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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Gazelle (IX-116)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Golf - Hotel
 NJGH
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1)
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal
Armadillo Class Mobile Station Tanker:
  • Laid down, 11 October 1943, as SS Cyrus K. Holliday, a Maritime Commission type (Z-ET1-S-C3) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1905), at California Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, CA.
  • Launched, 9 November 1943
  • Commissioned, USS Gazelle (IX-116), 29 November 1943, at San Pedro, CA., LT. Joseph P. Marshall in command
  • During World War II USS Gazelle was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Marshall Islands operation
    Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 2 to 8 February 1944
    Occupation of Eniwetok Atoll, 18 to 26 February 1944
  • Following World War II Gazelle performed occupation duty in the Far East, remaining at Jensen Ko, Korea as a unit of the Korean Service Group
  • Decommissioned, 9 May 1946, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal, 10 May 1946, name reverted to SS Cyrus K. Holliday
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 21 May 1946
  • USS Gazelle earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Merchant Service
    Sold in May 1948 by the Maritime Commission to Intercontinental Steamship Corp., renamed SS Evistar, US flagged
    Renamed SS Chrysstar in 1949, same owner
    Sold in 1950 to Liberian Shipping Inc., Monrovia, Liberian flagged, renamed SS Chrysanthy
    Converted in 1955 to a dry cargo ship at Antwerp, renamed SS Rhapsody
    Reflagged Greek flag in 1955
    Renamed SS Fos in 1960, same owner.
    Sold in 1966 to Trans-Pacific Shipping Co, renamed SS Pacific Logger, Liberian flagged
  • Final Disposition, sold to Taiwan breakers and scrapped at Kaohsiung in September 1968
    Specifications:
    Displacement 14,500 t.
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 28' 4"
    Speed 11.5 kts
    Complement
    Officers 12
    Enlisted 103
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount
    eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity 8,500 DWT
    Oil 63,000 bbls
    Fuel Capacity NSFO 13,700 Bbls
    Propulsion
    Joshua Hendy Ironworks vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
    two Babcock and Wilcox boilers, 220psi 450°
    three recip-drive 20Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single 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 Gazelle (IX-116)
    Gazelle
    094611602    		 106k
    Namesake
    Gazelle - a swift animal able to run at bursts of speed as high as 60 mph or run at a sustained speed of 30 mph. Gazelles are found mostly in the deserts, grasslands, and savannas of Africa; but they are also found in southwest and central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.    		 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
    Merchant Service
    Gazelle 61k Ex USS Gazelle (IX-116) in commercial service as SS Fos, date and location unknown.
    ©Alex Duncan.    		 David Nixon and
    Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USS Gazelle (IX-116)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Marshall, Joseph P.USNR29 November 1943 - 18 April 1944
    02LT. Hodgkins, Wyman W. USNR18 April 1944 - 17 May 1944
    03LT. Koeller, John B.USNR17 May 1944 - 1 November 1945
    04LT. Evans, Frank BowenUSNR1 November 1945 - 9 May 1946
    Courtesy Russ Taylor
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Web Sites and Items of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Ship's History and Miscellaneous Items of Interest
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Ship Type Index Back To The Miscellaneous Auxiliary (IX) Ship Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 9 July 2021