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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Caribou (IX-114)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Golf - Alpha
 NJGA
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 (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Philippines Liberation Medal
Armadillo Class Mobile Station Tanker:
  • Laid down, date unknown, as Nathaniel B. Palmer, a Maritime Commission type (Z-ET1-S-C3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1903), at California Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, CA.
  • Launched, 2 November 1943
  • Commissioned, USS Caribou (IX-114), 25 November 1943, at San Pedro, CA., LCDR. A. J. Nall in command
  • During World War II USS Caribou was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 18 October to 29 November 1944

  • USS Caribou pumped more than 70 million gallons of fuel to some 850 ships during her brief US Navy career
  • Decommissioned, 3 May 1946, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Transferred to the War Shipping Administration at Lee Hall VA. for disposal, 6 May 1946, name reverted to SS Nathaniel B. Palmer
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • USS Caribou earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Merchant Service
    Sold to Palmer Shipping Corp., 2 June 1948
    Converted to a dry cargo ship at Newport News Shipbuilding Corp., Newport News, VA. in 1951
    Resold in May 1952, name retained
    Ran aground in November 1952 off Buenos Aires, Argentina, while underway in ballast, refloated and repaired
    Resold to London Salvage Association in December 1952, reflagged United Kingdom
    Resold in 1962, renamed SS Manolito, reflagged Greece
    Renamed SS Manegina in November 1962
  • Final Disposition, scrapped at Savona, Italy
    Specifications:
    Displacement 14,500 t.
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 28' 4"
    Speed 11 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 13
    Enlisted 103
    Cargo Capacity 8,500DWT
    Oil 63,000 Bbls
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount
    eight 20mm AA guns
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 13,700 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
    two Babcock and Wilcox boilers, 225psi 450°
    three recip-drive 20Kw 120v D.C. Ships' Service Generators
    one propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    United States Maritime Commission
    Gemsbok
    094611702    		 140k United States Maritime Commission Tanker Design Z-ET-1-S-C3.
    US National Archives photo thanks to Auke Visser's Famous T-Tanker Pages     		 
    USS Caribou (IX-114)
    Caribou
    094611403    		 178k
    Namesake
    Caribou - is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to Arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of northern Europe, Siberia, and North America.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Jaguar 181k Liberty Ships fitting out at California Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, CA., 25 November 1943. From left to right:
    Dry Cargo Ships
    SS John A. Roebling
    SS Ralph A. Cram
    Armadillo Class Mobile Station Tankers
    Caribou (IX-114)- ex SS Nathaniel B. Palmer
    Elk (IX-115) - SS William Winter
    Gazelle (IX-116)- SS Cyrus K. Holliday
    Gemsbok (IX-117) - SS Carl R. Gray
    Giraffe (IX-118) - SS Sanford B. Dole
    Ibex (IX-119) - SS Nicholas Longworth
    Jaguar (IX-120) - SS Charles T. Yerkes     		Gerard Mueller-Debus
    Caribou 87k USS Caribou (IX-114) probably under way in San Francisco Bay in early 1946 on her way from Guam to Norfolk, VA., for decommissioning.
    US Navy photo NH 84199, courtesy of D. M. McPherson, 1976.    		 Mike Green
    Merchant Service
    Caribou 76k The Greek flagged SS Manegina under way, date and location unknown. Gerhard Muller-Debus
    USS Caribou (IX-114)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    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 Back To The Service Ship Type Index Back To The Miscellaneous Auxiliary (IX) Ship Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 9 July 2021