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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Rio Grande (AOG-3)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Mike - Juliet NUMJ

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 - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Second Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Korean Service Medal - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Patapsco Class Gasoline Tanker:

Laid down, 30 June 1942, as a Maritime Commission type (T1-MT-M1) tanker hull, under a Maritime Commission contract at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co., Seattle, WA.

Launched, 23 September 1942

Commissioned USS Rio Grande (AOG-3), 10 April 1943, LCDR. Lawrence J. Hasse USNR in command

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

Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Western New Guinea operation Supporting and consolidating operations designated by Com 7th Flt, 15 September to 15 November 1944

Decommissioned, 28 June 1946

Laid up in the Reserve Fleet

Recommissioned, 12 October 1950, at Norfolk, VA., LT. Milton L. Elchinger USN in command

USS Rio Grande was assigned to Occupation and China service in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
8 to 13 February 1953	8 to 13 February 1953

Decommissioned, 6 January 1956

Laid up, 18 March 1960, in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA.

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

Custody transferred to MARAD, 30 June 1960, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 7 February 1972 to General Metals, Tacoma, WA., delivered 3 March 1972

Specifications:
Displacement 1,850 t.(lt) 4,335 t.(fl)
Length 310' 9"
Beam 48' 6"
Draft 15' 8"
Speed 14 kts.

Complement

Officers 9

Enlisted 124

Largest Boom Capacity 3 t.

Armament

four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose guns

twelve single 20mm AA gun mounts

Cargo Capacity 2,010 DWT

Oil 1,000 Bbls

Gasoline 667,000 Gals

Fuel Capacity

Diesel 2,240 Bbls

Propulsion

two General Motors Diesel 16-278A 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
	51k	*USS Rio Grande* (AOG-3)** underway, date and location unknown.		Robert Hurst

USS Rio Grande (AOG-3)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Hasse, Lawrence John, USNR	10 April 1943 - 26 June 1943
02	LT. Dillon Jr., Daniel, USNR	26 June 1943 - 1 June 1944
03	LT. Lawton, Thomas Paul, USNR	1 June 1944 - 1 July 1945
04	LTjg. Cooper, Neil Stewart, USNR	1 July 1945 - 1 November 1945
	Decommissioned	28 June 1946 - 12 October 1950
05	LT. Elchinger, Milton Lee, USN	12 October 1950 - ?


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

Back to the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page

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Back To The Gasoline Tanker (AOG) Photo Index

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 2 December 2015