Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.


NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Ramapo (AO-12)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Golf - Papa
NUGP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon, Pearl Harbor, 7 Dec. 1941) - China Service Medal (extended) - American Defense Service Medal with fleet clasp)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Service Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal


Patoka Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 16 January 1919, under a United States Shipping Board (USSB) contact at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock, Co., Newport News, VA.
  • Launched, 11 September 1919
  • Commissioned USS Ramapo, 15 November 1919, LCDR. J. D. Smith, USNRF, in command
  • Designated (AO-12), 17 July 1920
  • USS Ramapo was at Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941
  • During World War II USS Ramapo was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Decommissioned, 10 January 1946, at San Francisco, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 21 January 1946
  • USS Ramapo earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA. for disposal, 30 June 1946
  • Merchant Service
    Sold to West Coast Transoceanic SS Line Agents, 23 April 1948
    Resold, 23 April 1948, to James Polk
    Resold, 15 November 1948, to the Mar Trade Corp.
    Re-flagged Liberian, September 1950
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,400 t.(lt) 17,820 t.(fl)
    Length 447' 10"
    Beam 60' 3"
    Draft 26' 2"(mean)
    Speed 11.2 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 18
    Enlisted 197
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Cargo Capacity Oil - 79,300 Bbls, 11,100DWT
    Armament
    two single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    four twin 20mm gun mounts
    Propulsion
    one Newport News quadruple vertical reciprocating (#13 geared turbine) engine
    four Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 200psi Sat.
    three turbo-drive 60Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 2,800shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Source
    Ramapo
    091901213
    328k
    Namesake
    Ramapo - Ramapo River is a tributary of the Pompton River, approximately 30 miles long, in southern New York and northern New Jersey.
    Tommy Trampp
    Ramapo 67k USS Ramapo (AO-12) builders place. Mark Ratto
    Ramapo 284k USS Ramapo (AO-12) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    Same as US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo NH 67864
    Jim Kurrasch
    Battleship Iowa Pacific Battleship Center
    Ramapo
    091901202
    76k USS Ramapo (AO-12) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    .
    Ramapo 17k USS Ramapo (AO-12) at anchor off Lahaina, T.H., 31 March 1938. The water is so calm and she has her cane fenders down. Photo taken from USS New Orleans (CA-32) as she is coming along side Ramapo.
    US Navy photo
    James D. McGrew
    Ramapo 12k Another view of USS Ramapo (AO-12) at anchor off Lahaina, T.H., 31 March 1938. Photo taken from USS New Orleans (CA-32) as she approaches the oiler.
    US Navy photo
    James D. McGrew
    Ramapo 28k USS Ramapo (AO-12) underway in Chinese waters, date unknown. Jeff Schwarm
    Chicago 906k USS Ramapo (AO-12) is berthed outboard of USS Houston (CA-30), with USS Chicago (CA-29) berthed astern of Houston at the Navy Yard Mare Island, CA., 10 September 1940. USS William Ward Burrows (AP-6) and YD-33 (150 ton crane) are alongside Chicago.
    US Navy Photo.
    Darryl Baker
    Ramapo
    091901214
    101k USS Ramapo (AO-12) probably off Mare Island Navy Yard at Vallejo, CA., circa mid-1941. The ship is painted in Camouflage Measure 1. Note the contrasting plants spelling out USN on the hillside in the left background.
    U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command photo # 19-N-25880 a U.S. Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection, U.S. National Archives.
    Robert Hurst
    Ramapo
    091901215
    69k USS Ramapo (AO-12) silhouetted against the early morning sunshine, circa mid-1941, probably off Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA. The ship is painted in Camouflage Measure 1.
    U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command photo # 19-N-25881 a U.S. Navy photo from the Bureau of Ships Collection, U.S. National Archives.
    Robert Hurst
    Ramapo 152k USS Ramapo (AO-12) (plan view amidships) moored at Navy Yard Mare Island, Vallejo, CA., 15 April 1943. Ramapo was at Mare Island from 4 April until 16 April 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 2656-43, 4/15/43.
    Darryl Baker
    Ramapo 53k USS Ramapo (AO-12) (stern view) underway after departing Mare Island Navy Yard, 17 April 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 2740-43, 4/17/43.
    Darryl Baker
    Ramapo 41k USS Ramapo (AO-12) (bows on view) underway after departing Mare Island Navy Yard, 17 April 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 2742-43, 4/17/43.
    Darryl Baker
    Ramapo 50k USS Ramapo (AO-12) (broadside view) underway after departing Mare Island Navy Yard, 17 April 1943.
    Navy Yard Mare Island photo # 2742-43, 4/17/43.
    Darryl Baker
    Ramapo 145k USS Ramapo (AO-12) in San Francisco Bay, 17 April 1943. This view shows the very low freeboard of this flush decked tanker type when fully loaded. Ramapo has received a second pair of 3"/50 guns, one pair being forward of the bridge and the other being forward of the after superstructure.
    US National Archives, RG-19-LCM. Photo # 19-N-52057, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.
    Robert Hurst

    USS Ramapo (AO-12)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Smith, James Downing, USN (USNA 1908)15 November 1919 - 9 November 1921
    02CDR. Neal, George Franklin, USN (USNA 1901) :RADM9 November 1921 - 1 June 1922
    03CDR. Bertholf, Wallace, USN (USNA 1891)1 June 1922 - 4 June 1924
    04CAPT. McCrary, Frank, Robert, USN (USNA 1901)4 June 1924 - 8 June 1926
    05CDR. Abernathy, Robert Andrew, USN (USNA 1900)8 June 1926 - 15 June 1928
    06CDR. Stewart, Lee Marrison, USN (USNA 1904)15 June 1928 - 9 September 1929
    07CAPT. Woods, James Sterett, USN (USNA 1905)9 September 1929 - 6 June 1931
    08CAPT. Mayo, Claude Banks, USN (USNA 1907)6 June 1931 - 16 April 1933
    09CDR. Lafrenz, Walter Frederick, USN (USNA 1907)16 April 1933 - 11 May 1934
    10LCDR. Turner, Harold Agnew, USN (XOIC)11 May 1934 - 19 May 1934
    11CDR. Van de Carr, James Lee, USN (USNA 1908)19 May 1934 - 21 April 1936
    12LCDR. Holden, Carl Frederick, USN (USNA 1917) :VADM21 April 1936 - 8 June 1936
    13CDR. Davis, Charles Covode, USN (USNA 1909)8 June 1936 - 8 April 1937
    14CDR. LT. Ellsworth Jr., Ernest Bradford, USN (USNA 1931) :RADM8 April 1937 - 10 April 1937
    15CDR. Wessell, Leonard Paul, USN (USNA 1917)10 April 1937 - 12 May 1939
    16CDR. Vose, William Cecil, USN (USNA 1919) :RADM12 May 1939 - 9 July 1940
    17CDR. Curry Jr., Duncan, USN (USNA 1921)9 July 1940 - 17 June 1942
    18CDR. Goggins, William Benard, USN (USNA 1920)17 June 1942 - 21 August 1942
    19CDR. Homann, Alfred James, USN (USNA 1922)21 August 1942 - 21 December 1943
    20LCDR. Fogarty, William Howard, USNR21 December 1943 - 28 December 1943
    21LT. Goza, Harry Ellis, USNR28 December 1943 - 11 January 1944
    22LCDR. Fogarty, William Howard, USNR11 January 1944 - 2 August 1944
    23LCDR. Bale, John Hardin, USNR2 August 1944 - 21 November 1945
    24LT. Potter, William Robert, USNR21 November 1945 - 10 January 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Deck Log, Sunday, 7 December 1941
    Pearl Harbor Action Report
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Fleet Oiler (AO) 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 4 October 2022