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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AO-66 Atascosa

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Atascosa Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 30 April 1942, as Esso Columbia for the Panama Transports Co., at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.
  • Launched, 7 September 1942
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 12 October 1942
  • Commissioned USS Atascosa (AO-66), 9 November 1942
  • Decommissioned, 21 January 1946, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 7 February 1946
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 1 July 1946, for return to her owners, Panama Transports Co.
  • Sold to the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey in 1947, renamed Esso Syracuse, in 1961 renamed Esso Buffalo; sold to General Cargo Corporation, converted to a freighter, renamed Spitfire
  • Final Disposition, scrapped (date unknown)
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,730 t.(lt) 24,660 t.(fl)
    Length 547' 3"
    Beam 70'
    Draft 31'
    Speed 15.5 kts.
    Complement 281
    Armament one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount, four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts, four twin 40mm gun mounts, four twin 20mm gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity 156,000 barrels
    Propulsion GE turbo-electric, single propeller, 6,000 shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Atascosa 75k Atascosa (AO-66) underway, date and place unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Atascosa 40k Atascosa (AO-66) underway, 14 March 1943, place unknown.
    US Navy ONI photo    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    View the Atascosa (AO-66)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center web site
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 18 March 2005