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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

AO-26 Salamonie

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Sierra - Kilo
 NESK
Voice Call Sign "Admiral M (Mike)"
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 5 January 1945) - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Europe clasp)
Fourth Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 1-Dominican Republic) - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)
Cimarron Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 5 February 1940, as SS Esso Columbia, a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A1) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract, (MC hull 13), at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, VA.
  • Launched, 18 September 1940
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission, 20 November 1940
  • Commissioned USS Salamonie (AO-26), 28 April 1941, CDR. T. M. Waldschmidt, in command
  • During World War II Salamonie was first assigned to the European Theater and then to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings     		Western new Guinea operation
    Morotai Landings
    Luzon operation
    Mindoro landings     		.

  • Decommissioned, 20 December 1968
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 2 September 1969
  • Delivered to the Maritime Administration at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA., for disposal, 25 September 1969
  • Moved to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet St Helena Annex, Portsmouth, VA. for demilitarization, 12 June 1970
  • Returned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet after demobilization, 22 June 1970,
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 24 July 1970, to N. V. Intershitra of Rotterdam, Netherlands for $298,001
  • Physically delivered to N. V. Intershitra,, 26 August 1970, at Lee Hall, VA.
  • Salamonie earned three 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 single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity 146,000 barrels
    Propulsion geared turbines, twin screws. 30,400hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    BB-56 Washington 167k Salamonie (AO-26) refueling Washington (BB-56) while underway, 1 September 1942, location unknown. Note Salamonie's MK.37 director still has to be installed. Pieter Bakels
    Salamonie 35k Salamonie (AO-26) at anchor, 18 October 1942, location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Salamonie 87k Salamonie (AO-26) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US National Archives photo # 60-G-466214, formerly a US Navy photo, now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 US National Archive
    Salamonie 78k Salamonie (AO-26) at anchor, date and location unknown. Her camouflage is measure 32 design 10AO. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Salamonie 28k Salamonie (AO-26) refueling Bush (DD-529), 14 October 1944. USS Bush (DD-529 web site
    Salamonie 26k Salamonie (AO-26) refueling Cotton (DD-669), Mediterranean Sea, 1955. Photo by Bill Shukis, USN Ret. Christine M Shukis
    Salamonie 102k Salamonie (AO-26) alongside Randolph (CVA-15) and an unidentified destroyer, Mediterranean Sea, 8 December 1958. CDR. John Dowd USNR Ret.
    Salamonie 212k Salamonie (AO-26) alongside Newport News (CA-148) during an underway refueling.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, September 1950    		 CDR. John Dowd USNR Ret.
    Newport News 181k Salamonie (AO-26) refuels Power (DD-839), Newport News (CA-148), and Hanson (DD-832). in the Mediterranean in 1950: Note the helicopter on Newport News' fantail. When completed she had seaplane catapults on her stern, but they were removed shortly after she was commissioned. George Klos
    Salamonie 21k Salamonie (AO-26) at anchor, date and location unknown. Robert Hurst
    View the Salamonie (AO-26)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    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 8 February 2008