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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Kalamazoo (AOR-6)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Zulu - Oscar
NKZO

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation
Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Second Row - Navy Unit Commendation - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (2)
Third Row - Navy Expeditionary Service Medal (1-Iran/Indian Ocean, 5-Lebanon) - National Defense Service Medal - Southwest Asia Service Medal

Wichita Class Replenishment Oiler:

Laid down, 1 October 1970, at General Dynamics Corp., Quincy, MA.

Launched, 1 November 1972

Commissioned USS Kalamazoo (AOR-6), 11 August 1973, CAPT. John Henry Bres in command

Decommissioned, 16 August 1996

Title transfer to the Maritime Administration (MARAD)

Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 29 October 1998

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, to Esco Marine, Brownsville, TX. for $1,465,726, announced by MARAD 15 July 2008, Removed from the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, 30 September 2008

Specifications:
Displacement 14,048 t.(lt) 39,790 t.(fl)
Length 659'
Beam 96'
Draft 37' (max.)
Speed 20 kts.
Complement

Officers 34

Enlisted 463
Armament

two Phalanx Close-In-Weapons System (CIWS)

Sparrow Missile System (NSSMS)
Aircraft two CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters
Propulsion

two steam turbines

three boilers

twin propellers, 32,000shp

Size	Image Description	Source
59k	*USS Kalamazoo* (AOR-6)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Kalamazoo (AOR-6) web site
67k	*USS Kalamazoo* (AOR-6) refueling USS Richmond K Turner (CG-20)**, North Atlantic, October 1975	© Richard Leonhardt
64k	*USS Kalamazoo* (AOR-6)** at Barcelona, Spain, 12 July 1980	Photo by Fabio Peña
121k	*USS Kalamazoo* (AOR-6)** moored pierside, date and location unknown. US Navy from "NAVSEA Journal."	Bob Bush
53k	*USS Kalamazoo* (AOR-6)** underway, date and location unknown.	Robert Hurst
143k	Aerial view of *USS Kalamazoo* (AOR-6) replenishing the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68), the guided missile destroyer USS Richard D Byrd (DDG-23) and the guided missile cruiser USS Josephus Daniels (CG-27), 5 February 1987. The ships are part of Carrier Group Eight*. Defense Visual Information Center photo # DN-SC-87-03840*, a US Navy photo by PH1 Ron Beno now in the collections of the Defense Visual Information Center.	Bill Gonyo
1454k	A starboard view of the aircraft carrier *USS John F. Kennedy* (CV-67) and the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) and their escorts underway off the coast of Beirut, Lebanon, 5 February 1987. The escorts are, from front to back: the frigate USS W.S. Sims (FF-1059) replenishment oilers USS Savannah (AOR-4) and USS Kalamazoo (AOR-6) and the guided missile destroyer USS Richard E. Byrd (DDG-23)*. Defense Visual Information Center photo # DN-ST-87-04835*, by PH1 Ron Beno, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the Defense Visual Information Center.	Bill Gonyo
85k	*USS Kalamazoo* (AOR-6)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from the collections of the US Navy Memorial.	Stan Svec

There is no DANFS history available for USS Kalamazoo (AOR-6) at NavSource

For more photos and information about USS Kalamazoo, see;
U.S. Navy Oilers
Commanding Officers

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 4 November 2011