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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Kalamazoo (AOG-30)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Victor - Charlie
 NHVC

USS Kalamazoo (AOG-30) was manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Philippine Liberation Medal

USS Kalmazoo (AOG-30) was transferred to Colombia, renamed ARC Blas de Lezo (BT-62)
Mettawee Class Gasoline Tanker:
  • Laid down, 7 July 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (T1-M-A2) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1527 at East Coast Shipyards Inc., Bayonne, N.J.
  • Launched, 30 August 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission, 7 October 1944
  • Commissioned USS Kalamazoo (AOG-30), 14 October 1944, at New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N,Y., LT. Walter Pierson, Jr., USCG, in command
  • During World War II USS Kalamazoo was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Decommissioned, 18 May 1946, at Mobile, AL.
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal
  • Transferred, 26 November 1947, to Colombia, renamed ARC Blas de Lezo (BT-62)
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 846 t.(lt) 2,270 t.(fl)
    Length 220' 6"
    Beam 37'
    Draft 17'
    Speed 10 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 8
    Enlisted 54
    Largest Boom Capacity 4 t.
    Armament
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    two single 40mm AA gun mounts
    three single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity 1,365 DWT
    Oil 12,200 Bbls
    Propulsion
    Fairbanks Morse 37E16 Diesel, direct drive
    Ship's Service Generators
     one Diesel-drive 40Kw 120V D.C.
     two Diesel-drive 75Kw 120V D.C.
    single propeller, 800shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    ARC Blas de Lezo (BT-62)
    Kalamazoo 62k Ex-USS Kalamazoo (AOG-30) under way, circa 1948 while in Colombian service as ARC Blas de Lezo (BT-62) Robert Hurst
    Kalamazoo 210k ARC Blas de Lezo (BT-62), moored, date and location unknown.
    Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 45342         		Mike Green
    Kalamazoo (AOG-30)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Pierson Jr., Walter, USCG14 October 1944 - 31 October 1945
    01LT. Michaels, Charles, USCG31 October 1945 - 18 May 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Fleet Tankers Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Gasoline Tanker (AOG) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 14 April 2017