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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Patch at left contributed by Don McGrogan BMCS USN (Ret.) - Popular Patch at right by Fred D. Reburn Jr. USS Cossatot

USNS Cossatot (T-AO-77)
ex
 Cossatot (AO-77) (1947 - 1949)
 USS Cossatot (AO-77) (1943 - 1946)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - kilo - Hotel - Kilo
 NKHK
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe African Middle Eastern Campaigns Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (2) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Suamico Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 28 February 1943, as ST Fort Necessity, a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A1) tanker hull under Maritime Commission contract, (MC hull 307) at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.
  • Launched, 28 February 1943
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission, 17 May 1943
  • Commissioned USS Cossatot (AO-77), 20 April 1943, CDR. P. G. Beck, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS Cossatot (AO-77) was first assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater where she participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Okinawa Gunto operation, April to May 1945
    5th and 3d Fleet raids in support of Okinawa Gunto operation, 16 March to 15 August 1945
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 24 March to 30 June 1945     		3d Fleet operations against Japan, 17 July to 3 August 1945 and 8 to 15 August 1945

  • Following World War II USS Cossatot was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 8 September to 13 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 7 March 1946, at San Francisco, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 20 March 1946
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission for lay up, 26 October 1946, in the National Defense Reserve Fleet Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Withdrawn from reserve, 23 October 1947, for operation under GAA contract by Pacific Tankers for the Naval Transportation Service as Cossatot (AO-77)
  • Absorbed into the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) 1 October 1949, as USNS Cossatot (T-AO-77)
  • Placed out of service and transferred to the Maritime Administration, 12 September 1974, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 18 September 1974
  • USS Cossatot (AO-77) earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 2 September 1975, to Luria Bros and Co. (PD-X-998) for $302,250. Withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet, 17 October 1975 and delivered to River Development Corp., Kearny, N.J., arrived 19 October 1975
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,782 t.(lt) 22,380 t.(lim)
    Length 520'
    Beam 68'
    Draft 30' 10" (lim)
    Speed 15.3 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 21
    Enlisted 209
    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
    Largest boom capacity> 10 tons
    Fuel Capacity 9,235 Bbls NSFO
    Cargo Capacity
    Oil 120,000 Bbls
    Gasoline 575.000 Gals
    Propulsion
    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 120V D.C.
     two turbo-drive 110Kw 120V D.C.
     one turbo-drive 50Kw 120V D.C.
    single screw. 8,000hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    USS Cossatot (AO-77)
    Cossatot 36k USS Cossatot (AO-77) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from the Donald T. Ehre Album courtesy the Destroyer Escort Historical Museum.    		 Ed Zajkowski
    Cossatot 88k USS Cossatot (AO-77) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "Jane's Fighting Ships 1954-55"    		 Robert Hurst
    Cossatot
    091907712    		 115k USS Cossatot (AO-77) refueling USS Lunga Point (CVE-94) and USS John C. Butler (DE-339), 23 February 1945 in TG52.2.3. All are in a VC/CVE group providing air cover support for operations around Iwo Jima.
    Photo from the Lunga Point 1945 cruise book.    		 John Chiquoine
    Cossatot 44k USS Cossatot (AO-77) under way, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Cossatot
    091907702
    NA 80-G-224614    		 203 USS Cossatot (AO-77) under way, in Hampton Roads, VA., 9 April 1944. Note the four PT boats being carried on her decks. The aft two PT boats are PT-306 and PT-307.
    US National Archives photos    		 Rick Davis and
    Robert Hurst
    Cossatot
    091907713
    NA 80-G-224613    		 305
    Cossatot 158k
    Cossatot 143k
    Cossatot 110k
    Cossatot 1170k USS Cossatot (AO-77) at anchor, date and location unknown. Anchored astern of Cossatot is USS Skagit (AKA-105).
    US Navy photo    		 Fred D. Reburn Jr. USS Cossatot
    Cossatot 1037k USS Cossatot (AO-77) crew photo, date and location unknown. Fred D. Reburn Jr. is in top row 5th from the left of the steel beam and cable. The Commanding Officer LCDR C. H. Glenwright USNR, is in the third row, center (not as tall as the officers on each side). Fred D. Reburn Jr. USS Cossatot
    Cossatot 1303k USS Cossatot (AO-77) first anniversary dinner menu, 20 April 1944. Fred D. Reburn Jr. USS Cossatot
    USNS Cossatot (T-AO-77)
    Cossatot 171k USNS Cossatot (T-AO-77) under way circa 1950s.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 92957. Courtesy of William H. Davis, 1981    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    USS Cossatot (AO-77)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Beck, Philip George, USNR20 April 1943 - 12 February 1944
    02LCDR. Glenwright, Charles H., USNR12 February 1944 - 10 December 1945
    03LT. Galloway, George H., USNR10 December 1945 - 7 March 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
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 26 March 2021