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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Tippecanoe (AO-21)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Golf - Victor NUGV

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) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

Patoka Class Fleet Oiler:

Laid down, 1 October 1919, under United States Shipping Board (USSB contract # 1660) for the Emergency Fleet Corp., at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock, Co., Newport News, VA.

Launched, 5 June 1920

Acquired by the Navy at Mare Island Navy Yard, 6 March 1922. (Note: Official yard logs indicated she actually arrived on the 7th.)

Held in Reserve at Navy Yard Mare Island until 1940

Commissioned, USS Tippecanoe (AO-21), 6 March 1940, CDR. Hugh W. Olds in command

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

Following World War II USS Tippecanoe was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 8 September to 28 November 1945

Decommissioned, 6 March 1946 at Mare Island, Vallejo, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 12 April 1946

Transferred to Maritime Commission, 7 Oct 1946 for disposal

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 20 November 1946, to National Metal Steel Co.

Specifications:
Displacement 5,400 t.(lt) 17,820 t.(fl)
Length 447'
Beam 60' 3"
Draft 29'
Speed 11 kts.

Complement

Officers 15

Enlisted 193

Largest Boom Capacity10 t.

Armament

two single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

Cargo Capacity Oil 7,940 Bbls, 11,100 DWT.

Fuel Capacity. 4,780 Bbls

Propulsion

one Newport News-Curtis geared turbine

three Scotch boilers 220psi, Sat

single Newport News Main Reduction Gears
Ship's Service Generators
two turbo-drive 50Kw 120V D.C.
one Diesel-drive 50Kw 120V D.C.

single propeller, 2,600hp

Size	Image Description	Source
342k	*USS Tippecanoe* (AO-21) forward of USS Sepulga (AO 20)** in reserve at the south end of Mare Island in 1930. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 467, 1930	Darryl Baker
339k	*USS Tippecanoe* (AO-21) forward of USS Sepulga (AO 20)** in reserve at the south end of Mare Island in 1930. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 466, 1930	Darryl Baker
224k	*USS Tippecanoe* (AO-21) forward of USS Sepulga (AO 20)** in reserve at the south end of Mare Island in 1930. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 465, 1930	Darryl Baker
92k	Broadside view of *USS Tippecanoe* (AO-21) off Mare Island, 14 November 1942. Tippecanoe** was at Mare Island for repairs from 12 October to 12 November 1942. Mare Island Navy Yard photo # 7069-11-42	Darryl Baker

USS Tippecanoe (AO-21)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Olds, Hugh Wilson	6 March 1940 - 1941
02	CDR. MacOndray Jr., Atherton :RADM	1941 - 21 September 1942
03	CDR. Myers, Ralph Orsen	21 September 1942 - 30 September 1943
04	CDR. Vensel Jr., Frank Ernest	30 September 1943 - 22 March 1944
05	CDR. Arntz, George Donald	22 March 1944 - 12 February 1945
06	LCDR. Banister, Harold Robert	12 February 1945 - 6 March 1946


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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 Database

Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page

Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index

Back To The Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 6 June 2014