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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Saugatuck (T-AOT-75)
ex
USS Saugatuck (AO-75) (1943 - 1946)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Yankee - Whiskey - Xray NYWX

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (18 June 1944) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (7) - World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (1)
Personnel Awards

Purple Heart (1 KIA, 18 June 1944)

Suamico Class Fleet Oiler:

Laid down, 20 August 1942, as SS Newtown a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A1) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 335) at Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock, Chester, PA.

Renamed Saugatuck, 16 September 1942

Launched, 7 December 1942

Acquired by the Navy, 21 December 1942

Converted for Naval service at Bethlehem Steel Co., Key Highway Plant, Baltimore, MD.

Commissioned USS Saugatuck (AO-75), 19 February 1943, LCDR. Ben Koerner, USNR, in command

During World War II USS Saugatuck 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	Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 23 February to 7 March 1945
Tinian capture and occupation, 20 July to 10 August 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 16 to 24 March 1945
Western Caroline Islands operation Raid on Volcano-Bonin Islands and Yap Island, 31August to 8 September 1944 Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944 Assaults on the Philippine Islands, 9 to 24 September 1944	3rd Fleet operations against Japan, 14 to 28 February 1945
Luzon operation 3rd Fleet supporting operations Luzon attacks, 6 and 7 January 1945 Formosa attacks, 3, 4, 9, 15, and 21 January 1945 China Coast attacks, 12 and 16 January 1945 Nansei Shoto attack, 22 January 1945

Following World War II USS Saugatuck was assigned to Occupation service from 9 September to 8 November 1945

Decommissioned, 19 March 1946, at San Francisco, CA.

Transferred, 9 October 1946 to the Maritime Commission for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.

Chartered by Pacific Tankers, 30 October 1947

Reacquired by the Navy, 22 January 1948 and assigned to the Naval Transportation Service (NTS)

Assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS Saugatuck (T-AOT-75), date unknown

Placed out of service, and transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 5 November 1974, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 15 February 1995

Final Disposition, contract for scrapping awarded, 2 June, 2006, removed from the James River Reserve Fleet, 18 July 2006 and moved by tug to Bay Bridge Enterprise of Chesapeake, VA. for scrapping

USS Saugatuck earned seven battle stars for World War II service

Specifications:
Displacement 5,730 t.(lt) 22,380 t.(fl)
Length 523' 6"
Beam 68'
Draft 30' 10" (lim)
Speed 15.3 kts. (trial)
Complement

Officers 23

Enlisted 237
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
Propulsion
Fuel Capacity 9,235 Bbls

one Westinghouse turbo-electric engine

two Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers, 450psi, 730°

Ship's Service Generators

two turbo-drive 400Kw 450V A.C.

one turbo-drive 28Kw 120 D.C.

two turbo-drive 110Kw 120V D.C.

one turbo-drive 50Kw 450V A.C.

single propeller, 6,000hp

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
931k	Starboard broadside view of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** underway in Hampton Roads off Portsmouth, VA., prior to departing for the Pacific Theater, 6 April 1943. US Navy Yard Norfolk, photo #5023(43) April 6, 1943 / BUSHIPS photo #45790.	David Buell
92k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** moored pierside San Francisco, CA., 20 June 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo #4552-43, 6/20/43.	Darryl Baker
48k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** (stern view) in San Francisco Bay, 21 June 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo #4587-43, 6/21/43.	Darryl Baker
57k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** (broadside view) in San Francisco Bay, 21 June 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo #4589-43, 6/21/43.	Darryl Baker
46k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** (bows on view) in San Francisco Bay, 21 June 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo #4591-43, 6/21/43.	Darryl Baker
78k	As seen from *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75), this view is reported as a fading bomb-splash. This near-miss came on a 18 June 1944 horizontal bomber attack off Saipan. USS Saranac (AO-74) and USS Neshanic (AO-71)** had just been damaged in the same attack	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
271k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75) refueling USS Massachusetts (BB-59)** in mid-Pacific, 20 April 1945. Photo taken from USS Hornet (CV-12).	Pieter Bakels
199k		Pieter Bakels
63k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** underway in typhoon weather off Okinawa, post-war, Fall 1945.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
119k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** underway homeward bound, circa November 1945. Note the Homeward Bound pennant steaming behind the ship and the sign on the side that says "USA 5,xxx miles over an arrow.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
61k	Port bow view of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75) at anchor in San Francisco Bay with open lighter YC-824** alongside, circa late-1945 early-1946.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
88k	Starboard bow view of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** at anchor in San Francisco Bay, circa late-1945 early-1946.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
66k
64k	Port broadside view of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** at anchor in San Francisco Bay with an open lighter alongside, circa late-1945 early-1946.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
57k	Starboard quarter view of Saugatuck (AO-75) at anchor in San Francisco Bay with an open lighter alongside, circa late-1945 early-1946.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
77k	View of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** looking aft from atop the foremast, circa late-1945 early-1946, probably in San Francisco Bay.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
79k	View of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** looking forward from the afterdeck to the superstructure, circa late-1945 early-1946, probably in San Francisco Bay.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
92k	View of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** of the foc'sle from the foremast, circa late-1945 early-1946, probably in San Francisco Bay.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
228k	View of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** the flag bag on the bridge, circa late-1945 early-1946, probably in San Francisco Bay.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
213k	View of *USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** aft from the superstructure, circa late-1945 early-1946, probably in San Francisco Bay.	John Chiquoine and Carmen Costa, courtesy Al DeSantis collection
114k	*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, March 1948	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
66k	Ex-*USS Saugatuck* (AO-75)** being moved from the James River Reserve Fleet through Hampton Roads while enroute to Bay Bridge Enterprise of Chesapeake, VA. for scrapping, 18 July 2006. Note the Norfolk, VA. skyline in th background.	Photo by Mabel Clark