Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Kennebec (AO-36)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Bravo - Kilo - Whiskey NBKW
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Lilac (N)ovember - 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 - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (4-Vietnam, 5-Korea) - Vietnam Service Medal (7) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Kennebec Class Fleet Oiler

Laid down as SS Corsicana, a Maritime Commission type (T2-SO) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 142), at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD.

Launched, 19 April 1941

Acquired by the Navy, 13 January 1942

Commissioned USS Kennebec (AO-36), 4 February 1942, CDR. Stuart S. Reynolds in command

During World War II USS Kennebec was assigned to both the Europe-Africa-Middle East and Asiatic-Pacific Theaters and participated in the following campaign:

**Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater**
Campaign and Dates
North African Occupation Algeria-Morocco landings, 8 to 11 November 1942

Following World War II USS Kennebec was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
7 September 1945 to 23 March 1946	7 September 1945 to 23 March 1946
3 to 25 May 1946	26 May to 9 July 1946
1 February to 5 March 1947	6 to 7 March 1947
16 April to 5 May 1947
12 to 28 June 1947

Decommissioned, 4 September 1950, at San Diego, CA.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet

Recommissioned, 11 January 1951, at Oakland, CA., CDR. A. G. Beckman in command

Decommissioned, 25 September 1954, at San Diego, CA.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group

Recommissioned, 14 December 1956, CDR. Naden F. Stimac in command

Decommissioned, 31 October 1957

Struck from the Naval Register, 14 January 1959

Transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet

Reacquired by the Navy and recommissioned, 16 December 1961

During the Vietnam War USS Kennebec participated in the following campaigns:

**Vietnam War Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Vietnam Defense 25 to 29 September 1965 7 to 10 and 20 to 26 October1965 30 October to 11 November 1965 23 to 27 November 1965 8 to 15 December 1965	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV 7 to 15 April 1968 26 April to 5 May 1968 11 to 20 and 25 to 28 May 1968 3 to 10, 15 to 22 and 30 June 1968
Vietnamese Counteroffensive 31 December 1965 15 to 17 January 1966 2 to 7 and 19 to 25 February 1966 5 to 10 and 22 to 30 March 1966 7 to 11 and 22 to 25 April 1966 30 April to 2 May 1966 6 to 12 and 28 to 29 May 1966	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V 1 to 07 July 1968 12 to 20 September 1968
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II 5 to 9 and 18 to 28 February 1967 11 to 19 March 1967 25 March to 3 April 1967 9 to 18 April 1967 5 to 15 May 1967	Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 11 to 18 June 1969 24 June to 1 July 1969 11 to 20 July 1969 7 to 16 and 21 to 27 August 1969 3 to 8 and 22 to 28 September 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III 24 June to 4 July 1967 9 to 16 and 22 to 29 July 1967 3 to 16 August 1967

Decommissioned, 29 June 1970, at Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Mare Island, Vallejo, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 15 July 1976

Transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet

Final Disposition, sold by MARAD for non-transportation use, 6 April 1982, to Levin Metals Corporation for $180,077.00 and subsequently scrapped.

USS Kennebec earned one battle star for World War II service and seven campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Specifications:
Displacement 6,013 t.(lt) 22,380 t.(fl)
Length 501' 5"
Beam 68'
Draft 30' 2"
Speed 16.7 kts. (trial)

Complement

Officers - 20

Enlisted - 194

Largest Boom Capacity 7.5 t.

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount

four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

four twin 20mm AA gun mounts

Cargo Capacity

Oil - 109,600 Bbls

Gasoline - 689,000 Gals

Fuel Capacity NSFO - 4,550 Bbls

Propulsion

one Westinghouse geared turbine

two Foster and Wheeler P-type boilers 420psi 720°

double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gear
Ship's Service Generators
one turbo-drive 50Kw 240V D.C.
two turbo-drive 300Kw 240V A.C.

single propeller, 12,000shp

Size	Image Description	Source
43k	Artist C.G. Evers painting of *USS Kennebec* (AO-36)** underway during World War II US Navy photo.	Pieter Bakels
40k	*USS Kennebec* (AO-36)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
15k	*USS Kennebec* (AO-36)** underway, 4 October 1942, location unknown. US Navy photo.	US Naval Historical Center
43k	*USS Kennebec* (AO-36)** underway, circa October 1942, location unknown.	Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
70k	*USS Kennebec* (AO-36)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Harvey Golden
90k	*USS Kennebec* (AO-36) and USS Mattaponi (AO-41)** moored pierside while being prepared for recommissioning at San Diego in 1956. US Navy photo.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR (Ret)
115k	*USS Kennebec* (AO-36)** underway, 16 September 1963, location unknown. US Navy photo # 1086796	Richard Miller BMCS USNR (Ret)
46k	*USS Kennebec* 9AO-36) refueling USS Sanctuary (AH-17)** off the coast of Vietnam, circa 1966-1968.	Photo by LCDR George E. Pillow Jr., USN CO USS Kretchmer (DER-329)
312k	*USS Kennebec* (AO-36) underway alongside USS Hancock (CVA-19)** off the coast of Japan in March 1967.	Photo by Charles "Bud" Dehnert USS Hancock
95k	*USS Kennebec* (AO-36)** underway two days out of Yokosuka, Japan, 22 April 1969	© Richard Leonhardt
103k	*USS Kennebec* (AO-36)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Courtesy Dick Hawkins USS Kennebec (AO 36) web site
71k	*USS Kennebec* (AO-36)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Chet Morris
109k	*USS Kennebec* (AO-36)** underway, date and location unknown. Photo from USS Kennebec Association web site	Richard Miler BMCS USNR (Ret)
127k	Ex-*USS Kennebec* (AO-36)** laid up in reserve at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA. in November 1981. Photo from "Merchant Ships of World War II: A Post War Album 1" by Victor Young.	Robert Hurst

For more photos and information about USS Kennebec, see:
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
USS Kennebec (AO 36) Association
MARAD Vessel History Database
Commanding Officers

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

Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page

Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index

Back To The Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 28 March 2014