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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AO-43 Tappahannock

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign: November - Tango - Xray - Romeo
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 7 April 1943)
Second Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (9)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Korea, Oct.66) - Vietnam Service Medal (7) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Mattaponi Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 24 December 1941, for Keystone Tankship Corp. as SS Jorkay, a Maritime Commission type (T2-A) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract, (MC hull 157) at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.
  • Launched, 18 April 1942
  • Delivered to Maritime Commission, 29 May 1942
  • Commissioned USS Tappahannock (AO-43), 22 June1942, at Norfolk, VA., Comdr. A. O. R. Bergensen in command
  • Assigned to the Naval Transportation Service (NTS), 1 July 1947
  • Assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) October 1949
  • Decommissioned, 3 February 1950 at San Diego, CA. and laid up in the Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, in December 1950 at San Francisco, CA. and assigned to MSTS
  • Decommissioned, January 1953
  • Recommissioned, 12 December 1956
  • Decommissioned, 18 November 1957, at Orange, TX. and laid up in the reserve fleet
  • Recommissioned, 31 May 1966, at Naval Support Activity, Algiers, LA.
  • During the Vietnam War Tappahannock (AO-43) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    25 December 1966 to 31 May 1967     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    5 to 13 July 1968
    17 to 24 July 1968
    29 July to 6 August 1968
    23 August to 2 September 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    1 to 17 June 1967     		Tet/69 Counteroffensive
    20 to 31 May 1969
    5 to 8 June 1969
    Tet Counteroffensive
    24 March to 1 April 1968     		Vietnam Summer-FAll 1969
    9 to 14 June 1969 and 18 to 24 June 1969
    6 to 15 July 1969
    27 July to 3 August 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    2 to 5 April and 11 to 23 April 1968
    29 April to 9 May 1968
    22 to 30 June 1968     		.

  • Decommissioned, 6 March 1970, at San Diego, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 15 July 1976
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Disposed of by MARAD. 2 February 1987, fate unknown
  • Tappahannock earned nine battle stars for World War II service and seven campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,004 t.(lt) 21,450 t.(fl)
    Length 520'
    Beam 68'
    Draft 30' 6"
    Speed 17 kts
    Complement 213
    Armament one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount, four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts, four twin 40mm gun mounts, four twin 20mm gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity 135,000 barrels
    Propulsion geared turbine, single screw, 12,800shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Tappahannock 87k Tappahannock (AO-43) refueling Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31) and Missouri (BB-63), July 1945
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Tappahannock 141k Tappahannock (AO-43) underway, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo from All Hands magazine, November 1966.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    CVA-34 Oriskany 133k

    Seventh Fleet ships replenishing in the South China Sea, May 1969. Ships present are (from front to back): Wiltsie (DD-716), Tappahannock (AO-43), Oriskany (CVA-34), Mars (AFS-1), and Perkins (DD-877).
    US Navy photo # USN 1139357 by PH1 Long USN, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center

    		 US Naval Historical Center
    View the Tappahannock (AO-43)
    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
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    Last Updated 18 August 2006