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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Patuxent (AO-44)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Zulu - Golf

NIZG
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) - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippine Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)


Mattaponi Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 5 March 1942, for Keystone Tankship Corp., as SS Emmkay, a Maritime Commission type (T2-A-MC-K) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract, (MC hull 159) at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.
  • Launched, 25 July 1942
  • Acquired (Purchased) by the Navy, 28 September 1942
  • Commissioned USS Patuxent (AO-44), 22 October 1942, CDR. Burton Davis in command
  • During World War II USS Patuxent was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Marianas operation
    Assault and occupation of Saipan, 11 June to 19 August 1944
    Assault and occupation of Guam, 11 June to 15 August 1944
    Luzon operation
    Formosa attacks, 15 and 21 January 1945
    China Coast attacks, 16 January 1945
    Nansei Shoto attack, 22 January 1945
    Tinian Capture and occupation, 20 July to 10 August 1944 Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 15 to 17 February 1945
    Western Caroline Islands operation
    Assault on the Philippine Islands, 9 to 24 September 1944
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    5th and 3rd Fleet raids in support of Okinawa Gunto, 12 March to 11 June 1945
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 12 to 13 June 1945
    Leyte operation
    Luzon attacks, 18 to 19 October and 20 to 23 November 1944
    3rd Fleet operations against Japan, 11 July to 3 August 1945

  • Following World War II USS Patuxent was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 2 to 17 September 1945
  • Decommissioned, 21 February 1946, at Graham Shipyards, Oakland, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 12 March 1946
  • USS Patuxent earned eight battle stars for World War II service
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA., 30 June 1946
  • Merchant Service
    Transferred to the War Shipping Administration for disposal, 1 July 1946, name reverted to SS Emmkay
    Purchased by Sabine Transit Co., 18 July 1947, agents for Pure Oil Co. of Chicago, IL., renamed SS David D. Irwin
    Resold to Delmor Corp., 21 September 1961 and jumboized at Sasebo, Japan
    Sold to Union Oil Co. of California, 9 March 1981
    Resold to American Fairwind, Inc., renamed SS Fairwind, 23 July 1985
    Final Disposition, sold for scrapping foreign, 5 December 1985

    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,809 t.(lt) 22,325 t.(fl)
    Length 520'
    Beam 68'
    Draft 30' 9"
    Speed 18 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 23
    Enlisted 329
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    one single 5'/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    twelve single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity 15,000 DWT
    Oil, 117,400 Bbls
    Gasoline, 595,000 Gal
    Fuel Capacity
    9,800 Bbls
    Propulsion geared turbine,
    one General Electric turbine
    two Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers, 450psi 742°
    double General Electric Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
    two turbo-drive 400Kw 230V A.C.
    one turbo-drive 50Kw 230V A.C.
    single propeller, 12,800shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Source
    Patuxent
    091904407
    152k
    Namesake
    Patuxent - A river in Maryland that is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. The Patuxent watershed is the largest and longest river entirely within the state of Maryland, and its watershed is the largest completely within the state.
    Photo - The Patuxent River near Bowie, Maryland
    Map - the Patuxent River drainage basin made using data from the National Map. ©Kmusser
    Tommy Trampp
    Patuxent 134k USS Patuxent (AO-44) under way in Chesapeake Bay near Baltimore, MD., 9 November 1942, just after conversion for naval service.
    US Navy photo # 80-G-212760 courtesy Shipscribe.com.
    Robert Hurst
    Patuxent 337k USS Patuxent (AO-44) off San Pedro CA., 17 June 1944, after a refit. Norman M. Nicolson for his father Norman A. Nicolson QM1/c USS Patuxent
    Mississinewa 82k Information submitted by George F. Pless USS Patuxent
    USS Patuxent (AO-44) on fire as a result of an internal explosion in the paint locker on the foc'sle while off Iwo Jima, 17 February 1945 two days prior to the invasion on 19 February 1945. USS Waterman (DE-740) and USS Dewey (DD-349) distinguished themselves in subduing the flames and saving Patuxent for further service. LCDR. J.H. Stahle of Waterman was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions. Other DE's that came to the aid of Patuxent included USS Weaver (DE-741), USS Lamons (DE-743), USS Kyne (DE-744) and USS Bangust (DE-739). USS Silverstein (DE-534) escorted the Patuxent back to Saipan and from there she went back to Ulithi where repairs were made. Patuxent returned to duty and served until the war ended; sailing into Tokyo Bay two days after the Surrender was signed on the USS Missouri (BB-63). The original caption for this picture was mot correct. Iwo Jima had not yet been invaded but was under heavy pre-invasion bombardment. The two ships seen of either side of the smoke funnel from Patuxent are probably the Waterman and Dewey streaming water on the flames. Also note the color of the water in the open sea approximately 65 miles off Iwo Jima compared to the relatively shallow water in Ulithi Atoll

    . Original US Naval Historical Center Caption reads "Mississinewa (AO-59) sinking at Ulithi, 20 November 1944. The capsized ship's bottom can be seen at the base of the flames, with bow or stern toward the left.
    NOTE: Identification is provisional. The original caption reads: " Casualty at Iwo Jima -- While the battle raged ashore, a U.S. Tanker goes up in flame and smoke as the result of enemy action." The identity of this ship, if lost at Iwo Jima, is unknown. However, the circumstances seen in the photo appear to be correct for the loss of Mississinewa. The presence of many anchored cargo ships and oilers, plus the several fleet tugs and salvage ships, looks more like Ulithi than Iwo Jima."
    US National Archives photo 80-G-K-5570, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    US Naval Historical Center
    Patuxent 209k USS Patuxent (AO-44) underway off Japan in August 1945 while replenishing USS Lexington (CV-16) to port and an unidentified destroyer to starboard. Rick Ozanian for his father Karnig Ozanian USS Patuxent
    Patuxent 383k USS Patuxent (AO-44) underway during a replenishment at sea, date and location unknown. Rick Ozanian for his father Karnig Ozanian USS Patuxent
    Patuxent 403k USS Patuxent (AO-44) underway in San Francisco Bay, 24 October 1945. Rick Ozanian for his father Karnig Ozanian USS Patuxent
    Patuxent 323k USS Patuxent (AO-44) crew members, (Karnig Ozanian) 3rd from left Bottom. Rick Ozanian for his father Karnig Ozanian USS Patuxent

    USS Patuxent (AO-44)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Davis, Burton22 October 1942 - 28 October 1943
    02CDR. Firth, Francis J. :RADM28 October 1943 - 12 June 1944
    03LCDR. Ferrell, Frank Pattem 12 June 1944 - 16 April 1945
    04LCDR. Hall, Keneth Ross, USN16 April 1945 - 1 July 1945
    05CDR. Hagen, Edwin C.1 July 1945 - 24 October 1945
    06LCDR. Nimz, Harold E., USNR24 October 1945 - 18 January 1946
    07LT. Edmunson Jr., George Coleman18 January 1946 - 21 February 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and R. A. Moody

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Fleet Tankers Association
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 9 April 2021