Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AO-74 Saranac / YFP-9

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 18 June 1944) - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Personnel Awards

Purple Hearts (7-KIA-18 June 1944)

Suamico Class Fleet Oiler:

Laid down, 27 August 1942, as SS Cowpens a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A1) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 337), at Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.

Launched, 21 December 1942

Renamed Saranac, 16 September 1942

Acquired by the US Navy, 31 December 1942

Commissioned, USS Saranac (AO-74), 22 February 1943, CDR. John G. Cross in command

Decommissioned, 19 July1948, at Guam, M.I., for service as a floating power plant

Loaned to the US Army, 25 August 1951

Towed to Inchon, Korea for service as a floating power plant

Returned to US Naval custody, 15 October 1953

Reclassified, Floating Power Barge YFP-9

Struck from the Naval Register, 26 March 1956

Final Disposition, sold, 4 December 1957, to Hugo Neu Corporation, New York, NY, for use as a power facility abroad by International Steel and Metal Corporation

Saranac received 5 battle stars for her World War II service

Specifications:
Displacement 5,730 t.(lt) 21,880 t.(fl)
Length 523' 6"
Beam 68'
Draft 30'
Speed 15.5 kts.
Complement 251
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

two depth charge projectors
Cargo Capacity 140,000 barrels
Propulsion Turbo-electric, single screw, 8,000hp

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
77k	View from Saugatuck (AO-75) during a horizontal bombing attack at 1641 on 18 June 1944 off Saipan. Oilers and escorts were on station as TU 16.7.1. Saranac (AO-74) has just been hit off to port beyond Neshanic (AO-71). Moments after this photo was snapped *Neshanic* and *Saugatuck* are attacked. Photo from the collection of Al DeSantis.	Carmen Costa and John Chiquoine
88k	Saranac (AO-74) during an underway replenishment off Okinawa with TG38.1, as seen from Harrison (DD-573), 31 May 1945. After battery of San Juan (CL-54) in view to portside. Photo by ENS. A.R. Chiquoine USS Harrison	John Chiquoine
107k	Saranac (AO-74) during an underway replenishment off Okinawa with TG38.1, as seen from Harrison (DD-573), 31 May 1945. After battery of San Juan (CL-54) in view to portside. Photo by ENS. A.R. Chiquoine USS Harrison	John Chiquoine
71k	Saranac (AO-74) during an underway replenishment off Okinawa with TG38.1, as seen from Harrison (DD-573), 31 May 1945. Photo by ENS. A.R. Chiquoine USS Harrison	John Chiquoine
73k	Saranac (AO-74) off Okinawa while refueling TG38.1 ships, being approached by Harrison (DD-573), 31 May 1945. Photo by ENS. A.R. Chiquoine USS Harrison	John Chiquoine
56k	Saranac (AO-74) (stern view) in San Francisco Bay, 20 June1943. Mare Island Navy Yard photo #4547-43, 6/20/43.	Darryl Baker
69k	Saranac (AO-74) (bows on view) in San Francisco Bay, 20 June1943. Mare Island Navy Yard photo #4551-43, 6/20/43.	Darryl Baker

View the Saranac (AO-74)
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

Back to the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page

Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index

Back To The Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

Last Updated 2 March 2007