The FReeper Foxhole Remembers the USS Nantahala AO-60 (1944 -1975) - Sep 21st, 2005

www.geocities.com/mizzen_1999 ^ | Steve Lantz

[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

.................................................................. .................... ...........................................

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USS Nantahala AO-60

The USS Nantahala was launched in 1944 and broken up in 1975. During her 31 years of service she sailed the world providing the "life blood" of the fleet to ships of our Navy as well as to those of our allies.

Fleet Oilers were the gas stations of the fleet, transferring their cargo to other ships while at sea in an operation called Underway Replenishment, or the UNREP detail. They carried thick, black fuel oil to fire ship's boilers, highly volatile aviation gasoline for gas powered aircraft, and JP5 jet fuel for jet powered aircraft.

Duty on a Fleet Oiler didn't have the glory serving on a "tin can" or "bird farm", our customers, did. Many times we couldn't even share the same liberty ports with them because we either had to stay out and refuel the ships remaining on station or go elsewhere in order to take on more cargo. However, without the Fleet Oilers the Task Groups and Task Forces of the Navy would have been severely limited in their range of operations and the time they could stay at sea.


Underway Replenishment Port and Starboard

Life underway was typically long periods of steaming broken up by the underway replenishment detail. For most ships underway replenishment lasted a couple of hours. For us on the Nantahala underway replenish operations could sometimes be continuous for a couple of days, working around the clock, grabbing a sandwich and nap when and where we could. When not refueling time was spent maintaining the ship, her equipment, and rigs. All of this was done to the ever-present odor of black oil. Fleet Oilers were "working" ships, and work we did.

The USS Nantahala was laid down under Maritime Commission contract by Bethlehem-Sparrows Point Shipyard, Inc., Sparrows Point, MD, 31 October 1943: launched 29 April 1944; sponsored by Miss Mary Louise Reed; delivered to the Navy 19 June 1944; and commissioned that same day, Comdr. Palmer M. Gunnell in command.

USS Nantahala AO-60 Specifications:

• Ashtabula class Fleet Oiler
• Displacement: 25,440 tons
• Length:553'
• Beam: 75'
• Draft: 32'
• Speed: 18 knots
• Armament: 1 5"/38 DP, 4 3"/50 DP, 4x2 20mm
• Complement: 314
• Capacity: 146,000 barrels
• Propulsion: Geared turbine engines, twin screws, 30,400 hp
• Hull: Maritime Commission T3-S2-A3 type

After shakedown in Chesapeake Bay, Nantahala departed Norfolk 22 July for the Dutch West Indies where, after loading a cargo of oil and gasoline at Aruba, she steamed for fleet tanker duty in the Pacific. Sailing via Pearl Harbor, she reached Kwajalein 25 August and served there as station tanker until heading for the Marianas 2 September. She arrived at Guam the 10th and during the remainder of the month deployed twice to replenish ships of the 3rd Fleet pounding Japanese positions from the Palaus to the Philippines.

[Professional Engineer]

Wierd, look at the order of these posts from my MY COMMENTS page.

The FReeper Foxhole Remembers the USS Nantahala AO-60 (1944 -1975) - Sep 21st, 2005
	Posted by snippy_about_it to Professional Engineer On VetsCoR 09/21/2005 1:43:49 PM CDT · 38 of 40 Hey, is that from the Evergreen museum in Oregon? Looks familiar. Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies
The FReeper Foxhole Remembers the USS Nantahala AO-60 (1944 -1975) - Sep 21st, 2005
	Posted by Wneighbor to Professional Engineer On VetsCoR 09/21/2005 1:37:58 PM CDT · 35 of 40 Hey WN, have you heard from MBY this week? I talked to her on IM a couple of days ago. Monday. I'm pretty sure it was Monday. ........ Why? Need to get her a msg? Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies
The FReeper Foxhole Remembers the USS Nantahala AO-60 (1944 -1975) - Sep 21st, 2005
	Posted by Professional Engineer to Wneighbor On VetsCoR 09/21/2005 1:40:21 PM CDT · 37 of 40 Nah, I don't remember if you said he had already gotten away from Crosshairville at the coast, or not. Just making sure she's not at ground zero for Rita. Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies
The FReeper Foxhole Remembers the USS Nantahala AO-60 (1944 -1975) - Sep 21st, 2005
	Posted by Wneighbor to Professional Engineer On VetsCoR 09/21/2005 1:39:56 PM CDT · 36 of 40 Hey WN, have you heard from MBY this week? I talked to her on IM a couple of days ago. Monday. I'm pretty sure it was Monday. ........ Why? Need to get her a msg? Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies

[Wneighbor]

MY POSTS ORDERED THEMSELVES LIKE THAT TOO!!!

I just didn't think anybody would believe me if I told 'em!

Is this Pre-Rita-Whackies?

[alfa6]

Hey, is that from the Evergreen museum in Oregon? Looks familiar

Correct- o -mundo

Had to lookit up to be sure though :-)

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[My back yard]

Hey PE. How are you and all?? I'm still around now and then. I speak to WN once in a while. We manage to keep in touch. I have moved up to Austin, actually, closer to San Marcos now. And given that situation in the Gulf I'm so glad to be up here now. :)

[My back yard]

SOOOO CUTE!!!

I've been away longer than I realized.

[Wneighbor]

File this under the list of "Things that just didn't line up right for me in the last year."

I've got old friends who retired and sold a good business in Austin last year. They sold their home and bought one of those big ol' sailboats and went to live on it in Ingleside. I've been being invited down there to go sailing off somewhere with them all summer.

I don't think I've mentioned that my pickup's been broke down ever since I got back from my Bekins tour. Well, I kept telling my friends that I'd be down as soon as I got the pickup fixed.

The pickup got fixed last night.

Don't think I'm gonna head down to Ingleside.

[Wneighbor]

~frantically waving~

Hey, fancy meeting you here! LOL

I got my pickup fixed yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Wneighbor]

I've been away longer than I realized.

Yes, you have been away for a long time. But, now you have found us so you ought to come around every now and then.

And uh, since I have vehicle again - I will probably be on your doorstep sometime soon.

[Professional Engineer]

Is this Pre-Rita-Whackies?

i HEARDA SUNSPOTS, BUT HURRICANESPOTS IS A NEW ONE.

[Professional Engineer]

Hi miss.

Aye, it's been awhile. Bittygirl is closing in on 18 months.

[Professional Engineer]

;-(

[Diver Dave]

Interesting presentation regarding the USS NANTAHALA.

Sure glad I didn't pull duty on one of those AO's (Fleet Oilers) or AE's (Ammo ships) for that matter. I thought I had pretty good duty on an AD (Destroyer Tender).

A former neighbor served aboard an ammo ship. His chief complaint was they could never moor to a pier. Always had to swing on the hook far removed from the base. Long liberty boat rides to and from the ship. In Subic, the AE's were always swinging on the hook all the way across the bay.

[Wneighbor]

Just drove my pickup to the next little town down the road. 11 miles there and 11 miles back. NO MORE OVERHEATING!!! YEA!!!

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

050705-N-0000X-010 Arabian Sea (July 5, 2005) – An aircraft director signals for an F/A-18 Hornet to taxi forward during night flight operations aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is currently deployed to the 5th Fleet area of operations. Vinson will end her deployment with a homeport shift to Norfolk, Va., and commence a three-year refuel and complex overhaul. U.S. Navy photo (RELEASED)

050919-N-2541H-001 Atlantic Ocean (Sept. 19 2005) - An Aviation Boatswain Mate signals to an F/A-18E Super Hornet, assigned to the “Pukin’ Dogs” of Strike Fighter Squadron One Four Three (VFA-143), that they are clear for launch during night flight operations aboard the conventionally powered aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67). Kennedy is conducting carrier qualifications in the Atlantic Ocean. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class William Heimbuch (RELEASED)

050729-N-0716S-031 Pacific Ocean (July 29, 2005) - A Landing Signal Enlisted (LSE) Sailor prepares a CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter for lift-off on the flight deck aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa (LHA 1). Tarawa is the flagship for Expeditionary Strike Group One (ESG-1), currently on a regularly scheduled Western Pacific deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class James Spiker (RELEASED)

[Professional Engineer]

I just got my hair cut and made a rude discovery.

The hole in the top of my hair is starting to resemble the eye of a hurricane.

[Valin]

I recall reading that during the Viet-Nam war some Navy pilots were wired up to a stress monitor. There was hardly a blip during combat over North Viet-Nam, BUT the stress levels went off the charts during night landings.

[Valin]

SOMEBODY looks like she is queen of all she surveys.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I don't doubt it. Check out this cockpit video of a night landing. There is no horizon, nothing for a reference point, just some lights and your instruments. http://images.military.com/Video/050721_NightTrap.wmv

[Wneighbor]

The hole in the top of my hair is starting to resemble the eye of a hurricane.

Sorry. The hurricane naming letter for your name has already been used for a hurricane this season. :-)

I now have my assignments from the city emergency management team as to this weekend. We are only concerned for loss of power and a small portion of town that could flood *IF* the rainfall comes in the larger amounts they say is possible. No biggie things - but I gots my jobs for either eventuality.

Have I mentioned that it's nice to be "home" again? And even the emergency situation is more comfortable feeling a part of the community. Going to the meeting and already being on first name basis with half the folks, having 3 other HAMs present, all real comfortable feeling. ~pleased sigh~ It's nice to be home. So far. LOL wait till Peyton Place starts though.

[My back yard]

Yeah, so glad to hear that. Come and see me. I'll be here.