USS Chiwaukum, AOG-26

Dec. 4, 2020 PRINT | E-MAIL

USS Chiwaukum, AOG-26


Chiwaukum: a river in Washington State.


Builder: East Coast Shipyard, Bayonne, New Jersey

Length: 220' 6"

Beam: 37'

Draft: 17'

Displacement: 2,270 (fl)

Commissioned: 25 July 1944

Decommissioned: 31 May 1946

Disposition: Transferred to Turkey on 10 May 1948

Machinery: 720 hp diesel direct drive; single propeller

Top Speed: 10 knots

Complement: 62

Armament: 1 3"/50; 2 x 40mm; 3 x 20mm


History:

The USS Chiwaukum (AOG-26) was a Mettawee-Class Navy gasoline tanker that was manned by a Coast Guard crew.  She was launched 4 May 1944 by East Coast Shipyards, Inc., Bayonne, N.J., under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. A. H. Moore; acquired by the Navy and commissioned 25 July 1944, Lieutenant C. S. Hoag, USCGR, in command.

Clearing Norfolk 23 September 1944, Chiwaukum sailed to load oil at Aruba, Netherlands West Indies, and reached Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 25 November. She stood out of Espiritu Santo 2 December for the New Guinea area where she operated as a gasoline tanker until 18 January 1945 when she reported for similar duty in the Philippines. Departing Samar, P.I., 12 December 1945, Chiwaukum arrived at San Francisco 9 February. She remained there until 17 April when she put out for Norfolk, arriving 16 May. 

Chiwaukum was decommissioned 31 May 1946 and transferred to Turkey 10 May 1948


Sources:

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

Robert Scheina.  U.S. Coast Guard Cutters & Craft of World War II.  Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1982.