USS Aucilla
.JPG)
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USS Aucilla |
| Namesake | Aucilla River |
| Ordered | as T3-S2-A1 tanker hull, MC hull 722 |
| Laid down | 25 May 1943 |
| Launched | 20 November 1943 |
| Commissioned | 22 December 1943 |
| Decommissioned | 18 December 1970 |
| Stricken | 1 December 1976 |
| Identification | AO-56 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, 25 October 1992 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | fleet oiler |
| Displacement | 7,236 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl) |
| Length | 553 ft (169 m) |
| Beam | 75 ft (23 m) |
| Draught | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Installed power | 30,400 hp (22,700 kW) |
| Propulsion | geared turbines , twin screws |
| Speed | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Capacity | 146,000 barrels |
| Complement | 314 |
| Armament | one single 40 mm AA gun mounts; four twin 20 mm AA gun mounts |
USS Aucilla (AO-56) was a
Aucilla was laid down on 25 May 1943 at
World War II
North Atlantic operations
The oiler remained at Sparrows Point until 28 December at which time she got underway for
Convoyed to the United Kingdom
For about a month, she operated out of Norfolk in the lower
Six days after her arrival, the oiler sailed from Norfolk for
Transfer to the Pacific Fleet
On 4 October, Aucilla put to sea bound for the Caribbean. She arrived at
Supporting Iwo Jima and Okinawa operations
For the remainder of the war, Aucilla supported
End-of-war activity
Following the cessation of hostilities, Aucilla continued steaming with the 3rd Fleet off Japan. After a brief stop at Ulithi, she set sail for Japan on 27 September. The oiler entered Tokyo Bay on 2 October—one month to the day after Japan formally surrendered. The oiler performed extensive occupation duty at various locations in the Far East between the end of the war and the summer of 1947.
Supporting nuclear test ships at Bikini
That service also included some logistics support work for the ships of Joint
East Coast operations
For about four years, the oiler operated along the
. At this time she was attached to MSTS. In 1950 she was deployed to Sasebo Japan to support the Korean War operation. She left Norfolk, Virginia in October 1950, where she was in for repairs at the Portsmouth Navy yard. Her home port was Mare Island Ca. She steamed through the Med. down through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea and up into the Persian Gulf to Ras Tanura where she loaded bunker oil. Leaving this port she headed through the Indian Ocean, the Straights of Molacca, around Singapore and headed North for Sasebo where she unloaded her cargo. Headed south again to Bahrain for another load of oil. Again leaving, headed for Sasebo once again. Arriving Sasebo and unloading she headed for Pearl Harbor. leaving Pearl harbor and returning to Sasebo, Japan. She returned to San Francisco and was detached from MSTS and attached to the fleet as a fleet tanker. Returning to Norfolk via the Panama Canal, completing her round the world voyage and assumed her duties a fleet tanker.In June 1952, Aucilla embarked upon the first of a long series of deployments to the Mediterranean. Four months later, she resumed operations along the eastern seaboard and in the West Indies. The first part of 1953 saw the oiler engaged in another series of training evolutions in the Puerto Rico-Vieques Island area.
Midshipman cruise to Rio
June and July 1953 brought a
Caribbean operations
In August, Aucilla departed Baltimore and steamed down Chesapeake Bay to rejoin the active units of the
Service in the Mediterranean Sea
Homeported in Barcelona, Spain
On 31 May 1955 the ship stood out of Norfolk en route to her new home port,
Supporting landings in Lebanon
On 28 October 1957, she set sail from Norfolk on her way back to the Mediterranean Sea. Once again, she spent her time ranging the length and breadth of the Mediterranean supporting the operations of TF 63. During the summer of 1958, Aucilla provided logistics support for the ships, sailors, and marines involved in the landings in
Continued support of the 6th Fleet
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Underway again on 4 January 1960, Aucilla operated in the vicinity of Norfolk until late in the month. On the 28th, she put to sea bound for the Mediterranean Sea. That seven-month deployment followed the pattern of previous ones, mixing port visits with logistics missions in support of 6th Fleet combat units. The oiler returned to Norfolk on 31 August and, after the usual leave and upkeep period, resumed normal east coast-West Indies operations. That routine lasted into 1961. In February and March 1961, she participated in the annual fleet exercise Operation Springboard. She returned to Norfolk on 17 March and began preparations for another tour of duty with the 6th Fleet. On 15 May 1961, she stood out of Norfolk and shaped a course for the Mediterranean Sea. Aucilla served a 14-week deployment that followed patterns established earlier.
Yard Overhaul at Norfolk
The oiler reentered Norfolk on 11 September 1961 and began post-deployment standdown. Following the leave and upkeep period, she started preparations for overhaul. On 20 November, she entered the yard at the
European tour of duty
The oiler continued operations out of Norfolk through the end of 1962 and into 1963. On 7 March 1963, Aucilla left Chesapeake Bay on her way back to the Mediterranean. The deployment lasted just under four months. She was back in Norfolk by 1 July. Following post-deployment standdown, the oiler got underway on 6 August to participate in
Visiting the 1964 New York World's Fair
Similar duty occupied her time during the first two months of 1964. On 3 March 1964, however, the oiler entered the yard at the Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. for a regular overhaul. She completed repairs and modifications late in June and put to sea on 29 March for a month of refresher training in the Guantánamo Bay operating area. At the conclusion of refresher training, Aucilla voyaged north to New York where her crew members visited the
Reassigned to the 6th Fleet
Upon her return to her home port, she began preparations for another assignment with the 6th Fleet. Aucilla left Norfolk on 27 November and arrived in
Supporting Gemini space shots
She returned to Norfolk on 23 July and resumed local operations out of her home port. Those operations included support roles in the
Further upkeep and a tender availability period occupied her time during January and February 1966. Early in March, the oiler put to sea for another cruise with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. She arrived in Cartagena, Spain, on 15 March and, for the next five months, provided logistics support for United States naval forces in the Mediterranean. Aucilla departed Rota, Spain, on 12 August and set a course for home. The oiler arrived in Norfolk on the 22d and remained there in a leave and upkeep status until the middle of October.
Assigned recovery ship for Titan IIIC heat shield
She put to sea again on 18 October to serve as a recovery ship for a
Responding to the Six-Day Arab-Israeli War
On 6 February 1967, Aucilla stood out of Norfolk once again on her way to the Mediterranean. She arrived in Rota, Spain, on the 17th and soon began making the rounds to ports in the "middle sea." The most notable event of that deployment was the
South Atlantic operations
Aucilla completed her overhaul by 5 April 1968. On that day, she stood out of Norfolk on her way to refresher training in the West Indies. The oiler completed that mission in May and returned to Norfolk on the 19th. Soon thereafter, she embarked upon a two-month voyage that took her to the
Last voyage and disposal
At that time, the oiler began a tender availability as well as a leave and upkeep period preparatory to overseas movement. Aucilla stood out of Norfolk on 23 September; and, on 3 October she relieved
In the middle of September 1970, she began preparations for inactivation. Aucilla was placed out of commission at Norfolk on 18 December 1970 being commanded by the senior ranking official on board at the time MMCM William F. Rember of FMAG (Fleet Maintenance Assistance Group). On 7 October 1971, she was transferred to the
Military awards and honors
Aucilla earned five
References
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
