9 April 1951 - 15 August 1952
09	CAPT. Wilson, William Ritchie	15 August 1952 - 1 May 1953
10	CAPT. Dutton, William Tenney	1 May 1953 - 1 May 1954
11	CAPT. Reiter Jr., Harry Lee :RADM	1 May 1954 - 9 August 1955
12	CAPT. Hills, Blish Charles	9 August 1955 - 16 August 1956
13	CAPT. Chew, John Louis :VADM	16 August 1956 - 8 December 1956
14	CAPT. Morton, Robert Cameron	8 December 1956 - 16 December 1957
15	CAPT. Barnes, William Roy	16 December 1957 - 17 January 1959
16	CAPT. Wells, Heydon Forbes	17 January 1959 - 27 January 1960
17	CAPT. Ray, Alan	2 January 1960 - 26 January 1961
18	CAPT. Bardshar, Frederic Abshire :VADM	26 January 1961 - 22 August 1961
19	CAPT. Rumsey II, Dexter Cleveland	22 August 1961 - 30 July 1962
20	CAPT. Bunn Jr., Giles Featherston	30 July 1962 - 17 April 1963
21	CAPT. Charbonnet Jr., Pierre Numa, USN (USNA 1937) :VADM	17 April 1963 - 10 May 1963
22	CAPT. Heyworth Jr., Lawrence :RADM	10 May 1963 - 21 May 1964
23	CAPT. Wall, Maurice Edwin	21 May 1964 - 15 September 1965
24	LCDR. Garland, Daniel Harper, USN (USNA 1952) (acting)	15 September 1965 - 1 August 1966
25	CAPT. Honour, Walter Whitaker, USN (USNA 1944)	1 August 1966 - 1 February 1968
26	CAPT. Horne, Floyd Lewis	1 February 1968 - 5 April 1969
27	CAPT. Youngblade, Charles John :RADM	5 April 1969 - 27 August 1970
28	CAPT. Phillips, Billy	27 August 1970 - 12 October 1971
29	CDR. Belechak, Stephen Clair, USN	12 October 1971 - 17 August 1973
30	CDR. Johnson, James Edward	17 August 1973 - 17 July 1975


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Fleet Tankers Association
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 28 June 2024

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Pawcatuck (T-AO-108)ex USS Pawcatuck (AO-108) (1946 - 1975)

USNS Pawcatuck (T-AO-108)
ex
USS Pawcatuck (AO-108) (1946 - 1975)