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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Oahu (ARG-5)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Zulu - Bravo
 NPZB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Luzon Class Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship:
  • Laid down, 14 August 1943 as SS Caleb C. Wheeler a Maritime Commission type (EC-2-S-C1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1782), at Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard, Inc., Baltimore, MD.
  • Launched, 9 September 1943
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission, 16 September 1943
  • Converted to an Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship at Maryland Drydock Co, Baltimore, MD.
  • Commissioned USS Oahu (ARG-5), 4 April 1944, CDR. Clyde Lovelace in command
  • During World War II USS Oahu was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Western Caroline Islands operation
    Assaults on the Philippine Islands, 9 to 24 September 1944

  • Decommissioned, 7 January 1947, at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1963
  • USS Oahu earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission in July 1963 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for non-transportation use (scrapping) 15 March 1978, to General Metals of Tacoma, Inc. physically delivered 7 June 1978
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,023 t.(lt) 14,350 t.(trial)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 23' (lim)
    Speed 12.5 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 31
    Enlisted 552
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    one 3"/50 gun mount
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    twelve single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Ship's Service Generators
    three 350Kw 450V A.C.
    two 60Kw 120V D.C.
    Fuel Oil Capacity 19,540Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Machine Corp. vertical triple expansion reciprocating steam engine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers 220psi 450°
    single propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By/Source
    Oahu 105k USS Oahu (ARG-5) moored at Norfolk Navy Yard, 12 May 1944.
    US National Archives photo # 19-N-66540, RG-19 LCM, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of t he US National Archives.    		 Robert Hurst
    Oahu 213k USS Oahu (ARG-5) at Hampton Roads May 13th or 14th, 1944 after full power runs in the lower bay. Oahu left for the Pacific 16 May.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-230496, a US Navy photo now in the custody of the US National Archives, College Park.     		Tracy White
    Oahu 70k USS Oahu (ARG-5) moored to a buoy, date and location unknown. Conrad J. Lee for Jerry Zachman USS Oahu, 1945-46
    Oahu
    09290504    		 68k Ex-USS Oahu (ARG-5) tied up awaiting dismantling, probably at General Metals of Tacoma, Inc., circa June 1978. Nicholas Tiberio
    USS Oahu (ARG-5)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Lovelace, Clyde, USN4 April 1944 - 30 December 1944
    02CDR. Loker, Alex M., USN30 December 1944 - 20 April 1946
    03CDR. Hanson, S. USNR20 April 1946 - 8 August 1946
    04LCDR. Sly, Richard Gerald USN8 August 1946 - 7 January 1947
    Courtesy Conrad J. Lee, Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    "Ship's Log" The history of USS Oahu
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 27 January 2023