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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Mattole (AO-17)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Golf - Mike
NUGM
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Service Medal (with "A" device)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Kaweah Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 2 June 1919, under a United States Shipping Board (USSB) contact at William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, PA;
  • Launched, 16 March 1920
  • Acquired by the US Navy from the USSB, 6 March 1922
  • Commissioned USS Mattole (AO-17), 28 December 1921
  • Decommissioned, 19 June 1922
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Philadelphia, PA.
  • Recommissioned, 16 June 1940, CDR. Julian D. Wilson in command
  • During World War II USS Mattole was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet
  • Decommissioned, 25 October 1945
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 13 November 1945
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal, 28 May1946
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping by the Maritime Commission 28 May 1946 to Boston Metals Co., Baltimore, MD. for $15,500.00 (PD-X-145). Withdrawn from the James River Reserve Fleet and delivered to Boston Metals Co., 11 June 1946. Scrapping completed, 1 July 1947
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,410 t.(lt) 14,950 t.(fl)
    Length 446'
    Beam 58' 2"
    Draft 25' 6"
    Speed 11.3 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 15
    Enlisted 237
    Largest Boom Capacity 8 t.
    Cargo Capacity 9,000 DWT
    Oil 53,100 Bbls
    Gasoline 358, 000 Gals
    Armament
    two single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    two single .50 cal mgs.
    two single .30 cal mgs.
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 5,935 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Cramp triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
    three single end boilers, 190psi °Sat
    Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 75Kw 120V D.C.
     one turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller, 2,800shp
    >
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Mattole
    091901706     		39k
    Namesake
    Mattole River is a river on the north coast of California, that flows northerly, then westerly into the Pacific Ocean. The vast majority of its 62 miles course is through southern Humboldt County, though a short section of the river flows through northern Mendocino County. Communities, from north to south, closely associated with the Mattole River include: Petrolia, Honeydew, Ettersburg, Thorn Junction, and Whitethorn. The river enters the ocean at the Mattole Estuary about 4 miles west-southwest of Petrolia and 10 miles south of Cape Mendocino.
    Mattole River estuary at the Pacific Ocean, 2005.
    Mattole Restoration Council, courtesy Wikipedia    		 Tommy Trampp
    Mattole 114k USS Mattole (AO-17) laid up in reserve at Philadelphia Navy Yard, 5 June 1940.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM. Photo # Unknown, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    Mattole 119k USS Mattole (AO-17) moored pierside at Norfolk Navy Yard on 17 March 1942. The number "317" on her bow is unexplained.
    US Navy photo courtesy Shipscribe.com    		 Mike Green
    Mattole 81k USS Mattole (AO-17) underway, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Mattole 95k USS Mattole (AO-17) refueling USS Pride (DE-323) by the astern method, 17 August 1944. USS Newell (DE-322) is approaching from the far right.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-245464, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Robert Hurst
    Mattole 113k USS Mattole (AO-17) photographed while under way off Virginia Beach, VA., 7 October 1944, by a blimp based at Weeksville, N.C.
    US National Archives, RG-80-G. Photo # 80-G-281873, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Mattole (AO-17)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Wilson, Julian DuBois16 June 1940 - 6 March 1943
    02CDR. Michelet, William Giers6 March 1943 - 18 October 1943
    03LCDR. Cruser, Arthur Lawrence18 October 1943 - 23 November 1943
    04LT. Pickett, Stanley23 November 1943 - 1944
    05LCDR. Chapman Jr., George H., USNR1944 - 25 October 1945
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Fleet Tankers Association
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 6 November 2020