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Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USNS Waccamaw (T-AOT-109)
ex
USNS Waccamaw (T-AO-109) (1975 - ?)
USS Waccamaw (AO-109) (1946 - 1975)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - November - Foxtrot NHNF
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Casino (W)hiskey - 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 - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2)
Second Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Europe clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Bottom Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal - Vietnam Service Medal (1) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Cimmeron Class Fleet Oiler / Jumboized:

Laid down, 28 April 1945, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A3) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2705), at Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock, Chester, PA.

Launched, 20 March 1946

Commissioned USS Waccamaw (AO-109), 25 June 1946, CAPT. Guy W. Stringer, USN in command

USS Waccamaw was assigned to Occupation service in Europe for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal
15 September 1948 to 7 January 1949
16 January to 15 March 1950
20 January to 8 May 1951
29 July to 1 November 1952
27 July to 8 August 1953
16 May to 20 September 1954

Jumboized, 1964-65 at Puget Sound Bridge and Dry Dock Co., Seattle, WA.

During the Vietnam War USS Waccamaw participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Vietnam War Campaign
Vietnam Ceasefire 8 to 9 and 17 to 26 July 1972 4 to 13 August 1972 21 August to 2 September 1972 9 to 12 September 1972 27 September to 2 October 1972 9 to 13 and 22 to 28 October 1972 5 to 12 November 1972 26 November to 19 December 1972 28 December 1972 to 5 January 1973

Decommissioned, 24 February 1975

Placed in service with the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as USNS Waccamaw (T-AO-109) in 1975

Reclassified Oil Transporter (AOT-109), date unknown

Placed out of service, circa 1991

Struck from the Naval Register, 11 October 1991

USS Waccamaw earned one campaign star for Vietnam War service

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

Sold for scrapping (date unknown) to International Shipbreaking Ltd., Brownsville, TX.

Withdrawn from the Maritime Administrations Reserve Fleet, 11 October 2005

Final Disposition, scrapped at Brownsville, TX.

Specifications:

Displacement

As Build 7,423 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl)

Jumboized 12,840 t.(lt) 34,350 t.(fl)

Length

As Built 553'

Jumboized 644"

Beam 75'

Draft

As Built 32'

Jumboized 36'

Speed 18.3 kts.

Complement

Officers 22

Enlisted 282

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

Oil 123,700 Bbls

Gasoline 788,000 Gals

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

single propeller, 6,750shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS Waccamaw (AO-109)
091910938	182k	*Namesake* Waccamaw - The Waccamaw River is a river, approximately 140 miles long, in southeastern North Carolina and eastern South Carolina. It drains an area of approximately 1,110 square miles in the coastal plain along the eastern border between the two states into the Atlantic Ocean. Along its upper course, it is a slow-moving, blackwater river surrounded by vast wetlands. Along its lower course, it is lined by sandy banks and old plantation houses, providing an important navigation channel with a unique geography, flowing roughly parallel to the coast. (Wikipedia) Photo - Bucksport, South Carolina, Quiet in winter, a busy stretch of the Intracoastal Waterway in spring and fall when boaters are moving north and south, 26 December 2006 ©Pollinator Map - Pee Dee River country and watershed. ©Karl Musser	Tommy Trampp
	10k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** rides light in the water at Philadelphia, PA. 16 July 1946.	Robert Hurst
091910942	113k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** at anchor off Newport, R.I. 18 June 1949. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH 66870	Robert Hurst
	34k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** under way in Grand Harbor Valletta, Malta, circa 1953.	Robert Hurst
	76k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy Photo, courtesy Auke Vissar's Famous T-Tanker Pages	Robert Hurst
	80k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)**, off Newport R.I., 16 November 1954. © Atlantic Fleet Sales, Norfolk, VA. photo	Bud Liptak
	82k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)**, off Newport R.I., 16 November 1954. © Atlantic Fleet Sales, Norfolk, VA. photo	Bud Liptak
	1861k	*USS Cascade* (AD-16) with USS Charles S. Sperry (DD-697), USS Moale (DD-693) and USS Pompon (SSR-267) along side. Ships in the background in include left to right: USS Randolph (CVA-15), USS Waccamaw (AO-109), USS Mississinewa (AO-144)** and two unidentified auxiliaries, an AO and possibly an AKA. At anchor in the Mediterranean, 12 September 1956. US Navy photo # 699217 now in the collections of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum.	Darryl Baker
	43k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
	54k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
	148k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** mid-body section during the jumboization process on the building ways at Kawasaki Dockyard Co. Ltd, Kobe, Japan ready for launching, 28 September 1963. US Navy photo	Mike Green
091910943	994k	Overhead view of *USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** underway at approximately 16kts near Puget Sound Bridge and Dry Dock Co. Shipyard, 16 February 1965. US National Archives ID 7574125, US Navy Bureau of Ships photo	John Spivey
	106k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)**, in the Mediterranean Sea, 28 July 1966. Photo shows ship after jumboization	© Richard Leonhardt
	105k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** under way, circa 1966, location unknown. US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
	79k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** moored at Craney Island Fuel Terminal, Hampton Roads, VA., March 1967.	Photo by Bill Guhl USS Waccamaw
	54k	"Mail Call" as a helicopter from HC-4 prepares to land on *USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)**'s flight deck in 1967.	Photo by Bill Guhl USS Waccamaw
	1872k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109) during an underway replenishment with USS Independence (CVA-62)*, Atlantic Ocean, circa 1969. Photos taken from USS Independence*	Photos by PH2 Harry B. Kidd USS Independence
	1785k
	96k
	1857k
	111k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** under way, date and location unknown. Photo taken after jumboization. US Navy photo	Mike Smolinski
	156k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
	189k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** under way in the Atlantic Ocean in 1970.	Mike Smolinski
	204k	Stern view of *USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** underway in 1972, location unknown. Photo - courtesy Tom Sparkman.	Robert Hurst
091910940	355k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109) conducting an underway replenishment with USS Oriskany (CVA-34) 28 August 1972 in the South China Sea during Oriskany*'s 1972-73 WestPac deployment. Photos by Ron Camp USS Oriskany)*	Bob Canchola
091910941	1321k		Bob Canchola
	79k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)**, after jumboization, April 1973, location unknown. US Navy photo	Bud Liptak
	57k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** at anchor, date and location unknown. US Navy Photo, courtesy Auke Vissar's Famous T-Tanker Pages	Robert Hurst
091910937	110k	*USS Waccamaw* (AO-109)** ship's plaque.	Tommy Trampp
USNS Waccamaw (T-AO-109)
	1011k	*USNS Waccamaw* (T-AO-109) refueling USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7) and USS Charleston (AKA-113)** while enroute from Sicily to Nice, circa 1 February 1976.	Photos by ©Richard Leonhardt
	638k		Photos by ©Richard Leonhardt
	43k	*USNS Waccamaw* (T-AO-109)**, under way in harbor with assistance of several tugs, date and location unknown. US Navy Photo, courtesy Auke Vissar's Famous T-Tanker Pages	Robert Hurst
	78k	*USNS Waccamaw* (T-AO-109)**, under way, date and location unknown. US Navy Photo, courtesy Auke Vissar's Famous T-Tanker Pages	Robert Hurst
091910939	437k	*USNS Waccamaw* (T-AO-109)*, underway in 1984, location unknown. U.S. Defenseimagery.mil Photo # DN-SC-85-08550* A US Navy photo now in the collections of Defense Imagery	Bob Canchola
	95k	*USNS Waccamaw* (T-AO-109)**, under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Bud Liptak
	218k	*USS Coral Sea* (CV-43) is refueled while underway by the fleet oiler USNS Waccamaw (T-AO-109)*, Mediterranean Sea, 29 January 1986. Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 13, tail code "AK," was aboard. A Knox*-class frigate is steaming astern. US Navy photo by PH2 Rory Knepp.	National Archives, via Ron Reeves
	205k	*USNS Waccamaw* (T-AO-109)**, under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Tommy Trampp
	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.

Additional Waccamaw Patches
Contributed by Mike Smolinski	Contributed by Mike Smolinski	Contributed by Wolfgang Hechler

For more photos and information about USS / USNS Waccamaw, see;
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
MARAD Vessel History Database

Commanding Officers
01	CAPT. Stringer, Guy Warren, USN (USNA 1928)	25 June 1946 - July 1947
02	CAPT. May, Leo George, USN (USNA 1930)	July 1947 - September 1948
03	CAPT. Fitzwilliam, Albert Eisner, USN (USNA 1927)	September 1948 - July 1949
04	CAPT. Hooper, Edwin Bickford, USN (USNA 1931) :VADM	July 1949 - July 1950
05	CAPT. McCune, Francis Creath Brewer, USN (USNA 1927) :RADM	July 1950 - September 1951
06	CDR. Palmer, Jay Talisman, USN (USNA 1935)	September 1951 - November 1952
07	CAPT. Grider, John McGavock, USN (USNA 1932)	November 1952 - September 1953
08	CAPT. Lyons Jr., Charles Malaher, USN (USNA 1932) :RADM	September 1953 - August 1954
09	CAPT. O'Connor, Michael Bernard, USN (USNA 1932)	August 1954 - September 1955
10	CAPT. Schacht, Kenneth George, USN (USNA 1935)	September 1955 - August 1956
11	CAPT. Dempsey, James Charles, USN (USNA 1931) :RADM	August 1956 - July 1957
12	CAPT. Abhau, William Conrad, USN (USNA 1935) :RADM	July 1957 - August 1958
13	CAPT. Henry, Thomas Henley, USN (USNA 1935)	August 1958 - June 1959
14	CAPT. Leonard, John Albert, USN (USNA 1938)	June 1959 - July 1960
15	CAPT. Elder, Robert Martin, USN	July 1960 - July 1961
16	CAPT. Bell, David Bonar, USN (USNA 1937) :RADM	July 1961 - 30 August 1962
17	CAPT. Huey, Enders Phillip, USN (USNA 1941)	30 August 1962 - July 1963
18	CAPT. Green, David Hepburn, USN (USNA 1942)	July 1963 - 2 March 1964
19	LT. Gluse, Michael Robert, USN (USNA 1956)	2 March 1964 - 6 July 1964
20	LCDR. Gillette, Halbert George, USN	6 July 1964 - 11 November 1964
21	CAPT. Baird, William Denise, USN	11 November 1964 - 2 April 1966
22	CAPT. Clifford Jr., Frank Fenton, USN (USNA 1945)	2 April 1966 - 26 May 1967
23	CAPT. De Prez, Richard John, USN (USNA 1944)	26 May 1967 - September 1968
24	CAPT. Hart, Harry Sands, USN	September 1968 - 18 December 1969
25	CAPT. Macon Jr., Benjamin Harrison, USN	18 December 1969 - April 1971
26	CAPT. Krejcarek, Donald James, USN	April 1971 - 13 November 1972
27	CDR. Banks, William Kenneth, USN (MMA 1956)	13 November 1972 - 24 February 1975


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 15 November 2024

USNS Waccamaw (T-AOT-109)ex USNS Waccamaw (T-AO-109) (1975 - ?) USS Waccamaw (AO-109) (1946 - 1975)

USNS Waccamaw (T-AOT-109)
ex
USNS Waccamaw (T-AO-109) (1975 - ?)
USS Waccamaw (AO-109) (1946 - 1975)