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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

AO-25 Sabine

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Oscar - Charlie
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy Expeditionary Service Medal (2-Cuba)
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp) - American Campaign Medal
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (10) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Fourth Row - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 2-Dominican Republic) - Philippine Liberation Medal
Cimarron Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 18 September 1939, as SS Esso Albany (I), a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A1) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 10), at Bethlehem Steel, Sparrows Point, MD.
  • Launched, 27 April 1940
  • Acquired by the Navy, 25 September 1940
  • Commissioned USS Sabine (AO-25), 5 December 1940, CDR. Edmund W. Strpther in command
  • Decommissioned, 14 February 1955
  • Placed in service by the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 10 December 1956
  • Placed out of service, 13 November 1957
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, TX.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 14 January 1959
  • Reacquired and reinstated on the Naval Register in 1961
  • Recommissioned, 14 December 1961
  • Decommissioned, 20 February 1969, at Philadelphia, PA.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Philadelphia
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration, 22 January 1970, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 December 1976
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 1 August 1983, scrapped in Taiwan
  • Sabine earned ten battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,470 t.(lt) 24,830 t.(fl)
    Length 553'
    Beam 75'
    Draft 32' 4"
    Speed 18 kts.
    Complement 304
    Armament four 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts, four twin 40mm gun mounts, four twin 20mm gun mounts
  • Cargo Capacity 146,000 barrels
  • Propulsion geared turbines, twin screws. 30,400hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Sabine 39k Sabine (AO-25) underway, date and place unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII web site
    Sabine 81k Stern view of Sabine (AO-25) off Mare Island Navy Yard, 12 December 1941 Darryl Baker
    Sabine 66k Sabine (AO-25), approaching Enterprise (CV-6) to begin refueling, date unknown. Auke Visserīs ESSO Tanker web site
    Sabine 137k Sabine (AO-25) refuels Enterprise (CV-6) in rough weather, during the approach phase of the Doolittle Raid on Japan, 17 April 1942. Note configuration of refueling gear, and spare anchor stowed on the oiler's after superstructure bulkhead.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-330659, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives     		US Naval Historical Center
    Sabine 64k Sabine (AO-25) refueling Honolulu (CL-48), date and place unknown. Auke Visserīs ESSO Tanker web site
    Sabine 64k Sabine (AO-25) refueling Nicholas (DD-449), date and place unknown. Auke Visserīs ESSO Tanker web site
    Sabine 42k Sabine (AO-25) underway, date and place unknown. .
    Sabine 95k Sabine (AO-25) underway in 1966, place unknown. © Richard Leonhardt
    Sabine 95k Sabine (AO-25)underway in 1966 place unknown. © Richard Leonhardt
    Sabine 57k Sabine (AO-25) with Fred T. Berry (DD-858) coming alongside for replenishment during Operation CANUS-SILEX, 28 August 1965. Photo was taken from Fred T. Berry © Richard Leonhardt
    Sabine 58k Sabine (AO-25) and Albany (CG-10) coming alongside for replenishment. Photo taken from Meredith (DD-890) in the Caribbean Sea in March 1967. Photo by Sheridan Carey ETN-3 USN
    Sabine 124 Sabine (AO-25) underway, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, January 1964.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    View the Sabine (AO-25)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center web site
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 7 April 2006