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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Giraffe (IX-118)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Golf - Mike
NJGM

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal

Armadillo Class Mobile Station Tanker:

Laid down, 14 October 1943, as SS Sanford B. Dole, a Maritime Commission type (Z-ETl-S-C3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1907) at California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, CA.

Acquired by the US Navy, 27 October 1943, renamed Giraffe (IX-118)

Launched, 11 November 1943

Commissioned USS Giraffe (IX-118), 12 December 1943, LCDR. Frederick F. Daly, USNR, in command

During World War II USS Giraffe was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Saipan, 7 to 10 August 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 3 to 29 May 1945

Decommissioned, and delivered to the WSA, 17 June 1946, at Norfolk, VA.

Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., name reverted to SS Sanford B. Dole

Struck from the Naval Register, 3 July 1946

USS Giraffe (IX-118) earned two battle stars for World War II service

Merchant Service

Acquired, 3 April 1948, by Lavino Shipping Corp, 3 February 1948 as agents for Forddon Trading Corp.

Resold, 1 June 1948, to Metro Petroleum Shipping Co., Inc., of Wilmington, DL., renamed SS Kileen

Converted to a dry cargo carrier at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va., in August 1949

Resold to Sea Transport Corp. in October 1951, renamed SS Seapender

Resold to Naess Wejlander and Co., Inc., in August 1953, renamed SS Ragnar Naess

Resold to Norlo Shipping Co. Inc. in September 1954

Resold to Ocean Liberties, Inc., Monrovia, Liberia, in June 1955, renamed SS Ocean Daphne, Liberian flagged

Resold in 1961 to Cosmos Cia. Naviera S.A., Monrovia, Liberia [Nicholas M. Lyras] renamed SS Orient Lakes, operated under the banner of the Orient Mid East Lines.

Final Disposition, SS Orient Lakes was scrapped at Moji, Japan in 1967

Specifications:
Displacement 3,665 t.(lt) 14,500 t.(fl)
Length 441' 6"
Beam 56' 11"
Draft 28' 4"
Speed 11 kts

Cargo Capacity 8,500 DWT

Oil 63,000 Bbls

Complement

Officers 11

Enlisted 97

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal. dual purpose gun mount

one single 3"/50 cal. purpose gun mount

eight single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacity NSFO 13,700 Bbls

Propulsion

one vertical single cylinder triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine

two Babcock and Wilcox boilers, 220psi, 450°

three recip-drive 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

single four blade, 18' 6" propeller, 2,500shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
United States Maritime Commission
094611702	140k	United States Maritime Commission Tanker Design Z-ET-1-S-C3. US National Archives photo thanks to Auke Visser's Famous T-Tanker Pages
USS Giraffe (IX-118)
094611805	82k	*Namesake* Giraffe - is an African artiodactyl mammal, the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant. It is traditionally considered to be one species, Giraffa camelopardalis, with nine subspecies.	Tommy Trampp
	181k	Liberty Ships fitting out at California Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, CA., 25 November 1943. From left to right: Dry Cargo Ships SS John A. Roebling SS Ralph A. Cram Armadillo Class Mobile Station Tankers Caribou (IX-114)- ex SS Nathaniel B. Palmer Elk (IX-115) - SS William Winter Gazelle (IX-116)- SS Cyrus K. Holliday Gemsbok (IX-117) - SS Carl R. Gray **Giraffe (IX-118) - SS Sanford B. Dole** Ibex (IX-119) - SS Nicholas Longworth Jaguar (IX-120) - SS Charles T. Yerkes	Gerard Mueller-Debus
	39k	Line drawing of *USS Giraffe* (IX-118)** by Jon Hall.	Phyllis Carpenter
Merchant Service
	316k	Ex-*USS Giraffe* (IX-118)** renamed SS Sanford B. Dole moored pierside circa 1946-48, location unknown. Photo ©World Ship Society	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	39k	Ex-*USS Giraffe* (IX-118)** underway as the Sea Transport Corp.'s. SS Seapender at anchor, circa October 1951 to August 1953, location unknown.	Phyllis Carpenter
	84k	Ex-*USS Giraffe* (IX-118)** as the Liberian registered Ocean Liberties, Inc. SS Ocean Daphne moored at the off shore bunker station at The Straits Settlements in August 1957. Photo ©World Ship Society.	Photo -Gerhard Mueller-Debus and Phyllis Carpenter Caption - Jerome W. Burke
094611806	59k	Ex-*USS Giraffe* (IX-118)** underway as the Cosmos Cia. Naviera S.A., Monrovia, Liberia [Nicholas M. Lyras], Orient Med East Lines frieghter SS Orient Lakes, date and location unknown. Photo from Auk Visser's Famous T-Tankers Pages - Sanford B. Dole	Robert Hurst
094611807	141k	Orient Mid East Lines frieghter SS Orient Lakes, at anchr, date and location unknown. Photo from Auk Visser's Famous T-Tankers Pages - Sanford B. Dole	Robert Hurst

USS Giraffe (IX-118)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

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

Additional Web Sites of Interest
MARAD Vessel History Database

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 21 June 2024