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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Cache (T-AOT-67)
ex
 USS Cache (AO-67) (1942 - 1949)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Xray - Hotel - Mike
NXHM
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (8) - World War II Victory Medal

Bottom Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)
Individual Awards

Purple Heart (1 KIA, 22 January 1944)

Suamico Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 25 May 1942, as SS Stillwater under Maritime Commission contract, (MC type T2-SE-A2) at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.
  • Launched, 7 September 1942
  • Commissioned USS Cache (AO-67), 3 November 1942, LCDR. Paul R. Andersen, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Cache was assigned to the 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 to 10 August 1944
    Capture and occupation of Guam, 12 July to 15 August 1944     		Luzon operation
    3rd Fleet supporting operations
    Luzon attacks, 6 to 7 January 1945
    Formosa attacks, 9, 15 and 21 January 1945
    China Coast attacks, 12 an 16 January 1945
    Nansei Shoto attacks, 22 January 1945
    Tinian Capture and occupation
    20 July to 1 August 1944     		Iwo Jima operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 23 February to 16 March 1945
    Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of the southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944
    Assault on the Philippine Islands, 9 to 24 September 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    5th and 3d Fleet raids in support of Okinawa Gunto operation, 17 to 28 May 1945
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 28 May to 30 June 1945
    Leyte operation
    Luzon attacks, 6 and 13 November and 14 to 16 December 1944     		3rd Fleet operations against Japan
    11 July to 14 August 1945

  • Following World War II USS Cache performed occupation duty in the Far East from 2 to 23 September 1945
  • Decommissioned, 14 January 1946 at San Francisco, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 30 June 1946 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Reacquired, 10 February 1948 for operation by the Naval Transportation Service
  • Transferred to MSTS, 10 October 1949 and placed in service as USNS Cache (T-AOT-67)
  • Placed out of Service, 9 May 1972, transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, TX. Group
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 31 March 1986
  • USS Cache earned eight battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, to Goodwils USA Inc, 18 November 1985, resold to Eastern Overseas Inc. which resold the ship to First Copper & Iron Industrial Co. Ltd., Taiwan for scrapping, 10 June 1987
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,236 t.(lt) 22,380 t.(fl)
    Length 523' 6"
    Beam 68'
    Draft 30' 10"
    Speed 15.1 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 22
    Enlisted 245
    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 15,300 DWT
    Oil 120,400 Bbls
    Gasoline 575,000 Gals
    Fuel Capacity NSFO - 9,235 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one Westinghouse turbine (turbo-electric drive)
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 450psi 730°
    Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 400Kw 450V A.C.
     two turbo-drive 110Kw 120V D.C.
     one turbo-drive 50Kw 450V A.C.
    one propeller, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    USS Cache (AO-67)
    Cache
    091906717
    NARA BS 66418    		 288k Overhead port bow and stern views of USS Cache (AO-67) underway, probably in October-November 1942 near her builders yard at Chester. PA. She is wearing camouflage design 32/5AO.
    US National Archives photos NARA BS 66418 and BS 66414, US Navy photos now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 Dirk Dijksman
    Cache
    091906718
    NARA BS 66414    		 108k
    Cache
    091906721    		 242k Port and starboard side views of USS Cache (AO-67) underway, probably in October-November 1942 near her builders yard at Chester. PA. She is wearing camouflage design 32/5AO.
    US Navy photos now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 Dirk Dijksman
    Cache
    091906722    		 204k
    Cache
    091906720     		45k USS Cache (AO-67) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Dirk Dijksman
    Cache 204k This series of photographs were taken aboard USS Cache (AO-67) by Photographer’s Mate 2/c Paul D. Guttman somewhere in the Western Pacific during World War II. He was aboard the Cache (pronounced “cash-AY”) during October 1944 while in transit to join the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-12). In the first two pictures an experienced Bosn’s Mate shows a couple of green kids the proper way to secure gear on deck. In the third picture a crewman is seen checking the condition of the valves on the main cargo manifold, which represent the business-end of a tanker in much the same way that the muzzles of the guns are the business-end of a battleship. The crewmen stationed in the gun tub were on watch for the enemy, because the ship was in the war zone. The two overhead shots taken from the top of the foremast show a lot of detail, including just how well equipped these tankers were with AA guns in those days. The Destroyer in the second to last picture, re-fueling from the Cache, is the destroyer USS Charles S. Sperry (DD-697). In the last picture the USS Hancock (CV-19) is seen drawing alongside Cache. Robert Guttman< for his father PHoM2/c Paul D. Guttman
    Cache 131k
    Cache 164k
    Cache 339k
    Cache 378k
    Cache 649k
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    Cache 168k USS Cache (AO-67) buries her bow in a deep Pacific swell as USS Lexington (CV-16) comes alongside to begin fueling, 8 October 1944. Lexington was one of nine ships Cache refueled that day.
    S National Archives photo # 80-G-284370 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Tracy White
    Cache 214k Heavy waves funneled between USS Cache (AO-67) and USS Lexington (CV-16) are driven up over Cache's main deck as the two ships prepare for refueling operations. USS Callaghan (DD-792) is pulling away off Cache's starboard side, having just completed her refueling. USS Langley (CVL-27) is in the distance, waiting for Lexington to finish so she can have her turn at the pump.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-284371 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Tracy White
    CV-19 Hancock 125k USS Hancock (CV-19) refueling from USS Cache (AO-67) on the morning of 21 November 1944, almost dead-center in the Philippine Sea (16 38N, 129 40E). US Navy photo possibly taken from USS Brown (DD-546). Thanks to David Stubblebine for the identification of the oiler, date and location.

    		 Photo by PH2/c Paul D. Guttman, contributed by his son Robert Guttman
    Cache
    091906714     		776k USS Cache (AO-67) Officers and Crew, San Pedro, CA., circa 9 October 1945. Pamela Bernick
    Cache
    091906719     		103k USS Cache (AO-67) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Dirk Dijksman
    Cache 65k USS Cache (AO-67) underway, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Cache
    091906715     		392k USS Cache (AO-67) moored port side to, Pier 3, Kaiser Shipyard No.2, Richmond, CA., circa 30 November 1945 to 14 January 1946, while undergoing preparations for decommissioning. Pamela Bernick
    Cache
    091906716     		148k
    USNS Cache (T-AOT-67)
    Cache
    091906723    		 116k USNS Cache (T-AO-67) moored pierside, date and location unknown Dirk Dijksman
    Cache 104k USNS Cache (T-AOT-67) moored pierside, date and location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    USS Cache (AO-67)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Andersen, Paul R., USNR3 November 1942 - 25 October 1943
    02CDR. Thompson, Marion Clermont, USN (USNA 1921-B)25 October 1943 - 3 June 1944
    03LCDR. Cosgrove, Coleman Robert, USNR3 June 1944 - 17 December 1945
    04LT. Herd, Harold S., USNR17 December 1945 - 14 January 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Fleet Tankers Association
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    U.S.S. Cache (AO-67) War Diary November 1942 to January 1946
    The History of U.S.S. Cache November 1942 to November 1945
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 10 December 2021