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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Victoria (AO-46)
ex
 USS George C. Henry (ID#1560) (1918 - 1917)


AO-46 International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Bravo - Lima
 NUBL
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons
USS George C. Henry (ID-1560)

World War I Victory Medal (with Armed Guard clasp)
Individual Awards

Navy Cross (Chief Water Tender Hal Neargardt, USN, and Fireman First Class W. W. Reese) - Distinguished Service Medal (Fireman First Class W. T. Vail)
USS Victory (AO-46)
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal
Victoria Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Built in 1917 as George C. Henry by Union Iron Works, San Francisco, CA.
  • Acquired by the US Navy and commissioned, USS George C. Henry (ID-1560), 28 August 1918 at New York, LCDR. George F. Weeden, USNRF, in command
  • Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, 21 May 1919
  • Reacquired and commissioned, 15 April 1942, LCDR. Jens G. Olsen USNR in command
  • Renamed USS Victoria (AO-45), 25 April 1942
  • During World War II USS Victoria was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns;
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Eastern New Guinea operation
    Lae occupation, 4 to 22 September 1943     		Hollandia operation, 16 May 1944
    Bismarck Archipelago operation
    Admiralty Island landings, 3 to 6 April 1944     		Supporting and consolidating operations designated by Commander 7th Flt, 30 July 1944

  • Decommissioned, delivered to the War Shipping Administration, 14 December 1945
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 8 January 1946 December 1945 for disposal
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS Victoria earned four battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,650 t.(lt) 15,150 t.(fl)
    Length 453'
    Beam 56'
    Draft 28'
    Speed 10 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 13
    Enlisted 162
    Largest Boom Capacity 5 t.
    Cargo Capacity 68,000 barrels, 9,300DWT
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose guns
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity NSFO 4,483Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Sun vertical triple-expansion reciprocating engine
    two Union Scotch boilers, 220psi sat
    Ship's Service Generators
    two recip-drive 15Kw 120V D.C.
    two Diesel-drive 60Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller, 3,200shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Commercial Service
    Victoria 57k SS George G. Henry on the morning of her trial trip, 3 June 1917. Built by the Union Iron Works of San Francisco, California, and owned by the Los Angeles Petroleum Transportation Company, this tanker taken over by the U.S. Navy for World War I service and placed in commission on 23 August 1918 as USS George G. Henry (ID # 1560). She was returned to her owner on 21 May 1919. The original print is in National Archives' Record Group 19-LCM.
    US Navy photo # NH 65594A.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    USS Victoria (AO-46)
    Victoria 73k USS Victoria (AO-46) at anchor off Biak Island, 28 May 1944, providing support for ships that were covering troop landings there. To port is an Australian or British County class heavy cruiser.
    US. National Archives, RG-80-G photo # 80-G-254671, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.     		Mike Green
    Victoria 29k USS Victoria (AO-46) probably at anchor in Seeadler Harbor sometime during the period - summer 1944 to June 1945 prior to drydocking in USS ABSD-4. Allen Membry for his father Jerome P. Membry F1/c (deceased) USS Victoria
    USS Victoria (AO-46)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Navy History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Weeden, Henry F.28 August 1918 - ?
     Decommissioned21 May 1919 - 15 April 1942
    02LCDR. Olsen, Jens George15 April 1942 - ?
    03LT. Clark, Francis Edward24 May 1943 - 1 June 1943
    04LCDR. Olsen, Jens George1 June 1943 - 27 July 1943
    05LCDR. Hawkinson, Leslie Herman27 July 1943 - 15 December 1943
    06LCDR. Evans, William Ward15 December 1943 - 14 December 1945
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves. Photos courtesy Bill Gonyo
    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 Identification Numbered (ID) Photo 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 15 March 2013