Kishwaukee AOG-9

Kishwaukee

(AOG-9: dp. 4,130; 1. 311'; b. 49'; dr. 14'6", s. 15.5 k.;
cpl. 127; a. 4 3"; 12 20mm.; cl. Patapsco )

Kishwaukee(AOG-9) was launched 24 July 1943, by Cargill Shipyard, Savage, Minn.; sponsored by Mrs. John Shipp; and commissioned 27 May 1944, Francis M. Hillman, USNR, in command.

After shakedown, Kishwaukee cleared Norfolk 8 July 1944, and joined the Service Squadron at Pearl Harbor 10 August. She completed a 2-month shuttle among the central Pacific islands before sailing west to support the reconquest of the Philippine Islands. Righwaukee arrived off Leyte late in October and operated as station tanker, fueling ships in the vicinity. She supported the Philippine campaign until she sailed 1 February 1945, for operations in the Palau and Caroline Islands.

Late in March, as the war moved closer to Japan, Kishwaukee sailed for the Ryukyus to fuel ships engaged in the invasion of Okinawa. In spite of the constant enemy air raids, the oiler remained as station tanker until after Okinawa had been secured and continued servicing Allied ships in Okinawa until sailing for Japan, arriving Sasebo 22 December. Following 6 months as station tanker in the Far East, Kishwaukee cleared Japan 5 July and put into San Pedro 31 July.

From 1946 to 1950 Kishwaukee remained on active service with the Pacific Fleet. Based at Pearl Harbor she alternated tours in the Far East with cruises among the islands off the South and Central Pacific.

Durlug the Korean conflict, she supplied vital fuel to Pacific staging areas and operated as a station ship out of Sasebo November through December 1950. Upon cessation of Korean hostilities, Kishwaukee resumed fuel shuttles from Pearl Harbor to the Pacific Islands and Alaska.

During 1954 the oiler unloaded cargo in French Indochina as the war in that country was nearing an end. That August she sailed to Formosa with a supply of aviation gasoline in anticipation of a possible Red Chinese attack on Nationalist held islands in the Formosa Straits. Kishwaukee returned Pearl Harbor 17 October and for the next 3 years continued runs between Hawaii and the Marshall Islands before sailing for the West Coast 10 November 1957. She arrived Astoria, Oreg., 11 December and decommissioned at Seattle 2 April 1958. Her name was struck from the Navy List 1 July 1960. Kishwaukee remained with the Maritime Administration Reserve Fleet until October 1965, when her name reappeared on the Navy List. The ship underwent extensive overhaul at Astoria, Oreg., and recommissioned 1 September 1 966. After fitting out, Kishwaukee arrived Pearl Harbor, her homeport, 7 October 1966. Following shakedown training, she sailed to the Far East 5 December and arrived via Guam, at Subic Bay 22 December. The gasoline tanker entered the combat zone the last day of the year

and supplied fuel for naval aircraft for strikes against Communist targets ashore. From 2 January 19ff7 into April she operated out of Da Nang, Vietnam, before departing for Yokosuka, Japan, arriving 30 April. Kishwaukee continued on to Pearl Harbor and joined ServRon 5 after her arrival 15 May.

Kishwaukee received two battle stars for World War II service.