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Click image above
A RIVER in the
central
eastern portion of Delaware.
Mispillion (AO-105) was laid down 14
February 1945
under a Maritime Commission contract by Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock
Co., Chester, Pa.; launched 10 August 1945; sponsored by Mrs. C. E.
Feddeman; acquired 30 November 1945; and commissioned 29 December 1945,
Comdr. R. E. Wingler in command.
(AO-105: dp. 7,136; l. 553'; b. 75'; dr. 29'10";
s. 18 k., cpl. 220; a. 1 5", 4 3"; cl. Cimarron, T. T3-S2-Al)
Cargo Capacity 146,000
barrels Propulsion geared
turbines, twin screws, 30,400hp
Armament one single 5"/38 dual
purpose gun mount, four
single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts, four twin 40mm gun mounts, four
twin 20mm gun mounts
Placed in commission in reserve for
"Jumboization", 16 April 1965, at
Toledo, OH., completed at Boston, MA., and placed in full commission, 6
September 1966
"Jumboization"
Specifications: Displacement
12,840 t.(lt) 33,987
t.(fl) Length 644" Draft
34' 9"
Decommissioned, 26 July 1974
Placed in service with the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as USNS
Mispillion (T-AO-105) in 1975
Placed out of service circa 1994; Struck from
the Naval Register, 15 February 1995
Title transferred to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve
Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
Although commissioned
too late to see service in World War II Mispillion
has operated extensively in nearly every area of the Pacific Ocean.
Between 6 April 1946, when she joined Service Force, Pacific, and 1950
she alternated station tanker duty at Tsingtao, Shanghai, Subic Bay,
and Eniwetok with shuttle runs between the Arabian oil port, Bahrein,
and various ports in Japan, China, the Philippines, the Marshalls, and
the Marianas. As station tanker at Eniwetok in 1948, she took part in
operation "Sandstone," an atomic bomb test. In 1949 she performed cold
weather operations off Alaska.
With the outbreak of
hostilities in Korea, Mispillion
joined TF 90. During her first combat tour she provided logistic
support for the huge invasion force that landed U.N. forces at Inchon
(15 September 1950), then rounded the peninsula to support the forces
operating in the Wonsan area. After a brief respite on the west coast
in the fall of 1951, she returned in November for a second combat tour.
She continued to support U.N. naval forces as they enforced a
continuous blockade of the North Korean coast, rendered gunfire support
to U.N. ground forces, and bombarded Communist supply areas, troop
concentrations, and transportation centers. Operating in both the
Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan, she also supported the fast carriers
of TF 77, providing aviation gasoline in addition to fuel for the
ships. Returning to the west coast in August 1952, she got underway
again in September for another 9-month western Pacific tour with the
7th Fleet. Although she operated primarily in the Korean combat area
during each of the above tours, she spent at least 1 month each time as
a station tanker at Kaohsiung supporting the Taiwan Straits patrol.
Between 1953 and 1964 Mispillion
alternated
western Pacific and west coast duty with yard periods in between.
Participating in various exercises, she joined in operation "Redwing",
her second atomic test, in the Marshalls in 1956.
On 16 April 1965 Mispillion
was placed in
commission in reserve as she prepared for a prolonged jumboization
conversion and overhaul, begun at Toledo, Ohio, in April, and completed
at Boston, Mass., 16 months later. With an increased capacity of over
93,000 barrels, an added length of almost 100 feet, and over 50 new
billets, in addition to modern equipment, Mispillion
departed Boston 6 September 1966 to return to her home port, Long
Beach, Calif.
Seven months later she got
underway for her first western
Pacific deployment in 3 years. Arriving at Subic Bay, Philippine
Islands 22 April 1967, she began a 7-month cruise refueling carriers
and gunfire support ships of the 7th Fleet operating in the Vietnam
area. Servicing in particular the ships of Yankee Station, she
transferred over 71 million gallons of fuel before returning to Long
Beach 30 November. Cruising west coast and Hawaiian waters for the next
5 months, she conducted coastal operations and exercises in preparation
for departing 11 May 1968 to serve with the 7th Fleet through the
remainder of the year.
Mispillion received eight battle stars
for Korean service.
Contributed by Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
Precedence of awards is from top to
bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (4) - China Service Medal
(extended) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal
(with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (8) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
(1-Taiwan Straits, 6-Quemoy-Matsu, 1-Vietnam, 4-Korea) - Vietnam
Service Medal (9)
Fourth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam
Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal
(retroactive)
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