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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Mattaponi (AO-41)
ex
USS Mattaponi (T-AO-41) (1950 - 1954)
USS Mattaponi (AO-41) (1942 - 1950)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Tango - Papa
NITP
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Admiral (J)uliet - 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)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia and Europe clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - Korean Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Vietnam, 1-Korea) - United Nations Service Medal
Fifth Row - Vietnam Service Medal (6) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korean War Service Medal (retroactive)

Mattaponi Class Fleet Oiler

Laid down for Keystone Tankship Corp. as SS Kalkay, a Maritime Commission type (T2-A-MC-K) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract, (MC hull 149) at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.

Launched, 17 January 1942

Commissioned USS Mattaponi (AO-41), 11 May 1942, CDR. Martin J. Gillan, Jr., in command

During World War II USS Mattaponi was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater

Following World War II USS Mattaponi was assigned to Occupation service and China service during the following periods;

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
Asia 19 September to 11 December 1945
Asia 1 to 14 January 1946
Asia 13 March to 9 June 1946	13 March to 9 June 1946
Asia 20 July to 24 August 1946	20 July to 24 August 1946
Europe 29 January to 3 February 1948	28 to 30 June 1948
Asia 6 to 19 March 1948	5 to 7 March 1949
Asia 3 to 20 May 1948	30 March to 1 April 1949
Asia 4 to 8 July 1948	2 to 4 May 1949
Asia 11 to 25 March 1949
Asia 8 to 11 May 1949
Asia 15 to 30 July 1949

Decommissioned, 17 April 1950, at San Diego, CA.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group

Recommissioned, 28 December 1950, designated (T-AO-41), CDR. Ernest B. Ellsworth Jr. in command

Decommissioned, 12 October 1954, at San Diego, CA.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group

Recommissioned, 12 December 1956

Decommissioned, 11 November 1957, at New Orleans

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 February 1959

Reinstated on the Naval Register, 1 September 1961

Recommissioned, 30 November 1961, at Mobile, AL.

During the Vietnam War USS Mattaponi participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Advisory Campaign 3 to 5 November 1963 10 to 15 and 20 to 24 February 1965 12 to 22 March 1965 30 March to 2 April 1965 7 to 17 April 1965 29 April to 13 May 1965	Tet 69/Counteroffensive 2 to 12 and 19 to 25 March 1969 31 March to 3 April 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II 30 September to 7 October 1966 12 to 24 October 1966 30 October to 8 November 1966 25 November to 6 December 1966 13 to 22 January 1967 27 January to 2 February 1967 11 to 23 February 1967 5 to 12 March 1967	Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 22 February to 3 March 1970 12 to 20 March 1970 4 to 11 and 29 to 30 April 1970
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI 2 to 10 and 18 to 24 November 1968 30 November to 9 December 1968 13 to 21 December 1968 29 December 1968 to 7 January 1969 24 January to 2 February 1969 5 to 7 and 13 to 21 February 1969	Sanctuary Counteroffensive 1 to 8 May 1970 8 to 15 and 21 to 27 June 1970
Tet 69/Counteroffensive 2 to 12 and 19 to 25 March 1969 31 March to 3 April 1969

Decommissioned, 15 October 1970

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1970

USS Mattaponi earned the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service medal with six campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Transferred to the Maritime Administration, 22 January 1971, for disposal

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 15 December 1973, to Union Minerals and Alloys Corporation, New York City, for $50,184.50 and subsequently scrapped

Specifications:
Displacement 6,809 t.(lt) 21,450 t.(fl)
Length 520'
Beam 68'
Draft 30' 9"
Speed 17.5 kts.

Complement

Officers 21

Enlisted 221

Largest Boom Capacity 8 t.

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

four twin 20mm AA gun mounts

Cargo Capacity 7,500 DWT

Oil 117,000 Bbls

Gasoline 595,000 Gals

Fuel Capacity

NSFO 9,800 Bbls

Propulsion

one Westinghouse geared turbine

two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 430psi 742°

double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears
Ship's Service Generators
two turbo-drive 300Kw 240V D.C.
one turbo-drive 50Kw 240V D.C.

single propeller, 12,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
091904125	215k	*Namesake* Mattaponi - The Mattaponi River is a 103-mile-long tributary of the York River estuary in eastern Virginia *Photo* - The Mattaponi River, upstream of its confluence with the South River, within Mattaponi Wildlife Management Area in Virginia, February 2017. © Antepenultimate (real name unknown) *Map* - York River Watershed ©I, Karl Musser.	Tommy Trampp
	65k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41)** departing Norfolk Navy Yard, 23 November 1942. US National Archives photo from "Gray Steel and Black Oil: Fast Tankers and Replenishment at Sea in the U.S. Navy 1912-1992", by Thomas Wildenburg	Robert Hurst
	127k	Convoy UGF6 escorts *USS Nicholson* (DD-442), USS Woolsey (DD-437 and USS Edison (DD-439) refueling from USS Mattaponi (AO-41)**, 8 March 1943. The convoy is three days out of New York and Hampton Roads and headed for Casablanca. Photos by Dmitri Kessel, "Life Magazine", used for educational and non-commercial purpose.	John Chiquoine
	227k
	121k
	174k
	224k
	269k
091904122	94k	Close-up of Convoy UFG-6 escort *USS Woolsey* (DD-437 refueling from USS Mattaponi (AO-41) in March 1943, as seen from USS Nicholson (DD-442)** while enroute to Casablanca. LIFE Magazine Archives - Dmitri Kessel Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest	Mike Green
	100k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41)** off Norfolk Navy Yard, 5 May 1943. She was headed for Europe with deck cargo that included two PT boats. US National Archives, RG-19-LCM, Photo # unknown, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Mike Green
	44k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41)** under way, circa 1942-1944, location unknown.	Marcia Alexander
	45k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41)** moored to a buoy, circa 1942-1944, location unknown.	Marcia Alexander
	57k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41)** at anchor, circa 1942-1944, location unknown.	Marcia Alexander
	90k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41)** C & R Division, date and location unknown.	Marcia Alexander
091904123	239k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41)** moored pierside at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, T.H., pier H3/4, circa 15-21 March 1946. Note the hospital ship in the background.	David Wright
091904124	193k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41) moored pierside at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, T.H., pier H3/4, circa 15-21 March 1946. Photo taken from USS General M. B. Stewart (AP-140)**.	John Chiquoine
	90k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41) and USS Kennebec (AO-36)** moored pierside while being prepared for recommissioning at San Diego in 1956. US Navy photo.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR (Ret)
	143k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41) refueling USS Bonhomme Richard (CV-31)** and escorting destroyers, location unknown. circa December 1961 to November 1962.	Tommy Trampp
091904126	101k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41) refueling USS Essex (CVS-9) circa 1963. Essex*, with assigned Carrier Anti-Submarine Air Group 60* (CVSG-60), was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean from 1 October to 20 December 1963. U.S. Navy photo [from the USS Essex (CVS-9) 1963 cruise book	Robert Hurst
091904128	207k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41) refueling USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31)*, 2 October 1963. U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation photo No. 1996.488.038.045.*	Robert Hurst
091904129	216k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41) refueling USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31) and USS Hopewell (DD-681)*, 2 October 1963. U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation photo No. 1996.488.038.044.*	Robert Hurst
	72k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41) refueling USS Rowan (DD-782) to starboard, USS Coral Sea (CVA-43)** to port, circa 1964-65. US Navy photo
091904121	404k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41) steams alongside HMAS Perth (D-38) during an underway replenishment (UNREP) off the coast of Vietnam in 1967. The ship to starboard of Mattaponi** is probably a Mount Hood Class AE. Photo by Bob Westthorp RAN 1964-1988.	Bob Canchola
091904120	91k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41) steams alongside HMAS Perth (D-38)** during an underway replenishment (UNREP) off the coast of Vietnam in 1967-68. Photo by Bob Westthorp RAN 1964-1988.	Bob Canchola
	82k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	143k	*USS Mattaponi* (AO-41) underway near USS Hornet (CVS-12) in the Gulf of Tonkin, 18 December 1968. Mattaponi is departing after refueling USS Parsons (DDG-33)*, visible in the background. US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # USN 1135066* by PHCM W. Cox, courtesy Shipscribe.com.	Robert Hurst
091904127	239k	Empty 5 in/38 shell casings brought aboard *USS Mattaponi* (AO-41) in the South China Sea for storage and return to the manufacturer, January 1969. Note the seaplane wrecking derrick YSD-42** loading empty shell casings onto Mataponi's deck. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # USN 1137267, by PHC A.L. Smith.	Robert Hurst
	196k	Lindberg Line model of *USS Mattaponi* (AO-41)**	Tommy Trampp

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Gillan Jr., Martin Joseph, USN (USNA 1920)	11 May 1942 - 1 March 1943
02	CDR. Barrett, Morgan Coit, USN (USNA 1921-A)	1 March 1943 - 15 May 1944
03	LCDR. Banks, Vincent James, USNR	15 May 1944 - 7 July 1945
04	LCDR. Castro, Joseph Mendoza, USNR	7 July 1945 - 15 January 1946
05	CAPT. Jarrell, Henry Thompson, USN (USNA 1927)	15 January 1946 - January 1948
06	CAPT. Wood, Robert Winthrop, USN (USNA 1928) :RADM	January 1948 - 17 April 1950
	Decommissioned	17 April 1950 - 28 December 1950
07	CDR. Ellsworth Jr., Ernest Bradford, USN (USNA 1931) :RADM	28 December 1950 - 16 January 1952
	Decommissioned	12 October 1954 - 12 December 1956
08	CDR. Coker, Charles Walter, USN (USNA 1937)	12 December 1956 - 30 September 1957
	Decommissioned	11 November 1957 - 30 November 1961
09	CAPT. Norton Jr., Marvin Dowdy, USN (USNA 1939)	30 November 1961 - 25 February 1963
10	CAPT. Ashley Jr., James Mumford, USN	25 February 1963 - 19 February 1964
11	CAPT. McCuddin, Leo Bob, USN :RADM	19 February 1964 - 11 February 1965
12	CAPT. Merrill, Ralph Frederick, USN (USNA 1944)	11 February 1965 - August 1966
13	CAPT. McInnis, Norman Kenneth, USN	1966 - September 1967
14	CAPT. Foster, William Lester, USN (USNA 1947)	September 1967 - December 1968
15	CAPT. Hathaway, Charles Edward, USN (USNA 1948-B)	December 1968 - 10 March 1970
16	CAPT. Casserly, Christopher Joseph, USN	10 March 1970 - 9 October 1970
17	LCDR. Alello, Robert Jack, USN	19 October 1970 - 15 October 1970


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

For more photos and information about USS Mattaponi, see:
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
MARAD Vessel History Database
Mattaponi Documents - Orders of the Day
On Station Yankee Team and Market Time
Ship's History 1 January to 31 December 1966

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 9 February 2024

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Mattaponi (AO-41)ex USS Mattaponi (T-AO-41) (1950 - 1954) USS Mattaponi (AO-41) (1942 - 1950)

USS Mattaponi (AO-41)
ex
USS Mattaponi (T-AO-41) (1950 - 1954)
USS Mattaponi (AO-41) (1942 - 1950)