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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USNS Kawishiwi (T-AO-146)
ex
 USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) (1955 - 1978)

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - November - Quebec - Delta
 NNQD
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (3) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Vietnam, 3-Korea, 1-Op Frequent Wind)
Third Row - Vietnam Service Medal (8) - Humanitarian Service Medal (1-Frequent Wind) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Neosho Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 5 October 1953, at New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.
  • Launched, 11 December 1954
  • Commissioned USS Kawishiwi (AO-146), 6 July 1955, CAPT. Joseph B. Swain in command
  • During the Vietnam War USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnam Defense
    21 to 24 December 1965    		 Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
    1 to 3 November 1969
    9 to 14 November 1969
    4 to 19 December 1969
    23 December 1969 to 5 January 1970
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    25 December 1965 to 2 January 1966
    13 to 27 January 1966
    14 to 15 February 1966
    2 to 9 April 1966
    14 to 24 April 1966
    7 to 19 May 1966
    15 to 21 June 1966    		 Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    10 to 22 September 1970
    28 September to 11 October 1970
    18 to 24 October 1970
    2 to 3 November 1970
    15 to 29 November 1970
    1 to 3 January 1971
    7 to 14 January 1971
    20 to 27 January 1971
    10 to 13 February 1971
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    1 to 6 June 1967
    17 to 30 June 1967
    11 to 18 July 1967
    5 to 11 August 1967
    25 August to 4 September 1967
    26 September to 10 October 1967
    6 to 9 October 1968    		 Consolidation II
    11 to 15 February 1972
    23 February 1 March 1972
    7 to 16 March 1972
    27 to 29 March 1972
    Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    18 July to 4 August 1969
    10 to 24 August 1969
    25 September to 10 October 1969
    19 to 28 October 1969    		 Vietnam Ceasefire
    30 March to 3 April 1972
    17 April to 1 May 1972
    19 to 31 May 1972
    10 to 17 June 1972
    26 June to 6 July 1972
    14 to 25 July 1972
    9 to 21 August 1972
    5 to 9 September

  • Decommissioned, circa 1978
  • Assigned to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) and placed in service as USNS Kawishiwi (T-AO-146)
  • Placed out of service, (date unknown)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 7 November 1994
  • Title transfer to MARAD, 1 May 1999, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
  • USS Kawishiwi earned eight campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 11,600 t.(lt), 38,000 t.(fl)
    Length 655'
    Beam 86'
    Draft 35'
    Speed 20 kts.
    Cargo Capacity 180,000 bbls
    Complement
    Commissioned USS 324
    In Service USNS 106 Civilian Mariners, 21 Navy
    Armament
    two single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts
    six twin 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    Propulsion two geared turbines, two boilers, two shafts, 28,000 shaft horsepower
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Kawishiwi (AO-146)
    Kawishiwi 1050k USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) underway off Oahu, T.H., 29 October 1958 while refueling USS Fessenden (DER-142).
    US Navy BuAer photo # 039077, Altitude 50', Date 10-28-58, Camera F56, 8.25 F.L. Time 2200z.    		 David Buell
    165k USS Kawishiwa (AO-146) conducting an underway replenishment (UNREP) with USSRogers (DD-876) and USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) Robert M. Cieri
    Kawishiwi 88k USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) at Naval Station Subic Bay, PI, January 1965. USS Archerfish (AGSS-311) is in the foreground Allen R. Vaughan QM2(SS) USS Archerfish (SS-AGSS-311)
    Kawishiwi 82k USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) at Pearl Harbor, HI, October 1968 © Richard Leonhardt
    Rochester 165k USS Rochester (CA-124) moving in to refuel from USS Kawishiwi (AO-146), August 1956 Dale C. Haskin
    Kawishiwi 83k USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) refueling USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) and USS Turner Joy (DD-951), 23 April 1964.
    US Navy photo USN 1097351 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Kawishiwi 1238k USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) refueling USS Floyd B. Parks (DD-884) and USS Orleck (DD-886), date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo USN 1039817.    		 David Buell
    Kawishiwi 268k USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) drops away after refueling USS Evans (DE-1023) during a WESTPAC deployment in July 1967. Photo taken from USS Evans. Photo by Darryl Baker
    Kawishiwi 83k USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) at Pier H, Pearl Harbor, HI, 17 May 1969. © Richard Leonhardt
    Kawishiwi 116k USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) underway, in 1971, location unknown. Robert M. Cieri in honor of his brother CWO3 Harry Michael Cieri, USN Ret. USS Kawishiwi December 1968 to January 1972
    Kawishiwi 63k USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) refueling a Missouri class battleship, date and location unknown.
    DOD photo # DNSN9304062    		 Defense News Service
    Kawishiwi 93k USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) refueling a Missouri class battleship, date and location unknown.
    DOD photo # DNSN9304061    		 Defense News Service
    Kawishiwi 82k USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) refueling USS Ranger (CV-61), overhead view, date and location unknown.
    DOD photo # DNSC9305045    		 Defense News Service
    Kawishiwi 78k USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) refueling USS Ranger (CV-61), date and location unknown.
    DOD photo # DNSC9305047    		 Defense News Service
    Kawishiwi 79k USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) refueling USS Ranger (CV-61), date and location unknown.
    DOD photo # DNSC9305048    		 Defense News Service
    Kawishiwi 58k USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) underway, date and location unknown.
    DOD photo # DNSC9203568    		 Defense News Service
    USNS Kawishiwi (T-AO-146)
    Kawishiwi 66k USNS Kawishiwi (T-AO-146) underway, date and location unknown. Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USN Ret.
    Kawishiwi 70k USNS Kawishiwi (T-AO-146) stern fueling station hose rig. Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USN Ret.
    Kawishiwi 89k USNS Kawishiwi (T-AO-146) in bound from sea in San Diego Bay, looking forward from the bridge, date unknown. Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USN Ret.
    Kawishiwi 1635k A port bow view of USNS Kawishiwi (T-AO-146) with fuel lines extended to the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) during underway replenishment (UNREP), 1 October 1986. The Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate USS Lewis B. Puller (FFG-23) can be seen outboard.
    DOD photo # DN-SC-85-06871 PACIFIC OCEAN (1 October 1983) a US Navy photo by PHAN B. Collins. now in the collections of Defense Imagery.mil.    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Kawishiwi 1446k An aerial view of USNS Kawishiwi (T-AO-146), center, the battleship USS Missouri (BB-63), left, and the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) participating in an underway replenishment (UNREP), 25 July 1986. The guided missile frigate USS Ramsey (FFG-2) is in the background.
    DOD photo # DN-SC-87-09275 PACIFIC OCEAN (25 July 1986) a US Navy photo by PH3 Hensley now in the collections of Defense Imagery.mil.    		 Robert M. Cieri
    View the USS / USNS Kawishiwi (AO-146 / T-AO-146)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
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    Last Updated 6 February 2009