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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AO-40 Lackawanna


USS Lackawanna (AO-40) was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (8)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Kennebec Class Fleet Oiler
  • Authorized as SS Conastoga, a Maritime Commission type (T2-SO) tanker hull
  • Laid down, 27 December 1941, as SS Lackawanna under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 147), at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD.
  • Launched, 16 May 1942
  • Acquired by the Navy, 20 June 1942
  • Commissioned USS Lackawanna (AO-40), 10 July 1942, at Baltimore, MD., LCDR. S. R. Sands, Jr., USCG, in command
  • During WWII Lackawanna was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Gilbert Islands operation
    November 1943     		Western Caroline Islands operation
    Palaus, October 1944
    Marshall Islands operation Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, January-February 1944 Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, October-December 1944
    Asiatic-Pacific Raids - 1944
    Palau, Yap, Turk, April-May 1955     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, March-June 1945
    Marianas operation
    June-August 1944     		3rd Fleet operation against Japan
    July-August 1945


  • Decommissioned, 14 February 1946, at Oakland, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 1 July 1946, name reverted to SS Conastoga
  • Sold in 1947 by the Maritime Commission to Socony-Vacuum Oil Co, renamed SS Tatarrax
  • Resold in 1962 and renamed, SS Thomas A.
  • Resold in 1965 and renamed SS Padre Island
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 1967, at Vinaroz, Spain
  • Lackawanna received eight battle stars for World War II service
    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
    St. Louis 116k The bow of Lackawanna (AO-40) is visible at the extreme right of this photo of Saint Louis (CL-49) at Tulagi, Solomon Islands, circa 1943.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-K-3971, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Ramon Jackson
    Harrison 96k Lackawanna (AO-40) receiving Harrison (DD-573) via highline transfer, 3 June 1945. Photo by Tom McCann. John Chiquoine
    View the Lackawanna (AO-40)
    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 2 March 2007