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
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Chukawan (AO-100)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Kilo - Alpha
 NKKA
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Richard (Y)ankee - 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 (3) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Lebanon)
Cimarron Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 25 January 1945, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A3) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2562) at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD.
  • Launched, 28 August 1945
  • Commissioned USS Chukawan (AO-100), 22 January 1946, CDR. G. H. Burrows, USNR, in command
  • Decommissioned, 13 June 1972, Pier 2, Naval Station Norfolk, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1972
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service, 1 March 1973
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,236 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl)
    Length 553'
    Beam 75'
    Draft 32'
    Speed 18.3 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 22
    Enlisted 282
    Largest Boom Capacity 10t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity
    NSFO 123,700Bbls
    Gasoline 788,000Gals
    Fuel Capacity 15,000 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Bethlehem geared turbines
    four Foster and Wheeler K-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    double Falk Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 400Kw 230V A.C.
     one Diesel-drive 150Kw 230V A.C.
    two propellers, 13,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Chukawan 115k USS Chukawan (AO-100) refueling USS Midway (CVA-41) and USS John R. Pierce (DD-753) in 1950. Grumman F8F-1B Bearcats, Grumman F9F-2 Panthers, Vought F4U-4 Corsairs and Douglas AD-4 Skyraiders of Carrier Air Group Seven (CVG-7) are visible on Midway´s flight deck. US Navy photo. Robert Hurst
    Chukawan 86k USS Chukawan (AO-100) under way, circa 1956, location unknown. Photo by Larry Bohn
    Chukawan 382k USS Chukawan (AO-100) conducting an underway replenishment with USS Valley Forge (CVS-45) and USS Eaton (DDE-510). The location is almost certainly the VACAPES operating area off Norfolk, VA., Date is probably sometime in 1958-59. On the flight deck of Valley Forge just aft of the starboard helicopter is a lone Early Warning Configuration AD-5W Skyraider (Guppy) belonging to VAW-12 "Bats". The helicopters on the forward flight deck are HSS-1 Seabat helicopters from HS-7 "Big Dippers". The aft flight deck is filled with S-2 Trackers belonging to VS-36 "Gray Wolves".
    Valley Forge (CVS-45) photo.    		 Brian Miller
    Chukawan 128k USS Chukawan (AO-100) under way in April, 1957. Note the hoses suspended from the booms at all four fueling stations to port.
    US Navy photo # USN 1015706, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Mike Green
    Chukawan 304k USS Chukawan (AO-100) underway in the Mediterranean, circa 1958.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Accession #: Naval Subjects Collection Catalog #: L45-50.02.03    		 Robert Hurst
    Chukawan 86k USS Chukawan (AO-100) conducting a replenishment-at-sea with USS Essex (CVS-9) and USS Johnston (DD-821), in 1960, location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    Chukawan 66k USS Chukawan (AO-100) replenishing USS Albany (CG-10), in the Caribbean Sea, December 1966 © Richard Leonhardt
    Chukawan 213k USS Chukawan (AO-100) replenishing USS Goodrich (DD-831) and USS Power (DD-839), date and location unknown. Mike Smolinski
    Chukawan 68k USS Chukawan (AO-100) conducting an underway replenishment, date and location unknown. Stanley C. Svec
    Chukawan 39k USS Chukawan (AO-100) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy Photo, courtesy Auke Vissar's Famous T-Tanker Pages    		 Robert Hurst
    Chukawan 91k USS Chukawan (AO-100) moored pierside, date and location unknown.
    US Navy Photo, courtesy Auke Vissar's Famous T-Tanker Pages    		 Robert Hurst
    Chukawan 84k USS Chukawan (AO-100) refueling USS Boston (CAG-1) while operating in the Mediterranean, 15 September 1962.
    US Navy photo # USN 1063227 dated 9/15/62, from the archives of the US Navy Photographic Center, Naval Station, Washington, 25, D.C.    		 David Buell
    Chukawan 64k USS Chukawan (AO-100) decommissioning ceremony invitation for 13 June 1972 at Naval Station Norfolk, VA. Robert Wujcik USS Chukawan

    For more photos and information about USS Chukawan, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • MARAD Vessel History Database
    • Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Burrows, George Henry22 January 1946 - 20 June 1946
    02CAPT. Goldman, Robert Boggs20 June 1946 - 3 July 1947
    03CDR. Francis, Dennis Larkin3 July 1947 - June 1948
    04CAPT. Howard, James Hampden, USN (USNA 1930) :RADMAugust 1950 - July 1951
    05CAPT. Straub, Charles Teddy, USN (USNA 1931)July 1951 - April 1952
    06CAPT. Adams, Carlton, Rolla, USN (USNA 1930)April 1952 - June 1953
    07CAPT. Adams, Allen Bond, USN (USNA 1932)June 1953 - July 1955
    08CAPT. Craft Jr., James PressleyJuly 1955 - July 1956
    09CAPT. Mecklenburg, Herman John (Mecky)November 1957 - ?
    109CAPT. Cook Jr., Harry Edward, USN (USNA 1934)10 February 1960 - 8 December 1961
    11CAPT. Honan, John Bernard, USN8 December 1961 - 24 December 1962
    12CAPT. Alexander Jr., James Thomas, USN (USNA 1942)24 December 1962 - 11 November 1963
    13CAPT. Mahler III, George Henry, USN (USNA 1941)11 November 1963 - June 1964
    14CAPT. Cummins Jr., William Edward, USNJune 1964 - 21 June 1965
    15CAPT. Kasten, Robert Irving, USN (USNA 1945)21 June 1964 - May 1966
    16CAPT. Neison, Thomas Lavon, USNMay 1966 - ?
    17CAPT. Stufflebeem, John Donald1968 - ?
    18CAPT. Shugart Jr., Kenneth Laverne, USN :RADM1970 - 1971
    19LCDR. Szczecinski, Joseph Lawrence1972 - 30 June 1972
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Fleet Tankers Association
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    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 15 January 2021