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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Housatonic (AO-35)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Foxtrot - Whiskey
NIFW
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1)
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Chicopee Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 30 April 1941, as SS Esso Albany for Standard Oil of New Jersey, at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.
  • Launched, 7 September 1941
  • Delivered to Standard Oil of New Jersey, 10 October 1941
  • Acquired by the US Navy and converted to a Fleet Oiler
  • Commissioned, USS Housatonic (AO-35), 9 January 1942, LCDR. Robinson A. Boileau, in command
  • During World War II USS Housatonic was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:
    Europe-Africa-Middle Campaign Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North Africa occupation
    Algeria-Morocco landings, 8 to 11 November 1942     		Luzon operation
    Formosa attacks, 15 January 1945
      Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 23 February to 7 March 1945
      Okinawa operation
    5th and 3d Fleet raids in support of Okinawa Gunto operation, 8 April to 11 June 1945
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 12 to 21 June 1945
      3d Fleet operations against Japan, 11 July to 3 August 1945

  • Following World War II USS Housatonic was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 2 September to 13 November 1945
  • Decommissioned 11 March 1946, at San Francisco, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 22 October 1946
  • Commercial History
  • Sold to her former owners, Standard Oil of New Jersey, 15 October 1947, renamed SS Esso Bethlehem
  • Sold, 15 June 1962, to Sea-Land Ships Inc., renamed SS Los Angeles
  • Sold, 29 March 1963, to Beauregard Inc., converted to a containership in 1963, SS Los Angeles was fitted with a new mid-section
  • Sold. 13 November 1964, to Litton Industries Leasing Corp.
  • Sold, 28 February 1975, to Reynolds Leasing Corp.
  • Sold, 23 March 1978, to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., for scrapping of bow and stern. A new bow and stern were fitted to the1962 mid-section
  • Sold, 1 August 1978, to Reynolds Leasing Corp., renamed SS Sea-Land Pioneer
  • Re-flagged Bahamian, 18 June 1989
  • Sold, 14 July 1989, to Intersea Operations Ltd., Inc.
  • Final Disposition, scrapped, date unknown
  • USS Housatonic earned five battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,375 t.(lt) 22,430 t.(fl)
    Length 520'
    Beam 68'
    Draft 30' 9" (lim)
    Speed 17 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 20
    Enlisted 219
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    two twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity
    NSFO 116,700Bbls
    Gasoline 788,000Gals
    Ships Service Generators
    two 450Kw 240V D.C.
    one 50Kw 240V D.C.
    Fuel Capacity 9,960Bbls
    Propulsion
    one G.E. geared turbine
    two Babcock and Wilcox D-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    double G.E. Main Reduction Gears
    single propeller, 9.000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    USS Housatonic (AO-35)
    Housatonic 94k USS Housatonic (AO-35) off Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA., 12 September 1942. Her camouflage is measure 12(modified).
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, photo # 19-N-34862 a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Mike Green
    Housatonic 34k USS Housatonic (AO-35) underway, 21 October 1942, location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Housatonic 34k USS Housatonic (AO-35) underway, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Housatonic 27k USS Housatonic (AO-35) coming alongside USS Ranger (CV-4) to begin a Replenishment at Sea, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Housatonic 150k Housatonic (AO-35) refueling Ranger (CV-4), date and location unknown. Auke Visserīs ESSO Tanker web site
    Housatonic 890k USS Housatonic (AO-35) refueling USS Wilkes (DD-441) date and location unknown.
    From the collection of William J. Mosher located at the National Destroyermens Museum housed aboard the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (DD-850).    		 Ed Zajkowski.
    Commercial Service
    Housatonic 401k Ex-USS Housatonic (AO-35) as the Esso tanker SS Esso Bethlehem in port, location unknown, circa early 1950s. ©World Ship Society (W.S.S.) Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Housatonic 347k Ex-USS Housatonic (AO-35) as the Sea-Land container ship SS Los Angeles, location unknown, circa mid to late 1960s.
    ©the late Alex Duncan.    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USS Housatonic (AO-35)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Boileau, Almerian Robinson9 January 1942- ?
    02CDR. Mather, Paul Luker :RADM1945- ?
    03LCDR. Ducat, John ReginaldWWII
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    U.S. Navy Oilers
    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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 25 May 2012