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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Abatan (AW-4)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Sierra - Alpha
NASA
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
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)


Pasig Class Distilling Ship:
  • Laid down, 9 June 1944, as SS Mission San Lorenzo, a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A2) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract, (MC hull 1827) at Marinship Corp, Sausalito, CA.
  • Renamed Abatan and designated (AO-92), 25 July 1944
  • Launched, 6 August 1944
  • Redesigned as a Distilling Ship, 24 August 1944
  • Acquired by the Navy, 28 November 1944
  • Converted for Naval Service at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.
  • Commissioned USS Abatan (AW-4), 29 January 1945, LCDR. Einor N. Eriksen, USNR in command
  • During World War II USS Abatan was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Following World War II USS Abatan was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 10 October 1945 to 25 May 1946
  • Decommissioned, 27 January 1947
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1960
  • Transferred to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Reacquired and reinstated in the Naval Register, 27 September 1962, for use as a backup fresh water ship at Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 May 1970, but retained at Guantanamo Bay
  • Final Disposition, destroyed as a target 1 March 1980
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,640 t.(lt) 21,650 t.(fl)
    Length 523' 6"
    Beam 68'
    Draft 30' 10"
    Speed 15.1 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 24
    Enlisted 241
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Cargo Capacity Water 92,650 Bbls
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3'?50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity NSFO 11,580 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric turbo-electric engine
    two Babcock and Wilcox D-type boilers, 600psi 825@deg
    Ship's Service Generators
    two turbo-drive 400Kw 450V A.C.
    one turbo-drive 55Kw 120V D.C.
    one turbo-drive 200Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    single propeller, 10,000shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed By
    /Source
    Abatan 112k Stern view of USS Abatan (AW-4) in dry dock #3 at Mare Island on 23 Jan 1945. Other ships in the photo are USS New Orleans (CA-32) (You can only see her funnels) in dry dock #2 to right of Abatan and ARD-32 with USS Cod (SS-224) in her dock. ARD-32 is on the quay wall to the far right.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 610-45.
    Darryl Baker
    Abatan 108k The crew of USS Abatan (AW-4) at quarters during her commissioning ceremonies at Mare Island, 29 Jan 1945.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 691-45.
    Darryl Baker
    Abatan
    NH 83897
    103k USS Abatan (AW-4) off Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA, 18 February 1945. Her camouflage is Measure 32, Design 7AO. US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo #'s NH 83897 NH 83896, NH 83895 and Vallejo History and Naval Museum # 9047. US Naval History and Heritage Command and
    Abatan
    NH 83896
    96k
    Abatan
    NH 83895
    82k
    Abatan
    Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum # 9047
    thanks to Dave Schroeder and John Chiquoine
    82k
    Abatan 97k USS Abatan (AW-4) off Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA, 18 February 1945. The harbor tug Nepanet (YTB-189) is alongside.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 83898
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Abatan 113k USS Abatan (AW-4) at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA, 20 February 1945. Circles mark recent alterations to the ship.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 98913
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Abatan 97k View of USS Abatan (AW-4)'s aft section while at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA, 20 February 1945.
    <1>US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 98914
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Abatan 145k Plan view of USS Abatan (AW-4) looking forward from the midships' superstructure, taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, CA., 20 February 1945. Note hoses stowed by the centerline catwalk, and booms attached to the foremast.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 98912.
    US Naval Historical Center
    Abatan 128k Plan view of USS Abatan (AW-4) looking forward toward the midships' superstructure, taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, CA., 20 February 1945. Note hoses stowed by the centerline catwalk, and booms attached to the foremast.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 98910.
    US Naval Historical Center
    Abatan 167k Plan view of USS Abatan (AW-4) looking aft from amidships, taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, CA., 20 February 1945. Note hoses stowed by the centerline catwalk, and booms attached to the foremast.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 98911.
    US Naval Historical Center
    Abatan 78k USS Abatan (AW-4) anchored at Ulithi, circa, 21 March 1945 to mid-September 1945. Note LCT-928 and an unidentified LCT secured to Abatan's her port side
    US Navy photo from DANFS. She wears camouflage Measure 32, Design 7AO.
    Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Abatan 31k USS Abatan (AW-4) underway, date and location unknown. Her camouflage is Measure 32, Design 7AO. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Abatan 41k USS Abatan (AW-4) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo, courtesy Tomitch.
    Robert Hurst
    BB-44 California 138k Reserve Fleet Basin, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Pennsylvania. Photographed on 19 May 1955 with numerous cruisers, escort carriers, and auxiliaries in reserve. The nearest ship is the never-completed
    Hawaii (CB-3), which lacks her previously-installed three 12" gun turrets.
    The cruisers outboard of Hawaii are (in unknown order)
    Honolulu (CL-48),
    Columbia (CL-56),
    Denver (CL-58),
    Galveston (CL-93), and
    Portsmouth (CL-102).
    To their left are
    Tranquility (AH-14),
    Sanctuary (AH-17), and
    Pocono (AGC-16).
    Behind Hawaii (from left to right) are
    Montpelier (CL-57),
    Houston (CL-81),
    Huntington (CL-107),
    Savannah (CL-42),
    Cleveland (CL-55), and
    Wilkes-Barre (CL-103).
    Beyond them (from left to right) are
    Wichita (CA-45),
    Oregon City (CA-122),
    Chester (CA-27), and
    New Orleans (CA-32).
    The cruisers on the left side of the basin (from front to rear) are
    Minneapolis (CA-36),
    Tuscaloosa (CA-37),
    San Francisco (CA-38),
    Augusta (CA-31),
    Louisville (CA-28), and
    Portland (CA-33).
    Among the other ships in reserve in the basin are
    Fomalhaut (AE-20),
    Webster (ARV-2),
    Albemarle (AV-5),
    Tangier (AV-8),
    Pocomoke (AV-9),
    Chandeleur (AV-10),
    Abatan (AW-4),
    Mission San Carlos (AO-120),
    Prince William (CVE-31),
    Anzio (CVE-57),
    Block Island (CVE-106),
    Palau (CVE-122), and
    San Carlos (AVP-51).
    Moored in the shipyard at the extreme left are
    Tennessee (BB-43),
    California (BB-44), and
    Cabot (CVL-28).
    US National Archives Photo # 80-G-668655, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    Robert Hurst
    Abatan 125k Abatan (AW-4) and Timmerman (AG-152) laying in reserve at berths next to drydock five in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Philadelphia, PA. in 1956.
    Photo by Dave Boone and Dave Schroeder
    John Chiquoine
    Abatan 86k Abatan (AW-4) at US Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, circa 1964, while serving as water storage and desalinization ship there. Abatan is serving in non-commissioned status, with her guns and other equipment still "mothballed" under covers. Photo released for publication prior to 7 April 1964.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 98915
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Abatan 102k Abatan (AW-4) moored pierside at US Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 2 March 1964, while she was serving as water storage and desalinization ship there. The original caption states "The ship produces about two million gallons of fresh water daily.".
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 98916.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Abatan 84k Abatan (AW-4) moored pierside at US Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Navy self-propelled water barge YW-85 is under tow from Guantanamo Bay, to Ocho Rios for water, 2 March 1964.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 98917.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Abatan 953k Abatan (AW-4), at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 21 Feb 1971. © Richard Leonhardt
    Abatan 76k Abatan (AW-4) at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, circa May 1975. © Richard Leonhardt
    Abatan 89k Abatan (AW-4) moored at US Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where she serves as water and fuel storage hulk, 12 June 1978.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # KN-26984 (Color).
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Abatan 89k Aerial view of Ex-USS Abatan (AW-4) moored at US Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba off the Officer's Club ("Como Club") at Deer Point, 28 June 1979.
    US Naval History and Heritagee Command Photo # NH 98920 by PH1 Leonard L. Sallions.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command

    USS Abatan (AW-4)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Eriksen, Einor Norman, USNR29 January 1945 - 9 June 1945
    02LT. Gaboury, John David, USNR9 June 1945 - July 1945
    03LCDR. Branson, John Joseph USN (USNA 1927)July 1945 - August 1945
    04LT. Gaboury, John David, USNRAugust 1945 - December 1945
    05LCDR. Van Sand, Deter Vincent, USNRDecember 1945 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and R. A. Moody

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

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    Last Updated 15 May 2020