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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Patapsco (AOG-1)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Echo - Bravo NAEB

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Fourth Row - Korea Service Medal (1) - Vietnam Service Medal (7) - Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry)
Fifth Row - United Nations Korea Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Patapsco Class Gasoline Tanker:

Laid down, 25 May 1942, as a Maritime Commission type (T1-MT-M1) tanker hull, under a Maritime Commission contract at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp., Seattle, WA.

Launched, 18 August 1942

Commissioned USS Patapsco (AOG-1), 4 February 1943, LT. Archie J. Church in command

During World War II USS Patapsco was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Gilbert Islands operation, 20 November to 8 December 1943

Following World War II USS Patapsco was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 20 December 1945 to 8 February 1946

Decommissioned, 29 May 1946, at New Orleans, LA.

Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group, Orange

Recommissioned, 19 October 1950

During the Korean War USS Patapsco participated in the following campaign:

Campaign and Dates
Korean War Campaign
Second Korean Winter, 30 April 1952

Decommissioned, 29 June 1955, at Astoria, OR.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1960

Reinstated in the Naval Register in 1965

Recommissioned, 18 June 1966

During the Vietnam War USS Patapsco participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Vietnam War Campaigns
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II 24 January to 18 February 1967	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI 11 December 1968 to 22 February 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III 22 October to 27 December 1967 27 to 29 January 1967	Tet69/Counteroffensive 23 February to 15 March 1969 2 April to 3 May 1969 9 May to 8 June 1969
Tet Counteroffensive 30 January to 1 April 1968	Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 9 to 25 June 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV 2 April 1968

Decommissioned, 2 September 1969

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 August 1974

USS Patapsco earned one battle star for her World War II service, one battle star for Korean War service and seven campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Custody transferred to MARAD

Sold by MARAD, 1 November 1979, converted into the fishing trawler Arctic Storm

Current Disposition, active as part of the Arctic Storm Management Group fishing fleet

Specifications:
Displacement 1,850 t.(lt) 4,335 t.(fl)
Length 310' 9"
Beam 48' 6"
Draft 15' 8"
Speed 15.5 kts.

Complement

Officers - 8

Enlisted - 116

Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.

Armament

four 3"/50 dual purpose guns

twelve single 20mm AA gun mounts

Cargo Capacity 2,210 DWT

Oils - 7,975 Bbls

Gasoline - 410,500 Gals

Fuel Capacity Diesel - 2,240 Bbls

Propulsion

four 980 hp 12-278A General Motors Diesel-electric engines

single Fairbanks Morse Main Reduction Gears
Ship's Service Generators
two Diesel-drive 225Kw 120V/240V D.C.
one Diesel-drive 10Kw 240V D.C.

two propellers, 3,300shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS Patapsco (AOG-1)
09200110	227k	*Namesake* Patapsco - The Patapsco River mainstem is a 39-mile-long river in central Maryland which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The river's tidal portion forms the harbor for the city of Baltimore. With its South Branch, the Patapsco forms the northern border of Howard County, Maryland. The name "Patapsco" is derived from the Algonquian pota-psk-ut, which translates to "backwater" or "tide covered with froth. (Wikipedia) *Photo* - Patapsco river, Patapsco Valley State Park, Catonsville, Baltimore, Maryland, 2004. ©Fritz Geller-Grimm *Map* - Patapsco River Watershed. ©Karl Musser	Tommy Trampp
	53k	Patapsco (AOG-1) launching at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp., Yard, Seattle, WA., 18 August 1942. US Navy Bureau of Ships photo, by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp, courtesy Turner Richards Studio from Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages	Robert Hurst
	55k	Patapsco (AOG-1) moored pierside after launching at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp., Yard, Seattle, WA., 18 August 1942. US Navy Bureau of Ships photo, by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp, courtesy Turner Richards Studio from Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages	Robert Hurst
	97k	Patapsco (AOG-1) at the fitting our pier, Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp., Yard, Seattle, WA., December 1942. US Navy Bureau of Ships photo, by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp, courtesy Turner Richards Studio from Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages	Robert Hurst
	96k		Robert Hurst
	25k	*USS Patapsco* (AOG-1)** under way, date and location unknown.	Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
	86k	Caption for this photo reads "The fleet oiler *Patapsco* does not look much like a carrier, but the 112 men aboard are starting to feel like they're aboard one. For the last six months the ship has been launching pilotless drones for U.N. ships in the war zone to sharpen they're shooting eyes on." US Navy photo.	Contributed by Jon Stacy, source Honolulu Star-Bulletin, from November 25, 1952.
09200111	124k	*USS Patapsco* (AOG-1)** at anchor off Cua Viet, Vietnam, in 1967. Kenneth Fuller Collection. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # 2014.54.01	Robert Hurst
	149k	*USS Patapsco* (AOG-1)** under way, at sea off Diamond Head, Oahu, Hawaii. circa 1966-1969. US Navy photo.	Robert Hurst
	96k	*USS Patapsco* (AOG-1)** under way, date and location unknown.	Paul Gryniewicz Courtesy Larry Sullivan
Commercial Service
	59k	Ex-Patapsco (AOG-1) underway in commercial service as the fishing trawler *Arctic Storm*, date and location unknown. Photo courtesy Turner Richards Studio from Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages	Robert Hurst

USS Patapsco (AOG-1)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Church, Archie Joseph, USN	4 February 1943 - 7 January 1944
02	LCDR. Bale, John Hardin, USN	7 January 1944 - 8 June 1944
03	LT. Miles, Marcus Lucius, USNR	8 June 1944 - 10 April 1945
04	LT. Lee, Florn Lamar, USN	10 April 1945 - 1 November 1945
05	LT. Warner, Vernon Lee, USN	1 November 1945 - 29 May 1946
	Decommissioned	29 May 1946 - 19 October 1950
06	LT. Simonton, Robert Louis, USNR	19 October 1950 - 12 June 1951
07	LT. Ginther, Roy Lee, USN	12 June 1951 - 23 August 1952
08	LT. Downing, James, USNR	23 August 1952 - 17 January 1955
09	LCDR. Wellsman, Howard Clyde, USN	17 January 1955 - 29 June 1955
	Decommissioned	29 June 1955 - 18 June 1966
10	LT. Amick, Carl William, USN	18 June 1966 - 1 September 1967
11	LT. Smith, Larry Leroy, USN	1 September 1967 - 1969
12	LCDR. Haskins, John Bryant, USN	1969 - 2 September 1969


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

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 20 October 2023