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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Nespelen (AOG-55)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Zulu - Tango
 NCZT
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (6-Cuba) - American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal - Antarctic Service Medal (4) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba)
Patapsco Class Gasoline Tanker:
  • Laid down, 28 August 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (T1-MT-M1) tanker hull, under a Maritime Commission contract, at Cargill, Inc., Savage, MN.
  • Launched, 10 April 1945
  • Commissioned USS Nespelen (AOG-55), 9 August 1945, at Naval Repair Base, Algiers, LA., LT. Thomas W. Purcell, USNR, in command
  • Decommissioned, 1 July 1975, at Navel Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia
  • Laid up in the Reserve Fleet
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1975
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration for disposal; sold by MARAD, 24 March 1976
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping to Union Minerals & Alloys in March, 1976
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,850 t.(lt) 4,335 t.(fl)
    Length 310' 9"
    Beam 48' 6"
    Draft 15' 8"
    Speed 14 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
    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
    Ships 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
    Nespelen 373k USS Nespelen (AOG-55) heading downstream on the Mississippi River at Lock No. 15, 16 July 1945.
    US Army Corps of Engineers photo # 601-121-41    		 John Fitzgerald
    Nespelen 48k USS Nespelen (AOG-55) underway, circa March 1955 Photo by Larry Bohn
    Nespelen 92k USS Nespelen (AOG-55) underway, date and location unknown. Paul Gryniewicz
    Courtesy Larry Sullivan
    Nespelen 52k USS Nespelen (AOG-55) at anchor, Dockyard Creek, Malta in March 1970. Photo by Anthony Vella
    Nespelen 157k USS Nespelen (AOG-55) underway, date and location unknown. Paul Gryniewicz
    Courtesy Larry Sullivan
    Nespelen 47k USS Nespelen (AOG-55) underway, date and location unknown. Paul Gryniewicz
    Courtesy Larry Sullivan
    Nespelen 144k USS Nespelen (AOG-55) underway, date and location unknown. Paul Gryniewicz
    Courtesy Larry Sullivan
    Nespelen 144k USS Nespelen (AOG-55) underway, date and location unknown. Paul Gryniewicz
    Courtesy Larry Sullivan
    Nespelen 55k USS Nespelen (AOG-55) and USS Noxubee (AOG-56) moored at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, VA. for decommissioning, 1 July 1975. SFC Peter Messineo USS Nespelen 1974-75
    Nespelen 62k
    View the USS Nespelen (AOG-55)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Avgas, Mogas and Jet Fuel - The Story of the Patapsco Class Gasoline Tankers
    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
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 29 May 2009