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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Sepulga (AO-20)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Golf - Tango NUGT

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal

Patoka Class Fleet Oiler

Laid down in fiscal year 1918 under United States Shipping Board (USSB contract # 1659) for the Emergency Fleet Corp., at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock, Co., Newport News, VA.

Launched, 21 April 1920

Transferred to the Navy from the USSB, 17 October 1921

Commissioned USS Sepulga (AO-20), 13 January 1922, LT. Arthur G. Somers, USNRF, in temporary command

Decommissioned, 15 April 1922

Laid up at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.

Recommissioned, 5 February 1940, CDR. Arthur R. Ponto in command

During World War II USS Sepulga was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater

Decommissioned, 1 March 1946, at San Francisco, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 20 March 1946

Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 1 July 1946 for disposal

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 10 December 1946, to National Metal and Steel Co.

Specifications:
Displacement 5,400 t.(lt) 16,800 t.(fl)
Length 447' 10"
Beam 60' 3"
Draft 27' 8"(lim)
Speed 11.2 kts.

Complement

Officers 21

Enlisted 230

Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.

Cargo Capacity 11,100 DWT

Oil 123,700 Bbls

Gasoline 788,000 Gals

Armament

two single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

four twin 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacity

NSFO 9,235 Bbls

Propulsion

one Newport News Shipbuilding vertical quadruple expansion reciprocating (#13 geared turbine) engine

three Scotch boilers 220psi Sat°
Ship's Service Generators
three turbo-drive 60Kw 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
091902009	117k	*Namesake* Sepulga, a river 61.5-mile-long river in Alabama. It originates at the confluence of the East Sepulga and West Sepulga rivers and discharges into the Conecuh River near the northwestern border of Conecuh National Forest.	Tommy Trampp
	263k	*USS Sepulga* (AO-20) moored outboard of cruiser USS Salem (CL-3)** while laid up at Mare Island Navy Yard, CA., 11 April 1923. Mare Island Naval Ship Yard photo # 4491-4-23 now in the collections of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum	Darryl Baker
	112k	*USS Sepulga* (AO 20) center, is inboard of the cruiser USS Salem (CL-3) while laid up at Mare Island Navy Yard, CA., 14 October 1923. Photographed from USS Aroostook (CM-3)*, whose stern tanks are visible in the left foreground. US Navy photo # NH 82911* from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, donation of Mrs Kelly Green, 1974.	Robert Hurst
	342k	*USS Sepulga* (AO 20) is aft of USS Tippecanoe (AO-21)** in reserve at the south end of Mare Island in 1930. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 467, 1930	Darryl Baker
	339k	*USS Sepulga* (AO 20) is aft of USS Tippecanoe (AO-21)** in reserve at the south end of Mare Island in 1930. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 466, 1930	Darryl Baker
	224k	*USS Sepulga* (AO 20) is aft of USS Tippecanoe (AO-21)** in reserve at the south end of Mare Island in 1930. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 465, 1930	Darryl Baker
	114k	*USS Navigator* (YT-39) towing USS Sepulga (AO-20)**. Note absence of lifeboats under the davits, and in a very light condition suggesting some time in her long lay up. Possibly being shifted to an activation berth at Mare Island, circa 1940.	Jim Swank
	282k	Broadside view of *USS Sepulga* (AO-20) at Mare Island Navy Yard, 13 August 1942 with YD-88 (left) and YD-33 (center) alongside. Sepulga** was undergoing repairs at Mare Island from 10 to 21 August 1942. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 4802-8-42, 8/13/42.	Darryl Baker
	483k	Amidships looking aft plan view of *USS Sepulga* (AO-20) at Mare Island Navy Yard, 13 August 1942 with YD-88** alongside. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 4805-8-42, 8/13/42.	Darryl Baker
	213k	Forward starboard quarter view of *USS Sepulga* (AO-20)** off Mare Island Navy Yard, 21 August 1942. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 4921-8-42, 8/20/42.	Darryl Baker
	224k	Broadside view of *USS Sepulga* (AO-20)** off Mare Island Navy Yard, 21 August 1942. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 4921-8-42, 8/21/42.	Darryl Baker
	397k	Stern plan view of *USS Sepulga* (AO-20) at Mare Island Navy Yard, 21 August 1942, with YD-88** alongside. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 4930-8-42, 8/21/42.	Darryl Baker
	72k	Aft port quarter view of *USS Sepulga* (AO-20)** off Mare Island, 21 August 1942. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 5020-8-42, 8/23/42.	Darryl Baker

USS Sepulga (AO-20)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Somers, Arthur George USN	13 January 1922 - 15 April 1922
	Decommissioned	15 April 1922 - 5 February 1940
02	CDR. Ponto, Arthur Rudolph, USN	5 February 1940 - 20 January 1943
03	CDR. Tate, Victor Boylan, USN (USNA 1923)	20 January 1943 - 8 June 1944
04	CDR. Larsen, Arthur Charles, USNR	8 June 1944 - 7 February 1945
06	LT. Hayward Jr., Griswold Stewart, USNR (XO in temp command)	7 February 1945 - 25 February 1945
05	LCDR. Home, John Wayne, USNR	25 February 1945 - 23 May 1945
06	LT. Hayward Jr., Griswold Stewart, USNR (XO in temp command)	23 May 1945 - 23 August 1945
07	LCDR. Johnson, Angell, USNR	23 August 1945 - 1 March 1946


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves. Photos courtesy Bill Gonyo

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

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
MARAD Vessel History Data Base
USS Sepulga (AO-20) War Diaries, Feb 22 to 31 May 1945

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 11 December 2020