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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Severn (AO-61)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Zulu - Delta NUZD

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon, 24 November 1944) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2-Lebanon)
Fourth Row - Philippines Liberation Medal (2) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Ashtabula Class Fleet Oiler:

Laid down, date unknown, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A3) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract, (MC hull 727) at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD.

Launched, 31 May 1944

Commissioned USS Severn (AO-61), 19 July 1944, LCDR. Owen Rees in command

During WWII USS Severn was assigned to Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

**Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Leyte operation Leyte landings, 24 October to 29 November 1944	Luzon operation Lingayen Gulf landing, 13 to 26 January 1945

Decommissioned, 3 July 1950, at San Diego, CA.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group

Recommissioned, 29 December 1950

Decommissioned, 1 July 1973, at NavSta Newport, R.I.

Laid up at NISMF Philadelphia, PA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1974

Transferred to the Maritime Administration for disposal

Final Disposition, sold, 22 January 1975 by MARAD, fate unknown

USS Severn earned two battle stars for World War II service

Specifications:
Displacement 7,236 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl)
Length 553'
Beam 75'
Draft 32'
Speed 18 kts.
Complement 314
Armament

one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount

four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
Cargo Capacity 146,000 barrels
Propulsion geared turbines, twin screws, 30,400hp

Size	Image Description	Source
460k	*USS Severn* (AO-61) and USS Rudyerd Bay (CVE-81)** steaming together, location. US Navy photo.	David Buell
85k	*USS Severn* (AO-61)** off Newport R.I., 21 June 1952. US Navy photo # NH 66865, courtesy of the Mariners Museum, Newport News, Virginia. Ted Stone Collection.	US Naval Historical Center
252k	*USS Severn* (AO-61) refueling USS Forrestal (CVA-59) and heavy cruiser USS Des Moines (CA-134)** near Barcelona, Spain, 13 June 1957. (Thanks to Ken Killmeyer, USS Forrestal Association historian, who helped date these photos).	Image courtesy of Larry Blumenthal, PH3, 1957-61. "US Navy Photos"
210k
732k	*USS Severn* (AO-61) refueling USS Forrestal (CVA-59) and the USS Des Moines (CA-134) operating from Task Force 26 in the Atlantic. USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42)** is in the background, date unknown. US Navy photo # USN 1002494	Chris Standley, from the collection of CDR Thomas B. Ray USS Essex
116k	*USS Severn* (AO-61) underway at sea, after refueling USS Tarawa (CVS-40)**, 13 February 1959.US Navy photo # NH 99491.	US Naval Historical Center
70k	*USS Severn* (AO-61)** underway at sea, circa the 1960s or early 1970s. US Navy photo # NH 99492.	US Naval Historical Center
489k	*US Severn* (AO-61) during an underway replenishment with USS Lake Champlain (CVS-39)** and US Forrest Sherman (DD-931), circa 1962. Air Group is *CVSG-54*, tail code "AT."	Harry Wood, ADJ3 USS Lake Champlain
161k	*USS Severn* (AO-61)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	David Merrill USS Canisteo (AO-99) Web Site
28k	*USS Severn* (AO-61) refueling USS Dealy (DE-1006)** during Operation Steelpike I, October 1964	Photo by Jim McCoy
74k	*USS Severn* (AO-61)** underway in the Caribbean Sea, December 1966	© Richard Leonhardt
106k	A Sikorsky SH-3A Sea King modex AS66 (BuNo 151556), assigned to HS-11 "Sub Seekers." (As of mid-2008, this helo was at the American Helicopter Museum, West Chester, PA.) *USS Wasp* (CVS-18) and USS Forrest Sherman (DD-931)** refuel from USS Severn (AO-61), in the background. Photo taken on 8 December 1966.	©Richard Leonhardt
95k	*USS Severn* (AO-61)** underway in the Mediterranean Sea, February 1967	Photo by Jim McCoy
45k	*USS Severn* (AO-61) refueling USS America (CV-66)**	© Richard Leonhardt
188k	*USS Severn* (AO-61)** entering the harbor at Valetta, Malta, November 1969	Thomas Daniel, SH3 USS Severn 1969-70
156k	*USS Severn* (AO-61)** entering the harbor at Valetta, Malta, November 1969	Thomas Daniel, SH3 USS Severn 1969-70
104k	*USS Severn* (AO-61)** underway in the Atlantic Ocean, February 1972. US Navy photo # NH 99493 by T.L. Vann PH2 USN.	US Naval Historical Center
107k	*USS Severn* (AO-61)** comes alongside the commercial tanker SS Erna Elizabeth to take on fuel, during operations in the Atlantic Ocean, 2 March 1972. US Navy photo # NH 99494 by T.L. Vann PH2 USN.	US Naval Historical Center
115k	*USS Severn* (AO-61)** comes alongside the commercial tanker SS Erna Elizabeth to take on fuel, during operations in the Caribbean off the southern coast of Puerto Rico, 6 March 1972. US Navy photo # NH 99496 by T.L. Vann PH2 USN.	US Naval Historical Center
101k	View of *USS Severn* (AO-61)** midships port side while she was taking on fuel from the commercial tanker SS Erna Elizabeth during operations in the Atlantic Ocean, circa February-March 1972. US Navy photo # NH 99495 by T.L. Vann PH2 USN.	US Naval Historical Center