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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Cacapon (AO-52)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Delta - Mike
NZDM

JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Golfer (Q)uebec - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons






Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Third Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Fourth Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (9) - Antarctic Service Medal
Fifth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Quemoy-Matsu, Taiwan Straits, Korea) - Vietnam Service Medal (8) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Sixth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Metal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)


Cimarron Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 16 November 1942, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A3) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 718) at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD.
  • Launched, 12 June 1943
  • Commissioned USS Cacapon (AO-52), 21 September 1943, LCDR. G. Eyth, USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Cacapon was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Luzon operation
    Formosa attacks, 15, and 21 January 1945
    China Coast attacks, 16 January 1945
    Nansei Shoto attack, 22 January 1945
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 24 March to 30 June 1945
    5th and 3d Fleet raids in support of Okinawa Gunto operation, 27 March to 4 June 1945
    Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 15 to 26 February 1945
    3d Fleet operations against Japan, 10 July to 14 August 1945

  • USS Cacapon was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal

    China Service Medal (extended)
    2 to 29 September 1945 
    30 December 1945 to 31 March 194630 December 1945 to 31 March 1946
    30 November to 4 December 194714 to 15 December 1948
    3 to 10 March 194819 to 21 March 1949
    20 March to 14 April 194827 August to 26 September 1951
    20 to 30 April 19484 to 17 April 1954
    18 December 1948 to 12 January 194917 March to 10 April 1955
    21 February to 18 March 194929 December 1955 to 31 January 1956

  • During the Korean War USS Cacapon (AO-52) participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    North Korean Aggression
    3 to 12 September 1950
    18 September to 27 October 1950
    Second Korean Winter
    22 February to 8 March 1952
    14 March to 1 April 1952
    5 to 20 April 1952
    27 to 30 April 1952
    Communist China Aggression
    7 November to 29 December 1950
    Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    7 to 15 May 1952
    20 to 27 November 1952
    Inchon Landing
    13 to 17 September 1950
    Third Korean Winter
    6 to 12 December 1952
    23 December 1952 to 1 January 1953
    22 January to 4 February 1953
    13 to 21 April 1953
    29 to 30 April 1953
    Communist China Spring Offensive
    9 to 21 June 1951
    29 June to 8 July 1951
    Korea Summer-Fall 1953
    1 to 6 May 1953
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive
    9 to 14 July 1951
    27 July to 20 August 1951
    30 September to 21 October 1951
     

  • During the Vietnam War USS Cacapon (AO-52) participated in the following campaigns:

    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    11 to 19 April 1966
    2 to 9 May 1966
    16 to 25 May 1966
    2 to 16 June 1966
    21 to 30 June 1966
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    2 to 6 November 1968
    23 November to 3 December 1968
    8 to 16 December 1968
    23 to 30 December 1968
    1 to 20 January 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    10 to 15 July 1966
    26 July to 1 August 1966
    14 to 23 August 1966
    30 August to 5 September 1966
    Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    4 to 13 November 1969
    19 to 28 November 1969
    12 to 19 December 1969
    23 to 31 December 1969
    5 to 8 January 1970
    12 to 20 January 1970
    29 January to 8 February 1970
    13 to 21 February 1970
    26 February to 3 March 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    24 to 31 July 1967
    6 to 13 August 1967
    18 to 24 August 1967
    31 August to 11 September 1967
    18 to 27 September 1967
    23 October to 2 November 1967
    21 November to 1 December 1967
    14 to 24 December 1967
    30 December to 8 January 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    4 to 20 April 1971
    28 April to 13 May 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    10 to 16 August 1968
    20 to 27 August 1968
    6 to 12 September 1968
    5 to 7 October 1968
    12 to 21 October 1968
    29 October to 1 November 1968
    Vietnam Ceasefire
    18 August to 17 September 1972
    25 September to 6 October 1972
    12 to 24 October 1972
    8 November to 13-December 1972
    1 to 9 January 1973
    17 to 24 January 1973
    13 to 27 February 1973
    7 to 22 March 1973

  • Decommissioned, and struck from the Naval Register in August 1973
  • USS Cacapon earned four battle stars for World War II service, and the Navy Unit Commendation plus nine battle stars for Korean War service and eight campaign stars for Vietnam Service
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration for disposal
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 4 December 1973, to Zidell Exploration Portland, OR.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,236 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl)
    Length 553'
    Beam 75'
    Draft 32'
    Speed 18.3 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 20
    Enlisted 282
    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
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity 146,000 barrels
    Fuel Capacity NSFO - 15,000 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Bethlehem Steel geared turbines
    four Foster and Wheeler boilers, 450psi 750°
    double Falk Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
    one turbo-drive 400Kw 230V A.C.
    one Diesel-drive 150Kw 230V A.C.
    twin propellers, 13,500shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Cacapon 602k USS Cacapon (AO-52) at anchor off Shanghai in 1946. Jarold Hoelting S1/c 2nd Div., USS Cacapon, 18 April 1944-9 July 1946
    Cacapon 173k USS Cacapon (AO-52) at anchor, date and location unknown, circa 1944-46. Jarold Hoelting S1/c 2nd Div., USS Cacapon, 18 April 1944-9 July 1946
    Cacapon 119k Bow on view of USS Cacapon (AO-52) low in the water while at anchor, location unknown, circa 1944-46. Jarold Hoelting S1/c 2nd Div., USS Cacapon, 18 April 1944-9 July 1946
    Cacapon 118k USS Cacapon (AO-52) underway alongside either a battleship or a cruiser during refueling operations, circa 1944-46. Jarold Hoelting S1/c 2nd Div., USS Cacapon, 18 April 1944-9 July 1946
    Cacapon 105k USS Cacapon (AO-52) partial crew photo, 7 August 1945, 37° North and 148° East. Cacapon was in convoy with:
    USS Bennington (CV-20),
    USS Hancock (CV-19),
    USS Ringgold (DD-500),
    USS Knapp (DD-653),
    USS McKee (DD-575),
    USS Blue (DD-744),
    USS Harrison (DD-573), and
    USS Brush (DD-745)
    Jarold Hoelting S1/c 2nd Div., USS Cacapon, 18 April 1944-9 July 1946
    Cacapon 125k Another USS Cacapon (AO-52) crew photo from 7 August 1945.
    Jarold Hoelting is at far left back row without a shirt on.
    Jarold Hoelting S1/c 2nd Div., USS Cacapon, 18 April 1944-9 July 1946
    Cacapon 90k USS Cacapon (AO-52) under way in ballast, circa late 1940s
    US Navy photo # NH 85783 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Rio Grande
    09200302
    155k Numerous U.S. Navy ships at a West Coast Naval Base in the early 1950s as seen through the SC-radar aboard the gasoline tanker USS Rio Grande (AOG-3). Fleet oiler USS Cacapon (AO-52), behind Rio Grande, attack transport USS Telfair (APA-210) across the pier from Cacapon and an unidentified fleet oiler across the pier from Rio Grande, and in the roadstead two attack transports/attack cargo ships and the dock landing ship USS Fort Marion (LSD-22) (far right).
    U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photo 19-NN-AOG-3 Rio Grande-152928. from the holdings of the National Archives and Records Administration, cataloged under the National Archives Identifier (NAID) 7574664.
    Robert Hurst
    Cacapon 40k USS Cacapon (AO-52) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine December 1951.
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Cacapon 76k USS Cacapon (AO-52) during underway replenishment in heavy seas, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine June 1953.
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Cacapon 65k USS Cacapon (AO-52) under way, in 1953, location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Cacapon 58k USS Cacapon (AO-52) at anchor, location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Cacapon 104k USS Cacapon (AO-52) during underway replenishment in heavy seas, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine January 1954.
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Cacapon 60k USS Cacapon (AO-52) refueling USS Essex (CVA-9) in the South China Sea, 1955. Photo was taken from the flight deck of Essex. Robert Sourisseau GM3, USS Essex 1955-1958
    Cacapon 103k USS Cacapon (AO-52) under way at sea, 14 January 1964. Photographed by Moen.
    US Navy photo # NH97541 from the collections of the Naval Historical Center
    US Naval Historical Center
    Cacapon 64k USS Cacapon (AO-52) off Luzon, date and location unknown. Rick Davis
    USS Manatee (AO-58) Web Site
    Cacapon 162k USS Cacapon (AO-52) under way, date and location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    Cacapon 19k USS Cacapon (AO-52), at Long Beach CA., 1965 Edward Rochefort
    cimarron 38k USS Cacapon (AO-52) and USS Cimarron (AO-22) moored pierside, Pier 9 Naval Station Long Beach, CA., 1965. Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Cacapon 79k USS Cacapon (AO-52) (right) rides high in the water while transferring her remaining fuel oil to USS Sacramento (AOE-1), off the coast of South Vietnam, 1 August 1966.
    US Navy photo # USN 1117156
    Edward Rochefort
    Cacapon 103k USS Cacapon (AO-52) holds her course as USS Renville (APA-227) makes her approach to begin an Underway Replenishment at Sea (UNREP), 1966. Photo by LT. Richard Dawson USS Renville.
    Cacapon 115k USS Cacapon (AO-52) alongside USS Renville (APA-227) during an Underway Replenishment at Sea (UNREP), 1966. Photo by LT. Richard Dawson USS Renville.
    Cacapon 111k USS Cacapon (AO-52) under way during her 1968-69 WestPac Cruise. Richard Miller BMCS USNR (Ret)
    Cacapon 103k USS Cacapon (AO-52) under way during her 1969-70 WestPac Cruise. Richard Miller BMCS USNR (Ret)
    Cacapon 77k USS Cacapon (AO-52) at sea 12 January 1972.
    US Navy photo # K-92247
    US Naval Historical Center
    Cacapon 86k USS Cacapon (AO-52) under way, date and location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Cacapon 80k USS Cacapon (AO-52) replenishing USS Hancock (CVA-19) from three refueling stations, circa 1972. Note red "E" with one hashmark painted on her smokestack.
    US Navy photo # NH 97542 from the collections of the Naval Historical Center
    US Naval Historical Center
    Cacapon 59k USS Cacapon (AO-52) moored pierside, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands magazine, August 1986.
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Cacapon 98k USS Cacapon (AO-52) under way date and location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Cacapon
    091905291
    207k Ex-USS Cacapon (AO-52) drydocked for bottom cleaning prior to being relaese for scrapping, circa 1973.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command, Catalog # NH 89314
    Mike Green
    Cacapon 134k USS Cacapon (AO-52) ship's plaque Tommy Trampp
    Cacapon 134k USS Cacapon (AO-52) insignia.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 65845-K
    Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Cacapon 123k USS Cacapon (AO-52) plaque c. Schuster


    For more photos and information about USS Cacapon, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
  • MARAD Vessel History Database
  • Personal Journal of Jerold Hoelting S1/c (2 April 1944 - 9 June 1946)
  • U.S.S. Cacapon AO-52

  • .
    Commanding Officers
    01 LCDR. Eyth, George, USNR21 September 1943 - 1 March 1945
    02 CDR. Arntz, John Donald 1 March 1945 - 26 March 1946
    03 CAPT. Edwards, John Allen26 March 1946 - 15 October 1946
    04 LCDR. Day, Rhodes Ely (acting) 15 October 1946 - 25 October 1946
    05 CAPT. Lindsay Jr.,, Mellish Mott, USN (USNA 1922) 25 October 1946 - 29 November 1946
    06 CAPT. Mitchell, Ray Andes, USN (USNA 1927) 29 November 1946 - 3 December 1947
    07 CAPT. Lindsay Jr., Mellish Mott, USN (USNA 1922) 3 December 1947 - 16 December 1947 (died on board at sea)
    08 LCDR. Day, Rhodes Ely (acting) 16 December 1947 - 23 March 1948
    09 CAPT. Behner, Herbert Chauncey, USN :RADM 23 March 1948 - 26 August 1948
    10 CAPT. Henkel, John Fisher26 August 1948 - 1 July 1949
    11 CAPT. Rutter, Royal Lawrence, USN (USNA 1930)1 July 1949 - 4 July 1950
    12 CAPT. McClaughry, John Glenn, USN :RADM4 July 1950 - 1 December 1951
    13 CDR. Kilmartin, Alfred Dunn1 December 1951 - 19 September 1953
    14 CAPT. Becker, Albert Lilly, USN (USNA 1934)19 September 1953 - 16 July 1954
    15 CAPT. Smith, John Bernard (Red)16 July 1954 - 8 December 1954
    16 LCDR. Hammett, Orion Alexander (acting)8 December 1954 - 20 December 1954
    17 CAPT. McCann, Francis Wyllie, USN (USNA 1927)20 December 1954 - 15 March 1955
    18 CDR. Eddy, Frank Merrill, USN (USNA 1937)15 March 1955 - 16 June 1956
    19 CAPT. Solenberger, Earl Kenneth16 June 1956 - 23 August 1957
    20 CAPT. Miller, Roger Farrington, USN23 August 1957 - 15 August 1958
    21 CAPT. Meyer, William Claire, USN15 August 1958 - 15 August 1959
    22 CAPT. Kelley Jr., John Lawrence15 August 1959 - 18 June 1960
    23 CAPT. Weber, Bruce Sutherland18 June 1960 - 9 August 1961
    24 CAPT. Reeves, Gerald McGuffin, USN (USNA 1941)9 August 1961 - 3 August 1962
    25 CAPT. Young, Jack Curtis3 August 1962 - 6 August 1963
    26 CAPT. Hannon, Paul Gerald6 August 1963 - 12 September 1964
    27 CAPT. Fox, Elmer Lee12 September 1964 - 21 September 1965
    28 CAPT. Sloan, Stanley Eugene21 September 1965 - 31 October 1966
    29 CAPT. McCaughey, William Hunnewell, USN (USNA 1942)31 October 1966 - 17 May 1968
    30 CAPT. Watson, Fred Carson, USN (USNA 1945)17 May 1968 - 14 July 1969
    31 CAPT. McKenzie, Robert Palmer, USN (USNA 1946) :RADM14 July 1969 - 28 September 1970
    32 CAPT. Robisch, Herbert Eugene, USN28 September 1970 - 17 March 1972
    33 CAPT. Buck, Wallace Alfred, USN17 March 1972 - 14 August 1973
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

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    Last Updated 20 October 2023