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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Manatee (AO-58)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Papa - Juliet
NZPJ
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Forfeit (S)Berra - 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 Meritorious Unit Commendation - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (8) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korea Service Medal (6) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Taiwan Straits, Quemoy-Matsu, Vietnam, Korea)
Fourth Row - Vietnam Service Medal (9) - Korean Presidential Unit Citation - Philippine Liberation Medal (2)
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)


Cimarron Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, date unknown, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A3) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 724) at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD.
  • Launched, 21 October 1943
  • Commissioned USS Manatee (AO-58), 12 February 1944, LCDR. Joseph B. Snyth, USN in command
  • During WWII USS Manatee was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 11 June 10 August 1944
    Battle of Philippine Sea, 24 June 1944
    Capture and occupation of Guam, 12 July to 15 August 1944
    Luzon operation
    Formosa attacks 3 to 4, 9, 15 and 21 January 1945
    Luzon attacks, 6 to 7 January 1945
    China Coast attacks, 12 and 18 January 1945
    Manei Hot 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 23 February 1945
    Western Caroline Islands operation
    Raids on Volcano-Bin Islands and Yap Island, 31 August to 8 September 1944
    Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944
    Assaults on the Philippine Islands, 9 to 24 September 1944
    Okinawa Gunto operation
    5th and 3d Fleet raids in support of Okinawa Gunto operation, 26 March to 11 June 1945
    Leyte operations
    3d Fleet supporting operations Okinawa Attack, 10 October 1944
    Northern Luzon and Formosa attacks, 11 to 14 October 1944
    Luzon attacks, 20 to 25 November and 14 to 16 December 1944
    3d Fleet operations against Japan, 10 to 18 July and 9 to 15 August 1945

  • During the Korean War USS Manatee participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Communist China Spring Offensive
    23 to 26 and 30 to 31 May 1951
    5 to 12 and 24 to 26 June 1951
    4 to 8 July 1951
    Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    11 to 24 May 1952
    4 to 14 June 1952
    5 to 20 August 1952
    27 August to 10 September 1952
    17 to 29 September 1952
    7 to 17 October 1952
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive
    9 to 10 and 22 to 26 July 1951
    Third Korean Winter
    14 to 21 February 1953
    6 to 14 March 1953
    28 March to 5 April 1953
    21 to 30 April 1953
    Second Korean Winter
    26 March to 11 April 1952
    15 to 29 April 1952
    Korean Summer-Fall 1953
    16 to 19 June 1953
    27 June to 8 July 1953

  • Following World War II and the Korean War USS Manatee 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 18 September 19457 to 25 June 1946
    12 December 1945 to 20 February 194622 August to 19 October 1946
    4 April to 6 June 194617 April to 18 May 1951
    31 July to 18 August 194622 June to 24 July 1952
    22 to 26 October 194611 May to 12 June 1953
    20 to 25 January 19471 to 19 May 1955

  • During the Vietnam War USS Manatee participated in the following campaigns:

    Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnam Advisory Campaign
    27to 30 September 1961
    15 to 16 October 1961
    8 June to 11 July 1964
    11 to 17 August 1964
    6 to 13 September 1964
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    13 to 21 and 27 to 29 November 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    13 to 30 July 1966
    8 to 16 August 1966
    21 to 29 September 1966
    11 to 19 and 22 October 1966
    13 to 27 November 1966
    Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    6 to 13 and 18 to 26 September 1969
    7 to 15 and 30 to 31 October 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    6 to 13 and 18 to 28 July 1967
    21 to 28 August 1967
    10 to 17 September 1967
    24 September to 1 October 1967
    6 to 13 October 1967
    1 to 11 November 1967
    Vietnam Winter-spring 1970
    1 to 9 November 1969
    24 November to 1 December 1969
    5 to 12, 16 to 23 and 26 to 28 December 1969
    3 to 9 and 15 to 21 January 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    19 to 23 and 27 to 30 June 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    27 November to 6 December 1970
    28 to 31 December 1970
    5 to 13 January 1971
    26 January to 3 February 1971
    15 to 22 February 1971
    28 February to 6 March 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    1 to 4, 9 to 16 and 21 to 29 July 1968
    5 to12 and 18 to 24 August 1968
    4 to 10 September 1968
    21 to 27 October 1968
    Vietnam Ceasefire
    9 to 18 June 1972
    5 to 12 July 1972
    22 July to 6 August 1972
    22 to 27 August 1972
    20 to 25 September 1972
    1 to 11 October 1972
    19 October to 8 November 1972
    29 November to 9 December 1972
    16 to 28 December 1972
    1 January 1973
    29 January to 4 February 1973
    14 to 18 February 1973

  • Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, 14 August 1973
  • USS Manatee earned eight battle stars for World War II service, six battle stars for Korean War service and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with nine campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration for disposal
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 10 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 23
    Enlisted 291
    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 16,500 DWT
    Oil 123,700 bbls
    Gasoline, 788,000 Gals
    Fuel Capacity NSFO 15,000 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Bethlehem Shipbuilding 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.
    twin propellers, 13,500shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Manatee
    091905827
    NARA 80-G-284092
    148k USS Manatee (AO-58) refueling USS Boston (CA-69), 2 September 1944, off the Philippine Islands while a unit of Task Group 38.1.
    US National Archives Photo # 80-G-284092 and 60-G-284093, US Navy photos now in the collections of the US National Archives and Records Administration.
    John Chiquoine
    Manatee
    091905828
    NARA 80-G-284093
    214k
    Manatee 215k USS Manatee (AO-58) conducts an under way replenishment, 3 February 1945, with USS Wilkes Barre (CL-103) a unit of the Fast Carrier Task Group 58.3, 20 Feb 1945.
    US National Archives Photo # 80-G-307055, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives
    John Chiquoine
    Manatee 51k USS Manatee (AO-58) at anchor, date and location unknown. Her camouflage is scheme 32/5AO in this photo,
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, July 1951
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Manatee 56k USS Manatee (AO-58) at San Diego, CA, circa 1949-1950 James C McCann EM1 USN
    USS Manatee 1949 to April 1950
    Courtesy Patrick F McCann
    Manatee 60k USS Manatee (AO-58) at San Diego, CA, circa 1949-1950 James C McCann EM1 USN
    crew member December 1949 to April 1950
    Courtesy Patrick F McCann
    Manatee 179k USS Manatee (AO-58) refueling HMAS Warramunga(I44) in Korean waters, 27 June 1951.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 96261.
    Robert Hurst
    Manatee 32k USS Manatee (AO-58) refueling a destroyer, circa 1956 - 1957, probably off the Philippines. Everett M. Ellestad USNR
    Manatee 62k USS Manatee (AO-58) refueling USS Midway (CV-41) and USS Jarvis (DD-799) off Okinawa, 1960 Bob Herrick MR2, USS Manatee 1959-61
    Manatee 293k USS Taluga (AO-62) and USS Manatee (AO-58) moored at Naval Station Pearl Harbor in 1960. Image is from the movie "The Wackiest Ship in the Army" Tommy Trampp SK3 USS Taluga
    Manatee 89k USS Manatee (AO-58) at anchor at San Diego, September 1960 Lee Noland STGC USN Ret.
    Manatee 87k USS Manatee (AO-58) refueling USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14), 15 July 1965
    US Navy photo
    Courtesy John Shriver
    Rick Davis
    USS Manatee (AO-58) web site
    Manatee 110k USS Manatee (AO-58) and USS Bausell (DD-845) conducting an underway replenishment while in Gulf of Tonkin, July 1967. Photo by Larry Backus USS Bausell
    Manatee 73k USS Manatee (AO-58) and USS Bausell (DD-845) conducting an underway replenishment while in Gulf of Tonkin, July 1967. Photo by Larry Backus USS Bausell
    Manatee 68k View form USS Bausell (DD-845) of USS Manatee (AO-58) after the destroyer has broken away from the oiler following an underway replenishment while in Gulf of Tonkin, July 1967. Photo by Larry Backus USS Bausell
    Manatee 107k USS Manatee (AO-58) underway in the Gulf of Tonkin, 1967. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Manatee 278k USS Manatee (AO-58) at Subic Bay, P.I., 1969 Rick Davis
    USS Manatee (AO-58) web site
    Manatee 135k USS Manatee (AO-58) riding high while conducting an underway replenishment with USS Hugh Purvis (DD-709), WestPac, date unknown.
    Photo by Tony Cerino USS Hugh Purvis
    Bob Canchola
    Manatee
    091905824
    186k USS Manatee (AO-58) an USS Mispillion (AO-109) rendezvous in the South China Sea, circa December 1970. This evolution was probably a petroleum products transfer between fleet oilers.
    Photos by Bruce A Hevner USS Mispillion
    Bob Canchola
    Manatee
    091905825
    200k
    Manatee
    091905826
    171k
    Manatee 306k USS Manatee (AO-58) outbound to sea from Long Beach CA., date unknown. Mike Smolinski
    Manatee 58k USS Manatee (AO-58) at Long Beach at the end of her final WestPac deployment, 26 March 1973 Rick Davis
    USS Manatee (AO-58) web site


    For more photos and information about USS Manatee, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • MARAD Vessel History Database

  • Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Smyth, Joseph Bordon, USN (USNA 1927)6 April 1944 - 23 December 1945
    02CDR. Visser, Richard Gerben, USN (USNA 1929)23 December 1945 - 26 March 1947
    03CAPT. Shank, James Leo, USN (USNA 1927)26 March 1947 - 28 April 1948
    04CAPT. Taylor, Howard William, USN (USNA 1927)28 April 1948 - 6 January 1949
    05CAPT. Corbin, Clifford Thomas, USN (USNA 1926)6 January 1949 - 1 August 1950
    06CAPT. Chapple, Wreford Goss (Moon), USN (USNA 1930)1 August 1950 - 7 November 1951
    07CAPT. McGoughran, Joseph Christopher, USN (USNA 1933)7 November 1951 - 18 April 1953
    08CAPT. Brock, Fenelon Aveilhe, USN (USNA 1935)18 April 1953 - 22 October 1954
    09CAPT. Lewis, Joseph Seaman, USN (USNA 1934)22 October 1954 - 27 October 1955
    10CAPT. Blenman, William, USN (USNA 1936) :RADM27 October 1955 - 9 November 1956
    11CAPT. Neyman, Robert Leslie. USN (USNA 1936)9 November 1956 - 17 December 1957
    12CAPT. Holmshaw Jr., Harry Fred, USN (USNA 1936)17 December 1957 - 6 February 1959
    13CAPT. Lynch, John Joseph, USN :RADM6 February 1959 - 31 October 1959
    14CAPT. Kelly, John Curtis, USN (USNA 1937)31 October 1959 - 23 November 1960
    15CAPT. Akers, Charles O'Neal, USN (USNA 1938)23 November 1960 - 27 November 1961
    16CAPT. Trum III, Herman John, USN (USNA 1940) :RADM27 November 1961 - 2 November 1962
    17CAPT. Tuttle, John Edmund, USN2 November 1962 - 10 September 1963
    18CAPT. Scott, David Adam, USN10 September 1963 - 28 September 1964
    19CAPT. Stough Jr., Benjamin Hill, USN28 September 1964 - 25 September 1965
    20CAPT. Gaiennie, George William, USN25 September 1965 - 12 September 1967
    21CAPT. King, Evans Paliku Kanaiapuuni (Pali), USN (USNA 1945)12 September 1967 - 1 April 1968
    22CAPT. Gillooly, John Fallon USN (USNA 1945)1 April 1968 - 23 August 1969
    23CAPT. Faas, Charles Edmund (Ted) USN23 August 1969 - 8 December 1970
    24CAPT. Snyder, Jack Lester, USN8 December 1970 - 8 November 1971
    25CDR. Engelbrecht, Richard Herbert, USN8 November 1971 - 31 July 1973
    26LCDR. Black, Robert Steven, USN31 July 1973 - 14 August 1973
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

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    Last Updated 17 July 2024