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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Platte (AO-186)

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Foxtrot - Yankee
 NJFY
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Snake Eyes
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Joint Meritorious Unit Award - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (3)
Second Row - National Defense Service Medal - Southwest Asia Service Medal - Armed Forces Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation - Coast Guard SOS Ribbon - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Cimarron Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 2 February 1981, at Avondale Shipyards, New Orleans, LA.
  • Launched, 30 January 1982
  • Commissioned USS Platte (AO-186), 16 April 1983, CDR. James, L. Norton USN in command
  • Decommissioned, 30 June 1999
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 30 June 1999
  • Title transfer to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 29 November 2001 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 25 September 2014, to Southern Recycling, Amelia, LA, withdrawn for the Reserve Fleet, 4 November 2014
    Specifications:
    Displacement 11,482 t.(lt) 36,814 t.(fl)
    Length 708'
    Beam 88'
    Draft 32' (max.)
    Speed 20 kts.
    Complement
    15 Officers
    318 Enlisted
    Armament
    two Phalanx CIWS systems
    Cargo Capacity 180,000 barrels petroleum products, 600 tons ammunition
    Propulsion
    two boilers
    one steam turbine
    single propeller, 24,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Platte
    091902450    		 160k
    Namesake
    Platte - The Platte River is a major river in the State of Nebraska. It is about 310 miles long; measured to its farthest source via its tributary the North Platte River, it flows for over 1,050 miles. The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, which itself is a tributary of the Mississippi River which flows to the Gulf of Mexico. The Platte over most of its length is a broad, shallow, meandering stream with a sandy bottom and many islands—a braided stream.(Wikipedia)
    "Encampment along the Platte", painting by Worthington Whittredge (1820-1910)
    Platte River watershed with tributaries, by Shannon 1, based on USGS National Map and NASA SRTM data.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Platte 178k Christening of Platte (AO-186) by Mrs. Nancy Inman, wife of Adm. Bobby R. Inman, USN, 30 January 1982, at Avondale Shipyards, New Orleans, LA. Dale Hargrave
    Platte 1558k Platte (AO-186) launching, 30 January 1982, at Avondale Shipyards, New Orleans, LA.
    US Defenseimagery.mil photo VIRIN: DN-SN-82-0834    		 Robert Hurst
    Platte 114k Platte (AO-186) underway, date and location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    Platte 68k
    Platte 46k USS Platte (AO-186) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		  
    Platte 228k USS Platte (AO-186) at anchor off Staten Island in New York harbor, 3 July 1986 during the Statue of Liberty Centennial celebration. Photo by ©Marc Piché Vercheres, Quebec, Canada. TJ Tropea, Courtesy Marc Piché
    Platte
    091918620    		 251k USS Platte (AO-186) refueling the West German destroyer FGS Hessen (D184). 1 September 1986. during NATO exercise “Northern Wedding '86”.
    U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Identifier (NAID) 6418549    		 Robert Hurst
    Platte 228k USS Platte (AO-186) alongside USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) during an underway replenishment, mid-Atlantic, January 1989. Photos by Bob Royes
    Platte 95k
    Platte 68k USS Platte (AO-186) at anchor in the harbor at Marseille, France, 14 October 1996. Photo by Guy Schaeffer, Collection Paolo Marsan
    Platte 39k USS Platte (AO-186) underway in the Gulf of Mexico, date unknown Robert Hurst
    Platte 361k USS Platte (AO-186) under way, 1 October 1984, location unknown.
    Defenseimagery.mil photo VIRIN: DN-SC-87-08428 a US Navy photo by PH2 Kenny Bates    		 Robert Hurst
    Platte 142k USS Platte (AO-186) getting underway from Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, at Puerto Rico, after switchboard fire to allow USS Monongahela (AO-178) access to the pier in 1994. Note that the ship had been "jumboized", as a 35.7m long section was added 1990-1992.
    Photo courtesy of Barbara Babb ENC(SW) (ret) USS Platte A-Gang LCPO.    		 Robert Hurst
    Platte 782k Stern view of USS Platte (AO-186) moored at Marseille, France, date unknown. Photo by Philippe Gonzales
    Platte 68k USS Platte (AO-186) under way, date and location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    Platte
    091918619    		 203k USS Platte (AO-186) underway off Norfolk, VA., date unknown.
    ©Nobe Smith    		 Nicholas Tiberio
    Platte 173k Ex-USS Platte (AO-186) being dismantled at Southern Recycling, Amelia, LA., December 2014. Photos by Glen Daigrepont
    Platte 215k
    There is no history available for USS Platte (AO-186) at NavSource
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Norton, James Larry, USN16 April 1983 - 21 June 1985
    02CDR. Vtipil, Donald Sheridan, USN (USNA 1968)21 June 1985 - 1 May 1987
    03CDR. Perry, James Smith1 May 1987 - 14 April 1989
    04CDR. Hope, Roger Keith, USN (USNA 1971)14 April 1989 - 19 May 1991
    05CDR. Elliot Jr., William Edward, USN19 May 1991 - 28 March 1993
    06CDR. Lamboni, Mark Wallace, USN (USNA 1975)28 March 1993 - 28 January 1995
    07CDR. Warner, Robert Saunders, USN28 January 1995 - 19 September 1996
    08CDR. Galvin, Beulah Clare19 September 1996 - 27 March 1998
    09CDR. Looney, Donna Marie27 March 1998 - 30 June 1999
    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 Database
    Cimarron-Class Booklet of General Plans
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 18 November 2022