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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AO-82 Cahaba

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Uniform - Alpha

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (8) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

Escambia Class Fleet Oiler:

Laid down, as SS Lackawapen, a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A2) tanker hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1261) at Marinship, Sausalito, CA.

Launched, 19 May 1943

Commissioned USS Cahaba (AO-82), 14 January 1944, CDR. E. H. Danesi, USNR, in command

During World War II Cahaba was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater

Decommissioned, 15 May 1946

Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 8 May 1947, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.

Withdrawn from reserve, 14 October 1947, for lease to American Petroleum Transport Corp.

Reacquired by the Navy, 5 March 1948, at Hoboken, N.J. and assigned to the Naval Transportation Service (NTS) and placed in service as Cahaba (AO-82)

Transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and place in service as USNS Cahaba (T-AO-82), 8 May 1949

Placed out of service, 19 June 1956, and laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA. Group

Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, 20 January 1956, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, TX. Group

Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)

Acquired by the US Army, 11 May 1966, for Project Powerfloat, converted to a floating power station for Vietnam service at Bender Shipbuilding and Repair Co., Mobile, AL.

Custody returned to the Maritime Administration, 30 August 1971, at Qui Nhon, Vietnam

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 30 August 1971, at Qui Nhon, Vietnam to China Tai Steel, Ltd.

Cahaba received eight battle stars for World War II service

Specifications:
Displacement 5,782 t.(lt) 21,880 t.(fl)
Length 523' 6"
Beam 68'
Draft 30' 10"
Speed 15 kts.
Complement 267
Armament

one 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount

four 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
Cargo Capacity 140,000 barrels
Propulsion turbo-electric, single screw, 8,000shp

Size	Image Description	Source
76k	Stern view of Cahaba (AO-82) at San Francisco just prior to the start of her conversion for Naval service, 6 September 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 6367-43.	Darryl Baker
188k	Cahaba (AO-82) during an underway refueling in the Pacific Ocean of the aircraft carrier Shangri-La (CV-38) off her port side and the battleship Iowa (BB-61) off her starboard side, in 1945	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
155k	Cahaba (AO-82) during an underway refueling in the Pacific Ocean of the aircraft carrier Shangri-La (CV-38) and the battleship Iowa (BB-61), in 1945	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
146k	Cahaba (AO-82) during an underway refueling in the Pacific Ocean of the aircraft carrier Shangri-La (CV-38) and the battleship Iowa (BB-61), in 1945	Gerhard Mueller-Debus

View the Cahaba (AO-82)
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center

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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Last Updated 21 September 2007