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

Left Patch contributed by Mike Smolinski, right patch by Wolfgang Hechler

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Chewaucan (AOG-50)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Whiskey - Yankee NHWY

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
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

USS Chewaucan (AOG-50) was transferred to Colombia and renamed ARC Tumaco (BT-7)

Patapsco Class Gasoline Tanker:

Laid down in 1943 at Cargill Inc., Savage, MN.

Launched, 22 July 1944

Commissioned USS Chewaucan (AOG-50), 19 February 1945, LT. Joseph M. Price, USNR in command

Decommissioned (date unknown)

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1975

Sold under the Security Assistance Program to Colombia, 1 January 1976, renamed ARC Tumaco (BT-7)

Final Disposition, fate unknown

"1953 through 1957, the Complement varied from 136 to 68. Top speed on full power run was just over 16 kts. and full load draft was considered to be 16'-6" although seldom loaded deeper than 15'10" fwd and 16'-2" aft. The optical range finder, originally mounted on the flying bridge, has been moved to just forward of the stack so that a new gun director could be mounted in the forward location. When traveling with a full cargo there was only 30" of freeboard at the after end of the tank deck. (36" at the forward end). In rough seas, even a slight roll would bring water aboard which would run aft at whatever speed Chewaucan was traveling and smash into the poop deck bulkhead. The only passage between fore and aft. in rough weather was the catwalk which was 4 feet above the expansion trunk which in turn was 4 feet above the main deck. It was considered great sport to stand at the forward end at the 01 level, where it was totally dry, and make bets as to who would get soaked in the process of traversing the catwalk." (Partial quote by Larry Bohn)

Specifications:
Displacement 1,850 t.(lt) 4,570 t.(fl)
Length 310' 9"
Beam 48' 6"
Draft 15' 8" (lim)
Speed 14 kts (trial)

Complement

Officers 8

Enlisted 116

Largest Boom Capacity10 t.

Armament

four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts

twelve 20mm AA gun mounts

Cargo Capacity 2,040 DWT

Oil 7,975 Bbls

Gasoline 410,500 Gals

Fuel Capacity

Diesel-2,240 Bbls

Propulsion

four 980 hp General Motors 6-278A Diesel engines

single Fairbanks-Morse Main Reduction Gears
Ship's Service Generators
two Diesel-drive 225Kw 120V/240V D.C.
one Diesel-drive 10Kw 240V D.C.

two propellers, 3,300shp

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
57k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** ship's plaque	Photo by Larry Bohn USS Chewaucan 1953-57
280k	Chewaucan (AOG-50) side launching, 22 July 1944, at Cargill Inc., Savage, MN. Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 66873	Mike Green
43k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** under way, date and location unknown. Her camouflage scheme is measure 32 design 3D. US Naval Institute photo.	Submitted by Brad Barker for his father Donald Barker USS Chewaucan
57k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** at Souda Bay, Crete, April 1952	Photo by Larry Bohn USS Chewaucan 1953-57
96k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** conducting an UNREP, in the Mediterranean Sea, 1952. Photo by Donald Barker.	Submitted by Brad Barker for his father Donald Barker USS Chewaucan
65k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** and Newport News (CA-148) at anchor in the Mediterranean Sea, circa 1952. Photo by Donald Barker.	Submitted by Brad Barker for his father Donald Barker USS Chewaucan
81k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50) refueling from USS Elokomin (AO-55)** somewhere in the Atlantic, circa 1952. Photo by Donald Barker.	Submitted by Brad Barker for his father Donald Barker USS Chewaucan
84k	*USS Guavina* (AGSS-362) alongside USS Chewaucan (AOG-50)** while taking on AVGAS, Souda Bay Crete, December 1956.	Photo by Larry Bohn USS Chewaucan 1953-57
76k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** at anchor, date and location unknown. Photo by Dr Giorgio Arra from the 1966/67 edition of "Jane's Fighting Ships".	Robert Hurst
35k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** moored to a buoy, date and location unknown. Photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages.	Robert Hurst
52k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** under way, circa 1960, location unknown. Photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages.	Robert Hurst
73k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** in the vicinity of Sardinia, fall 1968	Photo by Jerry Search
51k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** under way, date and location unknown.	Paul Gryniewicz Courtesy Larry Sullivan
236k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** and a steering tug transiting the Corinth Canal in Greece, circa 1972-74.	J. MacMichael USS Chewaucan 1972-74
274k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** change of command, 1971, at Charleston, S.C., LT. Mac Michael relieved LCDR. Colthurst.	LT. John (Skip) Mac Michael CO USS Chewaucan 1971-74
592k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** Command Officer LT. Mac Michael paying a courtesy call on the Port Captain at Genoa, Italy in the spring of 1973.	LT. John (Skip) Mac Michael CO USS Chewaucan 1971-74
941k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** passing under the Cooper River Bridge at Charleston, S.C. while returning from Med deployment in June 1972	LT. John (Skip) Mac Michael CO USS Chewaucan 1971-74
69k	*USS Chewaucan* (AOG-50)** under way, date and location unknown	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.

USS Chewaucan (AOG-50)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Price, Joseph Martin, USNR	19 February 1945 - 18 March 1945
02	LT. English, William Jonathan, USN	18 March 1945 - 3 January 1948
03	LT. Larson, Arnold Leonard (Liberty), USN	3 January 1948 - 1950
04	LCDR. Kelly, John Hawkin, USN	1950 - 1951
05	LCDR. Saylor, John B., USN	1951 - 1953
06	LT. Erickson, Robert James Floyd, USN	1953 - 1955
07	LT. Lynch, Richard, USN	1955 - 1958
08	LT. Patton, James Eugene, USN (USNA 1949)	1958 - January 1960
09	LCDR. Logner, Robert Louis, USN	January 1960 - August 1962
10	LT. Banham Jr., Herbert George, USN	August 1962 - November 1962
11	LT. Waldron, Michael John, USN	November 1962 - June 1964
12	LT. Russell, Richard William USN	June 1964 - 30 April 1966
13	LT. Andersen, Olaf Christian (Andy) USN	30 April 1966 - 8 March 1968
14	LCDR. McKinna, Michael Dennis USN	8 March 1968 - 1969
15	LT. Keleher, John Allen, USN	1969 - April 1971
16	LT. Colthurst, Wallace Richardson, USN	April 1971 - 1972
17	LCDR. MacMichael, John Lee (Skip), USN (USNA 1965) (image as CAPT)	1972 - 10 August 1974
18	LT. McCaffery, Francis Joseph, USN	10 August 1974 - 7 July 1975


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
USS Chewaucan Decommissioning and Transfer Ceremony Program

Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page

Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index

Back To The Gasoline Tanker (AOG) Photo Index

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 22 June 2018