Chestatee AOG-49

Chestatee

A river in Georgia.

(AOG-49: dp. 1,850; 1. 310'9"; b. 48'6"; dr. 15'8"; s. 14
k.; cpl. 131; a 4 3"; cl. Patapsoo)

Chestatee (AOG-49) was launched 29 April 1944 by Cargill Inc., Savage, Minn.; sponsored by Mrs. J. D. Boren; and commissioned 14 December 1944, Lieutenant W. N. Ohly, USNR, in command.

Laden with oil products, Chestatee cleared Baytown, Tex., 14 January 1945 for San Pedro Bay, Leyte, where she arrived 1 March for duty transporting high-octane gasoline among the Philippine Islands. On 27 July, while underway for Brunei Bay, Borneo, Chestatee struck a mine in the straits south of Balabac Island, five of her men were killed, eight injured, including the commanding officer, and the ship was damaged by the explosion and resulting fire.

Repaired at Puerto Princesa Palawan, and Samar Chestatee returned to her Phiiippine operations until 20 November 1945, when she sailed from Leyte for San Francisco, which she reached 13 January. There she was decommissioned 8 April 1946, and, on 30 June 1946, transferred to the Maritime Commission.

Chestatee was returned to the Navy and placed in reserve, out of commission, in August 1948. Reactivated, she was assigned to MSTS in March 1952 and operated by a civilian crew until May 1954 when she was again placed in reserve. A second tour of service with MSTS began in April 1956 and continued until September 1967 when Chestatee was lent to the Air Force. She remained on loan through 1960.