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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Tolovana (AO-64)
ex
 USNS Tolovana (T-AO-64) (1949 - 1951)
 USS Tolovana (AO-64) (1945 - 1949)

International Radio Call Sign:
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Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (4-Taiwan Straits, 2-Vietnam, 6-Korea) - Vietnam Service Medal (13) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Cimmeron Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 6 June 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A3) tanker hull under Maritime Commission contract, (MC hull 730) at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD.
  • Launched, 6 January 1945
  • Commissioned USS Tolovana (AO-64), 24 February 1945, LCDR. Carleton G. Long, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Tolovana was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:
    World War II Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation, June 1945

  • Decommissioned in December 1949 and placed in service with the Navy Transportation Service (NTS) as Tolovana (AO-64)
  • Absorbed into the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and placed in service USNS Tolovana (T-AO-64)
  • Placed out of service in February 1951
  • Recommissioned, USS Tolovana (AO-64), 24 May 1951, CAPT. E. C. Madsen in command
  • During the Korean War USS Tolovana participated in the following campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive
    21 September to 4 October 1951
    21 October to 6 November 1951
    16 to 27 November 1951     		Second Korean Winter
    28 to 30 November 1951
    5 to 12 December 1951
    6 to 22 February 1952
    26 February to 2 March 1952
    11 to 15 March 1952

    During the Vietnam War USS Tolovana participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnam Defense Campaign
    4 to 5 and 11 to 21 July 1965
    1 to 14 August 1965
    21 August to 3 September 1965
    17 to 23 September 1965
    7 to 18 October 1965
    30 October to 13 November 1965
    21 to 22 November 1965     		Tet 69/Counteroffensive
    23 February to 3 March 1969
    10 to 18 March 1969
    28 March to 6 April 1969
    9 to 17 and 22 to 29 April 1969
    6 to 14 May 1969
    28 May to 4 June 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    8 to 15 and 21 to 27 June 1966     		Vietnam Winter-Spring
    6 to 14 and 18 to 22 March 1970
    14 to 21 and 24 to 30 April 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    3 to 10 and 23 to 29 July 1966
    8 to 12 and 21 to 28 August 1966
    9 to 16 September 1966
    5 to 20 October 1966
    13 to 16 November 1966     		Sanctuary Counteroffensive
    1 May 1970
    13 to 21 May 1970
    29 May to 6 June 1970
    14 to 24 June 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    27 November to 7 December 1967
    20 December 1967 to 1 January 1968
    5 to 14 January 1968     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    6 to 14 July 1970
    11 to 21 and 23 to 29 May 1971
    3 to 17 and 30 June 1971
    Tet Counteroffensive
    20 to 29 February 1968
    5 to 14 and 18 to 27 March 1968     		Consolidation I
    1 to 7 July 1971
    1 to 5 and 11 to 21 August 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    4 to 11 and 21 to 28 April 1968     		Vietnam Ceasefire
    11 to 19 October 1972
    26 October to 21 November 1972
    14 to 23 December 1972
    6 to 17 and 24 to 31 January 1973
    10 to 16 March 1973
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    15 to 23 December 1968
    31 December 1968 to 9 January 1969
    13 to 21 January 1969
    28 January to 4 February 1969
    15 to 18 February 1969     		.

  • Decommissioned , 15 April 1975, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 15 April 1975
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 16 October 1975, to Levin Metals Corp. under contract # (MA-8100) for $1.5M
  • USS Tolovana earned one battle star during World War II, two battle stars for the Korean War, and thirteen campaign stars and the Navy Unit Commendation for Vietnam War 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
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Tolovana 25k Invitation to the commissioning of USS Tolovana (AO-64). Note the invitation has been classified confidential and that the place, time and date are not shown. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 36k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway in the Chesapeake Bay on her commissioning day, 24 February 1945. Her camouflage scheme is Measure 32 Design 3AO, Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 61k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway in the Chesapeake Bay on her commissioning day, 24 February 1945. She is painted camouflage scheme is Measure 32 Design 3AO, Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 86k USS Tolovana (AO-64) at anchor in the Chesapeake Bay, 13 March 1945. She wears Measure 32 Design 3AO camouflage in this photo. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 37k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway, overhead view, March 1945
    US Navy photo    		 Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Tolovana 25k USS Tolovana (AO-64) off Okinawa, June 1945. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 20k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway in June 1945. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 47k USS Tolovana (AO-64)'s World War II cruises returning to the US in October 1945 Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 53k Broadside view of USS Tolovana (AO-64) off Mare Island, 19 May 1951 shortly before her commissioning. Tolovana was reactivated at Mare Island, 16 February to 24 May 1951. The stern of the USS Rochester (CA-124) is just visible forward of Tolovana.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 9267-5-51, 5/19/51.    		 Darryl Baker
    Tolovana 69k USS Tolovana (AO-64) officers, December 1954 at Sasebo, Japan. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 63k USS Tolovana (AO-64)'s Executive Officer LCDR Goodin and Commanding Officer CAPT. Crowley, Subic Bay, 1954. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 23k USS Tolovana (AO-64) anchored at Kaoshung, Taiwan, 1954. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 78k USS Tolovana (AO-64) moored to a buoy at Sasebo, Japan in 1954. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 46k USS Tolovana (AO-64) entering San Francisco Naval Shipyard, Hunters Point, June 1957. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 70k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Jim Dull MM2 USS Tolovana 1957-59
    Tolovana 142k USS Tolovana (AO-64) refueling Shelton (DD-790) and Antietam (CVA-36), date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Tolovana 44k USS Tolovana (AO-64) taking fueling station alongside USS Essex (CVA-9), Taiwan Straits 1958. Bow of Chevalier (DD-805) is just visible beyond Tolovana Jim Dull MM2 USS Tolovana 1957-59
    Tolovana 61k USS Tolovana (AO-64) pulling away from USS Essex (CVA-9) after fueling evolution has been completed. Taiwan Straits 1958 Jim Dull MM2 USS Tolovana 1957-59
    Tolovana 78k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway heading out to sea from San Diego, CA., circa post 1958. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 68k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway, date and place unknown. Note the absence of 3" guns. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 67k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway, date and location unknown. Note the absence of 3" guns. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 62k USS Tolovana (AO-64) at anchor, in 1963, location unknown. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 45k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway, location unknown, circa post 1964. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 45k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway heading out to sea from San Diego, CA., circa post 1964. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 78k USS Tolovana (AO-64) refueling USS Oriskany (CVA-34) and USS John T. Bole (DD-755), South China Sea, 3 July 1966
    Photo taken from USS Fred T. Berry (DD-858).    		 © Richard Leonhardt
    Tolovana 1574k USS Tolovana (AO-64) refueling USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42) and USS Black (DD-666), in the Gulf of Tonkin, 12 September 1966. Photos were taken from the carrier's rescue helicopter, a Kaman UH-2 Seasprite, from Helicopter Combat Support Squadron TWO (HC-2) Det. 42 based at NAS Lakehurst, N.J., flown by Mr. Smith during operations in the Tonkin Gulf
    		Photos by Michael O. Smith
    Tolovana 1207k
    Tolovana 1925k
    Tolovana 1590k
    Tolovana 1485k
    CVS-20 Bennington 238k USS Tolovana (AO-64) during an UNREP with USS Bennington (CVS-20), circa November-December 1966.US Navy photo appeared in Bennington 1966-67 WESTPAC Cruise Book. From the collection of CDR Thomas B. Ray (USS Essex CV-9),
    via Chris Stanley
    Tolovana 40k USS Tolovana (AO-64) moored pierside, Pier 9 Long Beach Naval Station, June 1968 Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 69k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway during Refresher Training prior to deployment, October 1968. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 78k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway, departing for WESTPAC deployment, 6 November 1968 Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 104k USS Tolovana (AO-64) at anchor in Hong Kong harbor, circa 1968-69. Photo by Erich Utecht SN USN USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 48k USS Tolovana (AO-64) entering Long Beach harbor while returning from a WESTPAC deployment, 6 July 1969. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 31k USS Tolovana (AO-64) drydocked, date and place unknown. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 121k USS Tolovana (AO-64) refueling USS Floyd B. Parks (DD-884) to starboard and USS John R. Craig (DD-885) to port, date and place unknown. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 97k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway, 30 May 1971, location unknown. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 9k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway in June 1971, location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Tolovana 88k USS Tolovana (AO-64) refueling an Aircraft Carrier, date and location unknown. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 41k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway, stern view, date and location unknown. Photo taken from USS Floyd B. Parks (DD884) Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 40k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway, stern view, date and place unknown.Photo taken from USS Floyd B. Parks (DD884) Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 44k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway, date and location unknown. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 78k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway in Subic Bay, P.I. in 1971. Erich Utecht USS Tolovana 1968-70
    Tolovana 103k USS Tolovana (AO-64) underway, 24 February 1975 (Celebrating 30 years of continuous active service), location unknown.
    US Navy photo from Tolovana PAO.    		 Robert M. Cieri
    View the USS Tolovana (AO-64)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Tolovana AO-64
    USS Tolovana Foundation
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    Last Updated 15 May 2009