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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AO-38 Winooski

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



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
Kennebec Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 23 April 1941, as SS Calusa, a Maritime Commission type (T2) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 144), at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD.
  • Launched, 12 November 1941
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 5 January 1942
  • Commissioned USS Winooski (AO-38), 27 January 1942, at Baltimore, MD., CDR. Walter C. Ansel in command
  • During World War II Winooski was first assigned to the European Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater participating in the following campaigns:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    North African operation
    Tunisian operations, 8 to 15 November 1943     		Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 11 January 1945
    . Consolidation and capture of Southern Philippines
    Mindanao Island landings, 19 April 1945
    . Borneo operations
    Tarakan Island operation, 16 to 29 May 1945
    Burnei Bay operation, 10 to 14 and 21 to 29 June 1945

  • Decommissioned, 30 April 1946, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration for disposal, 1 August 1946, name reverted to SS Calusa
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 8 October 1946
  • Commercial History
    Sold, 3 March 1947, to Sinclair Refining Co., renamed SS Samuel L Fuller
    Sold, 13 December 1963, to International Shipping & Trading Corp., renamed SS Seanymph
    Sold, 19 October 1964, for $1, 598,949.00, re-flagged Liberian
    Renamed SS Meracoulosa in December 1965
    Final Disposition, scrapped, at Kaohsiung in September 1965
  • Winooski earned four battle stars during World War II
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,013 t.(lt) 21,077 t.(fl)
    Length 501' 5"
    Beam 68'
    Draft 30' 2"
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    Complement 214
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity 134,000 barrels
    Propulsion geared turbine, single screw, 12,000hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Winooski 25k Winooski (AO-38) underway, 15 October 1943, location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Winooski 63k Winooski (AO-38) at Manila, P.I. in 1945. Her camouflage scheme is measure 32 design 6AO.
    Photo by Fred Arouz and Thomas McKnight.    		 Thomas McKnight GM3/c USS Winooski
    View the Winooski (AO-38)
    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 16 November 2007