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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USNS Navasota (T-AO-106)
ex
USS Navasota (AO-106) (1946 - 1975)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Oscar - Papa
NHOP
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Debark (Q)uebec - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon - China Service Medal (extended)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
Third Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (Iran/Indian Ocean, Libya, Persian Gulf) - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (9)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Taiwan Straits, Korea) - Vietnam Service Medal (14) - Korean Presidential Unit Citation
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)


Cimarron Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 22 February 1945, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A3) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract, (MC hull 2702), at Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock, Chester, PA.
  • Launched, 30 August 1945
  • Commissioned USS Navasota (AO-106), 27 February 1946, CDR. Davi H. McCluskey, USN, in command
  • USS Navasota was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal

    China Service Medal (extended)
    24 August to 1 September 19465 to 16 September 1946
    21 September to 25 October 194629 to 30 October 1946
    8 to 14 January 194717 January to 4 June 1947
    15 July to 11 August 194712 to 16 August 1947
    17 to 21 August 194718 April to 22 June 1948
    25 to 27 October 194829 October to 4 November 1948
    6 to 20 November 194823 November to 29 December 1948
    30 June to 21 July 195021 August to 9 September 1950
    27 July to 20 August 195027 June to 29 July 1951
     21 July to 23 August 1952
     6 to 7 September 1954
     7 to 9 November 1954

  • During the Korean War USS Navasota (AO-106) participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North Korean Aggression
    18 to 29 September 1950
    Second Korean Winter
    24 to 30 April 1952
    Inchon Landing
    15 to 17 September 1950
    Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    1 to 9 and 15 to 29 May 1952
    12 to 26 June 1952
    7 to 16 July 1952
    9 to 20 September 1952
    29 September to 12 October 1952
    First UN Counter Offensive
    4 to 6 and 12 to 21 April 1951
    Third Korean Winter
    10 to 18 March 1953
    1 to 9 and 25 to 30 April 1953
    Communist China Spring Offensive
    25 April to 2 May 1951
    6 to 10 May 1951
    22 May to 6 June 1951
    13 to 19 June 1951
    Korea, Summer-Fall 1953
    1 to 2 and 17 to 26 May 1953
    25 to 27 July 1953
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive
    3 to 12 August 1951
    28 August to 5 September 1951
    16 to 25 September 1951
     

  • Deactivated, In Commission In Reserve, 2 December 1963 to 22 January 1965 for Jumboization at Puget Sound Bridge and Drydock Co., Plant No. 2, Harbor Island, Seattle, WA.
  • During the Vietnam War USS Navasota (AO-106) participated in the following campaigns:

    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnam Defense
    15 to 24 September 1965
    4, 6, 9 and 16 to 27 October 1965
    9 to 18 November1965
    30 November to 8 December 1965
    17 to 24 December 1965
    Tet 69/Counteroffensive
    7 to 25 April 1969
    6 to 17 May 1969
    26 May to 8 June 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    25 December 1965
    6 to 13 January 1966
    26 January to 6 February1966
    13 to 22 February 1966
    7 to 22 March 1966
    30 March to 5 April 1966
    11 to 15 April 1966
    Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    9 to 10 June 1969
    27 June to 11 July 1969
    27 to 29 July 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    30 November to 9 December 1966
    30 December 1966 to 5 January 1967
    10 to 20 February 1967
    27 February to 9 March 1967
    7 to 13 and 19 to 26 April 1967
    10 to 18 May1967
    Sanctuary Counteroffensive
    10 to 20 and 27 to 30 June 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    20 December to 29 January 1967
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    1 to 14 July 1970
    29 July to 6 August 1970
    19 August to 5 September 1970
    11 to 12 and 19 to 27 September 1970
    6 to 14 October 1970
    24 October to 2 November 1970
    8 to 12 November 1970
    Tet Counteroffensive
    30 to 31 January 1968
    24 March to 1 April 1968
    Consolidation I
    20 to 28 September 1971
    15 to 17 October 1971
    23 October to 5 November 1971
    11 to 29 November 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    10 to 22 April 1968
    8 to 17 May 1968
    23 May to 1 June 1968
    10 to 30 June 1968
    Consolidation II
    17 December 1971 to 1 January 1972
    9 to 17 and 26 to 30 January 1972
    6 to 11 and 16 to 22 February 1972
    1 to 29 March 1972
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    1 to 6 and 10 July 1968
    Vietnam Ceasefire
    30 March to 8 April 1972
    13 to 19 and 26 to 28 April 1972
    4 to 16 May 1972
    28 May to 2 June 1972

  • Decommissioned, 13 August 1975
  • Placed in service with the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as USNS Navasota (T-AO-106)
  • Placed out of service in 1991
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 2 January 1992
  • USS Navasota earned nine battle stars for Korean War service and fourteen campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS), 25 October 1995
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,236 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl)
    Length 553'
    Beam 75'
    Draft 32'
    Speed 18.3 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 22
    Enlisted 282
    Largest Boom Capacity 10t.
    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
    Cargo Capacity
    NSFO 123,700Bbls
    Gasoline 788,000Gals
    Fuel Capacity 15,000 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Bethlehem geared turbines
    four Foster and Wheeler K-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    double Falk Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
    two turbo-drive 400Kw 230V A.C.
    one Diesel-drive 150Kw 230V A.C.
    two propellers, 13,500shp
    "Jumboization" Specifications:
    Displacement 12,840 t.(lt) 33,987 t.(fl)
    Length 644"
    Draft 34' 9"

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Navasota (AO-106)
    Navasota 177k Certificate presented to Robert R. Bensfield, 20 August 1946 aboard USS Navasota (AO-106) for crossing the Equator. Tommy Trampp
    Navasota 69k USS Navasota (AO-106) refueling USS Valley Forge (CVA-45) off the coast of Korea during the Korean War in 1950. Gary Schreffler
    Navasota 111k USS Navasota (AO-106) refueling USS Electra (AKA-4) off her starboard side and USS Philippine Sea (CVA-47) off her port side, off San Diego in 1954. Photo by Donald Ravey USS Electra
    Navasota 142k USS Navasota (AO-106) refueling USS Electra (AKA-4) off her starboard side and USS Philippine Sea (CVA-47) off her port side, off San Diego in 1954. Photo by Donald Ravey USS Electra
    Navasota 66k USS Navasota (AO-106) pulling away after refueling USS Electra (AKA-4) and USS Philippine Sea (CVA-47) off San Diego in 1954. Photo by Donald Ravey USS Electra
    Navasota 67k HMAS Anzac (D-59)refueling from the port side of USS Navasota (AO-106) in the Yellow Sea south of Korea, 26 October 1957.
    Australian War Memorial, Photo No. 305588
    Mike Green
    Marshall 140k USS Navasota (AO-106) refueling the aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CVA-16) and the destroyer USS Marshall (DD-676) in the eastern Philippine Sea during the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis. Lexington, with assigned Carrier Air Group 21 (CVG-21), was deployed to the Western Pacific from 14 July to 19 December 1958. U.S. Navy photo from the USS Lexington (CVA-16) 1958 cruise book. Robert Hurst
    Navasota 109k USS Navasota (AO-106) refueling USS Oriskany (CVA-34) and USS King (DLG-10) in the South China Sea, circa early-1965. Patrick J. Audinet Sr., STG-2, USS King (DLG-10) 7/62 to 7/65.
    Navasota 46k USS Navasota (AO-106) at Puget Sound Bridge and Dry Dock Co., Seattle, WA. undergoing Jumboization.
    The following newspaper article is from the 10 January 1964 issue of The Seattle Times:
    90-ton Deckhouse Moved
    by Wayne Jacobi, Times Staff Reporter

    Bremerton, Jan. 10 --- The Puget Sound Bridge & Dry Dock Co. yesterday completed the second stage of its chunk-style conversion of the Navy oiler Navasota---with an assist from the Bremerton Naval Shipyard. The Bremerton yard's 250-ton swing crane lifted the 190-ton deckhouse from the old hull of the Navasota, swung 1t 230 feet across a pier and set it own on the new hull. The new hull, consisting of the bow of the old Navasota and a Japanese-built midbody plus the old hull were then taken back to Seattle, where the stern section of the old hull will be cut free from the old midsection and welded to the new hull. Despite high winds and slashing rain, the Navy Yard crew brought off the heavy lift without a hitch. The Navasota is the first of two such fleet oilers being "jumboized" by the Puget Sound Bridge & Dry Dock Co. The other is the Waccamaw. Both conversions are to be completed by June.The new mid-sections will increase the cargo-carrying capacities of the ships about 50 percent.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # None, courtesy Shipscribe.com.
    Robert Hurst
    Navasota
    091910635
    284k USS Navasota (AO-106) underway in Admiralty Inlet, Puget Sound, WA. running Puget Sound Bridge & Drydock builder’s trials.
    US Navy photo.
    Don Ellis USS Navasota 1963-65
    Navasota
    091910640
    234k USS Navasota (AO-106) outbound to sea from the port of San Diego, CA., date unknown.
    ©george Barber
    Nicholas Tiberio
    Navasota 65k USS Navasota (AO-106) underway in 1965, location unknown. Note UH-46A Sea Knight in foreground.
    US Navy photo.
    Robert Hurst
    Navasota
    091910636
    109k USS Navasota (AO-106) alongside USS Kity Hawk (CVA-63) during an underway replenishment in WestPac, circa 1965-66.
    Photo by ADJ3 David Elfver from USS Kitty Hawk
    Bob Canchola
    Navasota
    091910637
    302k
    Navasota 440k USS Navasota (AO-106) refueling USS Basilone (DD-824) and USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) off Vietnam, circa May 1966. Note the last deployment of CVW-5, tail code "NF", aboard Ticonderoga was in May 1966. US Navy photo. Chris Stanley and the collection of CDR Thomas B. Ray USS Essex.
    Navasota 104k USS Navasota (AO-106) under way, date and location unknown. CDR. Louis D Chirillo USN Ret
    Navasota 49k USS Navasota (AO-106) moored, pierside with USS Hamner (DD-718) at Sasebo, Japan in 1969. Photo by LT. William P. Jones MD USNR USS Niagara (AFS-3)
    Navasota 78k USS Navasota (AO-106) under way off Subic Bay, Philippines, 1969. James Furst Jr.
    Navasota 85k USS Navasota (AO-106) refueling USS Duncan (DD-874) to starboard and USS America (CVA-66) to port while underway in the South China Sea in 1970. Photo taken from Bausell (DD-845). Photo by Lee Noland STGC USN Ret. USS Bausell
    Navasota 107k USS Navasota (AO-106) refueling USS America (CVA-66) in the South China Sea during 1970. Photo taken from USS Bausell (DD-845). Photo by Lee Noland STGC USN Ret. USS Bausell
    Navasota 821k USS Navasota (AO-106) takes position as USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5) prepares to come alongside for refueling in the Gulf of Tonkin in November 1971. Photos by LTjg. Henry Walters USS Oklahoma City
    Navasota 1032k
    Navasota 1227k
    Navasota
    091910638
    524k USS Navasota (AO-106) refueling USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) and USS George K. MacKenzie (DD-836) in February 1972, location unknown.
    Photo by Dick Hanover USS Coral Sea
    Bob Canchola
    Navasota 165k USS Navasota (AO-106) alongside USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) during the carrier's 12 November 1971 to 17 July 1972 Vietnam cruise.
    Photo was likely taken before 9 April 1972, as the A-6A Intruder whose tail can be seen on the lower left corner is #505. The plane with this side number was BuNo 155652 and was shot down over Laos on said date--as far as is known by Navsource, it was not replaced during this cruise. Squadron was the US Marine Corps. All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 (AW) "Bengals". If this is actually BuNo 155652, its pilot was Maj Clyde D. Smith, who survived and was rescued after 4 days, thanks to one of the most intensive and best known SAR efforts of the war. Sadly, however, the plane's B/N, 1st Lt Scott Douglas Ketchie, apparently could not eject and was KIA,
    Dick Hanover via Jeff Kerr, USAF (Ret)
    Navasota
    091910639
    243k USS Navasota (AO-106) refueling USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) circa 1972, off the coast of Vietnam.
    Photo by Dick Hanover USS Coral Sea
    Bob Canchola
    Navasota 106k USS Navasota (AO-106) passing Point Loma while outbound to sea from San Diego, date unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    USNS Navasota (T-AO-106)
    Navasota 290k USNS Navasota (T-AO-106) under way during a Replenishment at Sea (RAS) of USS Somers (DDG-34) in 1981, location unknown. Photo taken from USS Constellation (CV-64) Photo by Paul Jarvis USS Constellation
    Navasota 197k USNS Navasota (T-AO-106) under way during a Replenishment at Sea (RAS) with USS Constellation (CV-64) in December 1981, location unknown. Photo taken from USS Constellation (CV-64) Photo by Paul Jarvis USS Constellation
    Navasota 351k
    Navasota 165k
    Navasota 104k
    Navasota 114k
    Navasota 247k
    Navasota 145k
    CV-66 America 70k Aerial view of USNS Navasota (T-AO-106) and USS America (CV-66) during an underway replenishment operation in the Indian Ocean, June 1981.
    DOD photo # DNSC8507724, a US Navy photo by PH2 Collins USN.
    Defense Visual Information Center
    Navasota
    091910608
    70k USNS Navasota (T-AO-106) underway during a Replenishment at Sea of USS Midway (CV-41) and USS England (CG-22) . Photo was taken in late 1983. (Note - Midway has SPS-48 and SPS-49 radars, but no SPS-43A and F-4 Phantoms on deck, the last F-4s deployed aboard Midway in January-March 1986). Photo # 091910608 by James Furst Jr. IC2 USN
    091910641 from USS Midway 1981 Cruise Book, Robert Hurst
    Navasota
    091910641
    125k
    Navasota 1519k USNS Navasota (T-AO-106) under way, 2 March 1987, location unknown.
    Defense Imagery photo VIRN: DN-SC-87-10707, a US Navy photo by PH3 E. Martens now in the collections of Defense Imagery.
    Robert Hurst
    Navasota 143k USNS Navasota (T-AO-106) under way in February 1991 during exercises off the coast of southern California. The fueling station forward of the bridge was removed from this class to clear more room on the bow for helicopter operations. Note the reappearance of the large bow hull numbers.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # DN-SC-92-08694, courtesy Shipscribe.com.
    Robert Hurst

    USS Navasota Miscellaneous Memorabilia
    Navasota
    Contributed by Tommy Trampp


    For more photos and information about USS / USNS Navasota, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
  • USS Navasota General Plans from the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association
  • Reactivation Program

  • Commanding Officers
    01CDR. McCluskey, Davi Henry, USN27 February 1946 - December 1946
    02CAPT. Hazen, Joseph Truman, USN (USN 1927)December 1946 - December 1947
    03CAPT. Carpenter, Harlow JesseDecember 1947 - October1948
    04CAPT. Jackson, PaulOctober 1948 - March 1950
    05CAPT. Strange Sr., Robert OrrisMarch 1950 - January 1951
    06CAPT. Peterson, Richard Ward :RADMJanuary 1951 - February 1952
    07CAPT. Lewellen, Bafford Edward :RADMFebruary 1952 - 15 August 1952
    08CAPT. Galantin, Ignatius Joseph (Pete), USN (USNA 1929) :ADM15 August 1952 - 1 July 1953
    09CAPT. Fabian, Rudolph Joseph1 July 1953 - July 1954
    10CAPT. Dingfelder, Frank Arthur :RADMJuly 1954 - July 1955
    11CAPT. Costello, Joseph Patrick :RADMJuly 1955 - August 1956
    12CAPT. Parker, Jefferson DavidAugust 1956 - September 1957
    13CAPT. Leeman, Robert WhitneySeptember 1957 - August 1958
    14CAPT. Amme Jr., Carl Henry, USN (USNA 1936)August 1958 - 23 July 1959
    15CAPT. Hessel, Edward William, USN (USNA 1937)23 July 1959 - May 1960
    16CAPT. Rogers, Leon WilliamMay 1960 - May 1961
    17CAPT. Daniels III, James GansonMay 1961 - 4 June 1962
    18CAPT. Lindbeck, John August, USN (USNA 1942)4 June 1962 - 4 June 1963
    19CAPT. McDonald, Maxwell D., USN4 June 1963 - 1 December 1963 (Jumbo Conversion)
    20LT. Hagen, Elmer Clarence, USN1 December 1963 - June 1964 (Jumbo Conversion)
    21CAPT. Smith, Charles Edward, USN (USNA 1942)June 1964 - 19 December 1965 (Reactivation)
    22CAPT. Tate, Benjamin Colonna, USN19 December 1965 - 22 January 1967
    23CAPT. Wills, James Keith, USN22 January 1967 - 22 July 1968
    24CAPT. Robbins, Spencer Everett, USN (USNA 1943)22 July 1968 - 13 November 1969
    25CAPT. Sisson, Luther Boyd, USN (USNA 1947)13 November 1969 - February 1971
    26CAPT. Marvin, Stephan Dale, USN (USNA 1947)February 1971 - June 1972
    27CAPT. Mathews, Richard LouisJune 1972 - November 1973
    28CDR. Campbell, John RichardNovember 1973 - 13 August 1975
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Fleet Tankers Association
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

    Additional Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
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    Last Updated 28 April 2023