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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Platte (AO-24)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Juliet - Quebec NEJQ
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Caribou (G)olf - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - China Service Medal (extended) - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (11) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (6)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam, Korea) - Vietnam Service Medal (7) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit citation (9)
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Cimarron Class Fleet Oiler:

Laid down, date unknown, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A1) tanker hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 8) at Bethlehem Steel, Baltimore, MD., for Standard Oil of N.J.

Launched, 8 July 1939

Commissioned USS Platte (AO-24), 10 December 1939 at Norfolk, VA., CDR. Pal L. Meadows USN in command

During World War II USS Platte was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Pacific Raids, 1 February 1942	Tinian capture and occupation, 20 July to 10 August 1944
Gilbert Islands operation, 21 to 24 November 1943	Western Caroline Islands operation Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944 Assault on the Philippine Islands, 9 to 24 September 1944
Marshall Islands operation Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 29 January to 8 February 1944 Occupation of Eniwetok Atoll, 17 February to 2 March 1944	Iwo Jima operation Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 15 to 26 February 1945
Asiatic-Pacific Raids - 1944 Truk attack, 16 to 17 February 1944 Marianas attack, 21 to 22 February 1944 Truk, Satawan, Ponape raid, 29 April to 1 May 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 16 March to 11 June 1945
Hollandia operation, 21 to 24 April 1944	3rd Fleet operations against Japan, 10 to 18 July and 26 July to 15 August 1945
Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Saipan, 11 June to 10 August 1944 3d Bonins raid, 3 to 4 July 1944 Capture and occupation of Guam, 12 July to 15 August 1944

USS Platte was assigned to Occupation and China service from 1945 to 1956 in the Far East for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
2 to 29 September 1945	9 to 12 February 1946
14 February to 10 March 1946	7 August to 26 October 1946
21 March to 16 June 1946	10 to 20 January 1947
13 December 1946 to 8 January 1947	10 December 1947 to 8 February 1948
2 to 4 March 1947	23 February to 11 March 1948
28 October to 9 December 1947	4 to 28 March 1949
8 to 22 February 1948	18 to 21 June 1949
20 April to 2 May 1949	29 July to 2 August 1949
29 May to 17 June 1949	19 to 20 August 1949
4 to 13 August 1949	17 May to 28 June 1951
	13 to 28 April 1952
	11 July to 14 August 1953
	9 to 17 May 1954
	11 to 19 July 1954
	6 to 10 September 1954
	9 to 30 June 1955
	21 May to 21 June 1956

During the Korean War USS Platte participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Korean War Campaigns
First UN Counter Offensive 4 to 11, 15, and 19 to 21 April 1951	Second Korean Winter 23 January to 3 February 1952 10 to 22 February 1952 3 to 10 March 1952 19 March to 6 April 1952
Communist China Spring Offensive 22 to 26 April 1951 4 to 11 May 1951 22 to 26 April 1951	Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 8 to 21 June 1952 1 to 19 July 1952 26 July to 5 August 1952 14 to 29 August 1952 5 to 8 September 1952
UN Summer-Fall Offensive 11 July to 3 August 1951 10 August to 5 Sep 1951	Korean, Summer-Fall 1953 11 to 21 May 1953 9 to 17, and 22 to 27 June 1953

During the Vietnam War USS Platte (AO-24) participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Advisory Campaign 2 February to 31 March 1965 8 April to 5 May 1965 12 May to 27 December 1965 5 to 16 June 1965	Vietnam Defense Campaign - Phase III 31 July to 08 August 1967 14 to 23 August 1967 28 August to 8 September 1967 13 to 22 September 1967 29 September to 9 October 1967 16 to 25 October1967 29 October to 1 November 1967 24 November to 5 December 1967 12 to 21 December 1967 6 to 15 January 1968
Vietnam Defense Campaign 12 to 22 July 1965 28 July to 4 August 1965	Vietnam Defense Campaign - Phase V 17 to 23 September 1968 2 to 9, and 16 to 23 October 1968 29 October to 1 November 1968
Vietnam Defense Counteroffensive 13 to 14, and 22 to 29 March 1966 7 to 15, and 26 to 30 April 1966 9 to 18 May1966 4 to 8, and 12 to 18 June 1966	Vietnam Defense Campaign - Phase VI 2 to 4 November 1968 11 to 16 November 1968 27 November to 2 December 1968 6 to 14, and 20 to 29 December 1968 6 to 18 February 1969
Vietnam Defense Campaign - Phase II 3 to 11, and 15 to 20 July 1966 30 July to 6 August 1966	Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 27 November to 6 December 1969 1 to 4, and 6 to 13 January 1970 4 to 13, and 18 to 22-February 1970 12 to 18 March 1970

Decommissioned, early 1970s

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal, 24 March 1971

USS Platte earned eleven battle stars for World War II service, six battle stars for Korean War service, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with seven campaign stars for Vietnam War Service

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 20 April 1971, to Levin Metals Corp. (PD-X-905 dated 20 April 1971) for $117,577.00. Withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet, 14 May 1971

Specifications:
Displacement 7,470 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl)
Length 553'
Beam 75'
Draft 32' 3"
Speed 18.3 kts.

Complement

Officers 24

Enlisted 252

Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.

Armament

four single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

four twin 20mm AA gun mounts

Cargo Capacity 16,500DWT

Oil 123,700 Bbls

Gasoline 788,000 Gals

Fuel Capacity NSFO 15,000 Bbls

Propulsion

two Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. geared steam turbines

four Foster and Wheeler K-type boilers, 450psi 750°

double De Laval Main Reduction Gears

two turbo-drive 400Kw 230V A.C. Ship's Service Generators

twin propellers. 13,500shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
091902450	160k	*Namesake* Platte - The Platte River is a major river in the State of Nebraska. It is about 310 miles long; measured to its farthest source via its tributary the North Platte River, it flows for over 1,050 miles. The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, which itself is a tributary of the Mississippi River which flows to the Gulf of Mexico. The Platte over most of its length is a broad, shallow, meandering stream with a sandy bottom and many islands—a braided stream.(Wikipedia) "Encampment along the Platte", painting by Worthington Whittredge (1820-1910) Platte River watershed with tributaries, by Shannon 1, based on USGS National Map and NASA SRTM data.	Tommy Trampp
	53k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** moored pierside at Puget Sound Navy Yard, 29 August 1941. Note she does not yet have her guns installed. A Navy Yard Puget Sound photo #1162-41 now in the collections of the NARA Seattle Branch.	Tracy White
	102k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** under way, after preliminary conversion at Philadelphia Navy Yard, March 1940. Philadelphia Navy Yard photo.	Tommy Trampp
	50k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** moored to a buoy, date and location unknown.	Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
	54k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** under way, date and location unknown.	Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
	114k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) coming alongside USS Wasp (CV-7), 24 August 1942, to refuel the carrier during the Solomons campaign. Platte was fitted in 1941 with the same permanent gun implacements and temporary armament that USS Salamonie (AO-26)** received, but by August 1942 she had a large gun forward that appears to be a 5"/38. The Bureau of Ordnance Armament Summary contains no record of this armament. US Naval History and Heritage Command, photo # 80-G-12235, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Mike Green
	81k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) off Mare Island Navy Yard, 26 October 1942, just after receiving her final armament. Unlike USS Cimarron (AO-22), which received the same armament in early 1941, Platte** has enclosed mounts both forward and aft. The vertical splinter protection has also been omitted from all four 5" gun positions. US National Archives photo # 19-N-36490, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Mike Green
091902451 80-G-K-107	385k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) refueling USS Minneapolis (CA-36)*, 25 November 1943 U.S. National Archives Identifier 178141072, a U.S. Navy photo 80-G-K-107 and 80-G-K-109 taken from USS Cowpens* (CVL-25)**.	David Upton Bob Canchola
091902452 80-G-K-109	531k		David Upton Bob Canchola
	26k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** underway, 31 October 1944, location unknown.	&bbsp;
	280k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) underway during a replenishment at sea, on the cold morning of 23 February 1945 re-fueling TF58.1. Platte has USS Hornet (CV-12) to port and USS Murray (DD-576)** to starboard. US National Archives photo # 80-G-K-3423 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	John Chiquoine
091902453	386k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) showing collision damage to Platte during an UNREP with USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63), 16 June 1967. The collision occurred during Kitty Hawks return to CONUS. See USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) 15 June 1967 2000-2400 Deck Log** Photo 091902453 by AG-3 Don Fitzgerald and photo 091902454 by AQB2 Ray Stokely from USS Kitty Hawk (DVA-63)	Bob Canchola
091902454	470k		Bob Canchola
	167k	*USS Sigsbee* (DD-502) pulling away from USS Platte (AO-24)**, 23 February 1945, during the Iwo Jima support by TG58.1. Photo from the LT. Gordon Barrett collection	John Chiquoine
	105k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) is topping off from USS Escalante (AO-70) in the main fleet train formation, TF30.8, 2 August 1945. USS Mitchell (DE-43) is in utility and ferry duty and in a couple hours would escort Escalante** and USS Thetis Bay back to Ulithi to relay another load. Photo by George Silk, Life Magazine, aboard Thetis Bay. Used for educational and non-commercial purpose.	John Chiquoine
	70k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** at anchor in Tokyo Bay, January 1946.	Al Huntley CSCM USN Ret. USS Platte
	25k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** at anchor, 13 October 1946, location unknown. Photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages.	Robert Hurst
	159k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** under way at Melbourne, Australia, 9 September 1947. Photos by the late Allan Greene	Chris Howell, SOUTHLAND SHIP STORES LIMITED, Port of BLUFF, NEW ZEALAND
	141k
	160k
	72k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) refueling USS Richard E. Kraus (DD-849)**, date and location unknown.	©Richard Leonhardt
	99k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** under way, date and location unknown.	©Richard Leonhardt
	52k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** under way, date and location unknown. Photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages.	Robert Hurst
	80k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** under way, date and location unknown. Photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages.	Robert Hurst
	99k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) comes alongside the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge (CV-45)*, while they were enroute from Pearl Harbor to San Diego during Operation "Miki" in November 1949. Photographed by Ted Huggins. Courtesy of Ted Huggins, 1970. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 70272*, courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages.	Robert Hurst
NH 70273	80k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) refuels the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge (CV-45) and the destroyer USS Lyman K. Swenson (DD-729), while they were enroute from Pearl Harbor to San Diego during Operation "Miki" in November 1949. Photographed by Ted Huggins from Valley Forge*'s flight deck as she dropped back after taking on oil. Note retractable radio antennas mounted alongside the flight deck. Photo courtesy of Ted Huggins, 1970. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 70273*.	Robert Hurst - NH 70273 Gerd Matthes NH 70274
NH 70274	109k		Robert Hurst - NH 70273 Gerd Matthes NH 70274
	88k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** under way, probably off the Marin headlands of the Golden Gate at San Francisco Bay, early 1950s.	David Buell
	85k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** under way, date and location unknown.	©Richard Leonhardt
	53k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** refueling an unidentified destroyer, date and location unknown.	©Richard Leonhardt
	274k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) refueling the aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) and the destroyer USS Watts (DD-567), while operating with the U.S. 7th Fleet in the Western Pacific, 19 July 1955. Other ships present include the aircraft carriers USS Hornet (CVA-12) and USS Oriskany (CVA-34), a cruiser and several destroyers and replenishment ships. USS John A. Bole (DD-755) is visible directly behind Philippine Sea. Philippine Sea*, with assigned Air Task Group 2* (ATG-2), was deployed to the Western Pacific from 1 April to 23 November 1955. US Navy photo # K-18468, now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Robert Hurst
	65k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** getting under way, date and location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	464k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** under way in WestPac, circa 1962.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	860k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) pulls away after refueling USS Yorktown (CVS-10)*, 26 August 1964, during a dependents cruise. Note the aft refueling stations on both sides have been strengthened and transformed into a large goalpost mast. US Navy Photo # USN-1108573*, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Robert Hurst
	89k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) under way in the Western Pacific while refueling USS Buck (DD-761) and USS Coral Sea (CVA-43)** in 1965.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	104k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** under way in 1966, location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	102k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) underway in the Western Pacific while refueling HMS Agincourt (D-86) and USS Bennington (CVA-20)** in the 1960s during SEATO operations.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	75k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
*USS Bennington* (CVS-20) - 1965**	81k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** refueling various ships in the South China Sea, circa 1965-1966	Rick Sherley
	128k		Rick Sherley
	230k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) under way in the Tonkin Gulf off the coast of Vietnam while refueling USS Buck (DD-761) (at left) and USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42)** (at right) in 1968. Note the second destroyer trailing the formation in plane guard position.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. and Mike Smolinski
	118k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) under way in the Tonkin Gulf off the coast of Vietnam while refueling USS James E. Kyes (DD-787) (at left) and USS Bonhomme Richard (CVA-31)** (at right) in 1968.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	87k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) showing damage around her stack after collision with USS Constellation (CVA-64)**, date and location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	57k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** starboard side unrep station, February 1969, location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	83k	*USS Platte* (AO-24) refueling USS New Jersey (BB-62)** off the coast of Vietnam in 1969.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	431k	*USS Platte* (AO-24)** homecoming, pier 9 Naval Station Long Beach, CA. in 1969.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.

Platte (AO-24) Memorabilia
1965 Welcome Aboard Pamphlet Cover Contributed by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.	1968-69 Cruise Statistics Contributed by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.	Contributed by Tommy Trampp

USS Platte (AO-24)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CAPT. Meadows, Pal Lamar, USN (USNA 1918)	10 December 1939 - 9 November 1940
02	CAPT Henkle, Ralph Harold, USN (USNA 1918)	9 November 1940 - 17 December 1942
03	CDR. Keeler Jr., Harry, USN (USNA 1922)	17 December 1942 - 30 August 1943
04	CDR. Sigel, Clinton Henry, USNR (USNA 1925)	30 August 1943 - 9 March 1944
05	CAPT. Gibson, Francis Stephenson, USN	9 March 1944 - 18 June 1945
06	CAPT. Fabian, Louis Martin, USN (USNA 1925)	18 June 1945 - December 1945
07	CAPT. McGinnis, Robert DeVore, USN (USNA 1929) :RADM	December 1945 - April 1947
08	CAPT. Holtwick Jr., Jack Sebastian, USN (USNA 1927)	April 1947 - January 1948
09	CAPT. Kunz, Chester Arthur, USN (USNA 1928)	January 1948 - 5 November 1948
10	CAPT. Teall Jr., Edward Nelson, USN (USNA 1927)	5 November 1948 - May 1950
11	CAPT. Stevens Jr., Clyde Benjamin, USN (USNA 1930) :RADM	May 1950 - November 1951
12	CAPT. Bruning, Frederick William, USN (USNA 1932)	November 1951 - August 1953
13	CAPT. Dodson, Bennett Merritt, USN	August 1953 - August 1954
14	CDR. Farrell, Richard Marvin, USN (USNA 1935)	August 1954 - September 1955
15	CAPT. Peterson, Theodore Melvin, USN (USNA 1937)	September 1955 - September 1956
16	CAPT. Unmacht, George Paul, USN (USNA 1935)	September 1956 - November 1957
17	CAPT. Nielsen, Homer Howard, USN (USNA 1934)	November 1957 - October 1958
18	LCDR. Butler, Raymond Frank, USN	October 1958 - October 1959
19	CDR. Mansfield, Jack Emerson, USN (USNA 1938)	October 1959 - September 1960
20	CAPT. Berns Jr., Max Arnold, USN (USNA 1939)	September 1960 - 9 October 1961
21	CAPT. Fargo, William Brink, USN (USNA 1939)	9 October 1961 - 19 January 1963
22	CAPT. Butts Jr., John L, USN :RADM [Biography]	19 January 1963 - 14 February 1964
23	CAPT. Moore, Howard Shackleford (Shack) USN (USNA 1943) :RADM	14 February 1964 - 8 January 1965
24	CAPT. Miller, Walter James, USNR	8 January 1965 - 9 April 1966
25	CAPT. Adams, William Lee, USN	9 April 1966 - June 1967
26	CAPT. Snowden, Harold Frank, USN	June 1967 - 28 June 1968
27	CAPT. McKenzie Jr., William Warren, USN	28 June 1968 - November 1969
28	CAPT. Williams Jr., Charles Stanley, USN (USNA 1946) :RADM	November 1969 - 19 September 1970


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves. Photos courtesy Bill Gonyo

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

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
MARAD Vessel History Database
Postal Covers related to the ship

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 5 February 2023