USS Chemung (AO-30)

History
United States
Name	USS Chemung
Builder	Sparrows Point, Maryland
Launched	9 September 1939
Acquired	5 June 1941
Commissioned	3 July 1941
Decommissioned	18 September 1970
Stricken	May 1971
Fate	Scrapped May 1971
General characteristics
Class and type	Cimarron-class replenishment oiler
Displacement	7,470 long tons (7,590 t) light 24,830 long tons (25,228 t) full load
Length	553 ft (169 m)
Beam	75 ft (23 m)
Draft	32 ft 4 in (9.86 m)
Propulsion	Twin screws, 30,400 shp (22,669 kW) Steam (600psi), NSFO
Speed	18 knots (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Complement	304
Armament	4 × 5 in (130 mm)/38 cal. guns (4×1) 4 × 40 mm AA guns 4 × 20 mm AA guns
Service record
Operations:	World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War
Awards:	2 battle stars (World War II) 4 battle stars (Korea)

USS Chemung (AO-30), a

.

Chemung was launched 9 September 1939 as Esso Annapolis by

contract; sponsored by Miss Howard; acquired by the Navy 5 June 1941; and commissioned 3 July 1941.

From 13 July 1941 until the entry of the United States into World War II, Chemung operated between east coast ports and the oil ports of Texas and Louisiana transporting fuel oil.

World War II

From 20 December 1941 to 3 January 1942 she issued fuel at NS Argentia, Newfoundland. Reloading at Norfolk, Virginia, she steamed to Hvalfjörður, Iceland carrying fuel (19 February–25 March), then operated between Norfolk and ports in the Gulf of Mexico from 1 April to 16 May. Following another tour as fuel station ship at Hvalfjörður (30 May–26 June), Chemung departed from New York City 20 August with a convoy bound for the United Kingdom. Two days later Ingraham collided with her at night. The destroyer sank almost immediately when the depth charges on her stern exploded. Chemung, although heavily damaged by the explosion and resulting fires, reached Boston, Massachusetts 26 August for repairs.

Steaming 1 October 1942 to Beaumont, Texas, to load fuel, Chemung accompanied the North African assault force to sea, remained off the coast during the landings, then returned to Norfolk 30 November to resume coastwise fuel runs. From 15 February 1943 to 11 June 1945 Chemung alternated five convoy voyages to United Kingdom ports and five to North Africa with coast-wise and Caribbean cargo duty and station duty at Bermuda and in the Azores.

Post-war service

An assignment to occupation duty in the Far East found Chemung circumnavigating the globe as she cleared Norfolk 18 July 1945, passed through the

, where she was decommissioned and placed in reserve 3 July 1950.

Recommissioned 1 December 1950, Chemung steamed to the Far East 28 January 1951 for a brief tour refueling forces engaged in the

for overhaul on 24 February.

In nine succeeding tours of duty in the

, Taiwan, fueling the ships of the Taiwan Patrol.

Chemung served through the 1960s, including service in support of the Vietnam War, until she was decommissioned on 18 September 1970. She was transferred to the Maritime Administration and scrapped in May 1971.

Chemung received two

for World War II service, and four for service in the Korean War.

References

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• navsource.org: USS Chemung
• hazegray.org: USS Chemung
• Wildenberg, Thomas (1996). Gray Steel and Black Oil: Fast Tankers and Replenishment at Sea in the U.S. Navy, 1912–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. Retrieved 28 April 2009.