USS Chehalis (AOG-48)
USS Chehalis (AOG-48) Photographed c. 1944, while wearing Camouflage Measure 32, Design 3D
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History | |
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United States | |
Name | USS Chehalis |
Namesake | Chehalis River in Washington |
Ordered | as T1-MT-M1 tanker hull |
Builder | Cargill, Inc., Savage, Minnesota |
Laid down | 23 November 1943 |
Launched | 15 April 1944 |
Commissioned | 5 December 1944 |
Stricken | 27 October 1949 |
Fate | Sunk by explosion, with the loss of 6 lives, 7 October 1949 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | gasoline tanker |
Tonnage | 2,120 long tons deadweight (DWT) |
Displacement |
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Length | 310 ft 9 in (94.72 m) |
Beam | 48 ft 6 in (14.78 m) |
Draft | 15 ft 8 in (4.78 m) |
Propulsion | 4 × General Electric diesel engines, electric drive, twin shafts, 3,300 hp (2,461 kW) |
Speed | 14 knots (16 mph; 26 km/h) |
Complement | 131 |
Armament |
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USS Chehalis (AOG-48) was a
Chehalis was laid down on 6 November 1943 at Savage, Minnesota, by Cargill, Inc.; launched on 15 April 1944; sponsored by Mrs. John H. MacMillan, Sr.; and commissioned on 5 December 1944.
World War II service
Following her
Surviving typhoons
Thrice during Chehalis's time at Okinawa, twice in September and once in October,
Post-war activity
After overhaul at
Disaster in Samoa
At 01:23 (Samoan time) on 7 October 1949, as Chehalis lay alongside the navy dock at Tutuila, American Samoa, one of her gasoline tanks exploded, killing six of her 75-man crew.
The ship burst into flames, capsized, and sank in 45 feet of water. She later slid off the ledge, atop of which she had originally sunk, into 150 feet of water. She was stricken from the
Chehalis was carrying a cargo of ammunition and petroleum when it sank. After evidence of significant leakage of fuel from the wrecked ship, environmental risk assessments indicated that the remaining fuel aboard needed to be removed. The fuel was removed by April 2010, but no steps were taken to remove the ammunition aboard the wreck as it was not considered to be necessary.[2]
Military awards and honors
Chehalis’ crew was eligible for the following medals:
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
- Philippine Liberation Medal
References
- ^ Cressman, Robert J. "Chehalis I (AOG-48)". Naval History and Heritage Command. U.S. Navy - Director of Naval History. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Naval Station Tutuila (USS Chehalis)" (PDF). American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links
- Photo gallery of USS Chehalis at NavSource Naval History