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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Aucilla (AO-56)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Lima - Quebec NZLQ
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Elbow (B)ravo - 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 - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Lebanon Dominican Republic)

Ashtabula Class Fleet Oiler

Laid down, 25 May 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 722), at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD.

Launched, 20 November 1943

Commissioned USS Aucilla (AO-56), 22 December 1943, CDR. Cornelius M. Sullivan USN in command

During World War II USS Aucilla was assigned first to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and lastly to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Leyte operation Luzon attacks, 14 to 16 December 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation 5th and 3rd Fleet operations in support of Okinawa Gunto, 16 March to 4 May 1945
Luzon operation Luzon attacks, 6 and 7 January 1945 Formosa attacks, 9 and 15 January 1945 China Coast attacks, 12 and 16 January 1945	3rd Fleet operations against Japan 11 July to 3 August and 9 to 15 August 1945
Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 15 to 26 February 1945

Following World War II USS Aucilla was assigned to Occupation service for the following periods:

Asia clasp	Europe clasp
Navy Occupation Service Medal
2 September to 25 November 1945	4 to 7 November 1948
31 July to 12 August 1946	15 to 22 January 1949
29 September to 25 December 1946	6 October 1953 to 24 January 1954
10 February to 3 March 1947	10 June to 31 July 1955
17 to 19 April 1947	1 August to 25 October 1955
15 to 25 July 1947
18 to 20 June 1948
22 to 25 August 1948
25 to 28 April 1949

USS Aucilla (AO-56) was assigned to China service from 6 to 19 March 1947

Decommissioned, 18 December 1970, at Norfolk, VA.

Transferred, 7 October 1971, to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.

Title transferred to MARAD, 1 July 1973

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 December 1976

USS Aucilla earned five battle stars for her World War II service

Withdrawn by the US Navy for stripping 12 June 1979, returned, 25 June 1979, withdrawn for stripping, 27 July 1985, returned 21 August 1985, withdrawn for stripping 17 April 1991 returned 10 July 1991

Final Disposition

Sold for scrapping, 5 February 1992, to Space International Trading Lte. (MA-12707 for $951,000.00) sale not consummated buyer failed to pay balance of purchase price.

Resold for scrapping, 27 April 1992, to Trusha Investments Pte. Ltd. (MA-12727 for $620,000.00)

Scrapped, 25 October 1992

Specifications:
Displacement 7,236 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl)
Length 553'
Beam 73'
Draft 32' 4"
Speed 18 kts.

Complement

Officers 22

Enlisted 291

Largest Boom Capacity 15 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 16,350 DWT

Oil 123,700 Bbls

Gasoline 780,000 Gals

Fuel Capacity 15,000 Bbls

Propulsion

two Bethlehem Ship Building geared turbines

four Foster Wheeler "K"-type boilers, 450psi 750°

double Falk Main Reduction Gears
Ship's Service Generators
two turbo-drive 400Kw 230V A.C.
one Diesel-drive 150Kw 230V A.C.

two propellers, 13,500shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
141214101	832k	YO-141 keeping station with Aucilla (AO-56) at Norfolk, 27 September 1944. US National Archives photo # 80-G-280741 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, via usndazzle.com	Mike Green
	57k	*USS Aucilla* (AO-56)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, February 1957.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	90K	*USS Bunker Hill* (CV-17) refueling from USS Aucilla (AO-56)** either 13 February 1945 or 18 March 1945, with an unknown destroyer on the starboard side. US National Archives Photo # 80-G-307044, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Tracy White, Researcher @ Large
	210k	*USS Aucilla* (AO-56)** under way circa 1947, location unknown.	Photo by ŠWynburn Lee Taylor Jr. YN3 USS Aucilla 1947 Submitted by Mark R. Taylor
	50k	*USS Aucilla* (AO-56)** under way in the Panama Canal, circa 1947.	Photos by ŠWynburn Lee Taylor Jr. YN3 USS Aucilla 1947 Submitted by Mark R. Taylor
	65k
	94k	Various views of *USS Aucilla* (AO-56)** from her tank deck, circa 1947.	Photos by ŠWynburn Lee Taylor Jr. YN3 USS Aucilla 1947 Submitted by Mark R. Taylor
	138k
	380k
	108k
	243k	*USS Aucilla* (AO-56) moored astern of USS Marias (AO-57)**, date and location unknown.	Photo by ŠWynburn Lee Taylor Jr. YN3 USS Aucilla 1947 Submitted by Mark R. Taylor
	178k	*USS Aucilla* (AO-56)** under way, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
	43k	*USS Aucilla* (AO-56) refueling USS Newman K Perry (DD-883) and USS Forrestal (CVA-59)*, 25 March 1960, location unknown. US Navy photo # (USN 1047741.*
	113k	*USS Aucilla* (AO-56)** underway, date and location unknown.	© Richard Leonhardt
	94k	*USS Aucilla* (AO-56) conducts a replenishment-at-sea with USS Saratoga (CVA-60)**, circa 1962-63, probably in the Caribbean Sea.	© Richard Leonhardt
	78k	*USS Aucilla* (AO-56)** under way, date and location unknown.	© Richard Leonhardt
NS023865	35.5M	*USS Shangri-La* (CVA-38) refueling from USS Aucilla (AO-56)*, circa 1967. Format:* Audio Video Interleave (.AVI) Duration: 1' 46" Size: 720 x 480	Howie Houserman, VA-81 (1966–1969)
	207k	*USS Aucilla* (AO-56)** under way in 1968, location unknown. US Navy photo.	David Buell
091905618	102k	*USS Aucilla* (AO-56)** ship's plaque	Tommy Trampp

USS Aucilla (AO-56)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Sullivan, Cornelius Martin, USN (USNA 1925)	22 December 1943 - 17 June 1944
02	LCDR. Cover Jr., Charles L., USNR	17 June 1944 - 8 December 1945
03	CDR. Sampson, Warren Bell, USN (USNA 1925)	8 December 1945 - 18 August 1946
04	CAPT. Allen, Robert Addison, USN (USNA 1927)	18 August 1946 - 18 May 1947
05	CAPT. Martell, Charles Bowling, USN (USNA 1930) :VADM	18 May 1947 - 28 February 1948
06	CDR. Farmer, William Howard, USN (USNA 1930) :RADM	28 February 1948 - 14 April 1949
07	CAPT. Duffill, Monroe Barrows, USN (USNA 1927)	14 April 1949 - 19 July 1950
08	CAPT. Esslinger, Robert John, USN (USNA 1930) :RADM	19 July 1950 - 21 July 1951
09	CDR. Marks, Lawrence Hall, USN (USNA 1933)	21 July 1951 - 8 October 1952
10	CAPT. Lark, Jacob Aucker, USN (USNA 1932)	8 October 1952 - 30 October 1953
11	CAPT. Jenson, Marvin John, USN	30 October 1953 - 2 October 1954
12	CAPT. Coxe Jr., Alexander Bacon, USN (USNA 1932)	2 October 1954 - 15 December 1954
13	LCDR. Davenport, Aaron Miller, USN	15 December 1954 - 28 January 1955
14	CAPT. Besson Jr., John Henry, USN (USNA 1935) :RADM	28 January 1955 - 8 September 1956
15	CAPT. Taylor, Brown, USN (USNA 1934)	8 September 1956 - 5 September 1957
16	CAPT. Reich, Eli Thomas, USN (USNA 1935):VADM	5 September 1957 - 18 October 1958
17	CAPT. Pond Jr., John Enoch, USN (USNA 1937)	18 October 1958 - 7 October 1959
18	CAPT. Williams, Gordon Bennett, USN (USNA 1938)	7 October 1959 - 26 September 1960
19	CAPT. Bogart, Gerald Schouler, USN	26 September 1960 - 10 October 1961
20	CAPT. Tucker, Joseph Robbins, USN (USNA 1938)	10 October 1961 - 19 September 1962
21	CAPT. Meyer, William Rhett, USN (USNA 1940)	19 September 1962 - 11 October 1963
22	CAPT. Tucker, Frederick Birchfield, USN (USNA 1939)	11 October 1963 - 20 December 1963
23	LCDR. Nielsen, Richard, USN	20 December 1963 - 9 January 1964
24	CAPT. Kittrell, James Reveley, USN	9 January 1964 - 25 March 1964
25	CAPT. Shepard Jr., Tazewell Taylor, USN (USNA 1943) :RADM	25 March 1964 - April 1965
26	CAPT. Baker Jr., Lawrence Herman, USN	April 1965 - 1 March 1966
27	CAPT. Livingston, William Harold (Tag), USN :RADM	1 March 1966 - 17 February 1967
28	CAPT. Zwemke, Darrell Henry, USNR	17 February 1967 - 21 February 1968
29	CAPT. Davidson, Paul Devere, USN	21 February 1968 - July 1969
30	CAPT. Hazen, Alan Michael, USN	July 1969 - 8 May 1970
31	CAPT. Spruit, Robert Earl (Bob), USN	8 May 1970 - 18 December 1970


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
MARAD Vessel History Database

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Last Updated 2 September 2022