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USS Aucilla (AO-56)
Encyclopedia
USS Aucilla (AO-56) was a Cimarron-class
fleet oiler. She was constructed for the United States Navy
during World War II and her assignment was to provide liquids, such as fuel or water, to ships in the forward battle areas. She survived this dangerous task and returned home post-war with five battle stars to her credit.
Aucilla (AO-56) was laid down on 25 May 1943 at Sparrows Point, Maryland, by the Bethlehem Steel
Co. under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 722); launched on 20 November 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Hope Ridings Miller; and commissioned on 22 December 1943, Comdr. Cornelius M. Sullivan in command.
. She arrived at the Norfolk Navy Yard on the 29th and began training the crew at battle stations and loading ammunition. Aucilla continued her training both in port and underway in the lower Chesapeake Bay
. On 2 February 1944, she departed Norfolk in company with Goldsborough
(DD-188) on her way to the British West Indies
. The oiler arrived at the Naval Operating Base (NOB), Trinidad
, on 7 February and began dispensing fuel to warships operating in the vicinity. She remained there until 14 March at which time she put to sea, in convoy
, for Aruba
. Aucilla arrived at her destination on the 16th, took on a cargo of aviation gasoline, and departed Aruba on the 17th. After a stop at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the oiler arrived in Norfolk, Virginia
, on 24 March.
testing fueling at sea gear and techniques. On 26 April, Aucilla departed Norfolk in company with and, five days later, arrived in Baytown, Texas
. After taking on a cargo of fuel, the ship stood out of Baytown on 4 May and arrived at Staten Island, New York, on the 8th. On 14 May, she was underway, in convoy, for the British Isles
. The oiler parted company with the convoy on 25 May and entered port at Liverpool, England, that same day. She discharged her cargo on the 27th and got underway for Ireland on the 28th. She visited Belfast Lough
from 29 May to 5 June and then headed back to the United States. Aucilla arrived at Norfolk on 16 June.
Six days after her arrival, the oiler sailed from Norfolk for New York
. She arrived on 23 June and operated in that locale until the end of the month. On 2 July, Aucilla put to sea bound for Europe once again. She returned to Belfast
on 12 July but stopped only briefly, returning to sea that same day. The oiler visited Swansea
, Wales
, between the 13th and the 16th before heading home via Belfast
. She reentered Hampton Roads
on 27 July. There, she stayed for almost a month. On 22 August, Aucilla put to sea in company with bound for Baytown, Texas
. She took on a cargo of fuel oil at Baytown before returning to sea. The ship arrived at Bermuda
on 3 September and unloaded her cargo. She then headed back to Hampton Roads, Virginia, where she dropped anchor on the 8th. Operations in Chesapeake Bay followed.
on 9 October and loaded fuel oil until the 11th when she set sail for Panama
. The oiler transited the Panama Canal
on 13 October and, the following day, departed Balboa, Panama
, for the Hawaiian Islands
. She stopped over at Pearl Harbor
from 26 to 29 October and then continued her voyage west. The ship anchored in Eniwetok lagoon
on 5 November. She spent the next two days unloading her cargo of fuel before continuing on to Ulithi
on the 7th. There, she reported for duty to the Commander, Service Squadron (ServRon
) 10.
in mid-December 1944 and again at the end of the first week in January 1945. When the 3d Fleet entered the South China Sea
in mid-January, Aucilla continued her fueling rendezvous with its warships. Between 15 and 26 February, she steamed in an area off Iwo Jima
providing logistics support for the 5th Fleet. She fueled that same fleet from 16 March to 4 May during the invasion of Okinawa. The oiler rounded out her wartime service supporting the 3d Fleet on its final series of raids on the Japanese
home islands between 11 July and 15 August.
, she set sail for Japan on 27 September. The oiler entered Tokyo Bay
on 2 October—one month to the day after Japan formally surrendered. The oiler performed extensive occupation duty at various locations in the Far East
between the end of the war and the summer of 1947.
1, the task organization engaged in the atomic bomb tests conducted at Bikini Atoll
during the summer of 1946. The western Pacific cruise in the summer and fall of 1948 ended with Aucilla steaming through the Indian Ocean
, the Suez Canal
, and the Mediterranean before she crossed the Atlantic to join the fleet stationed on the eastern seaboard of the United States.
, and in the Caribbean taking on oil at various oil ports and carrying it to the fleet. She also conducted independent ship's exercises and amphibious exercises both at Vieques Island near Puerto Rico
and at Onslow Beach
in North Carolina
. At this time she was attached to MSTS. In 1950 she was deployed to Sasebo Japan to support the Korean War operation. She left Norfolk,Va in October 1950, where she was in for repairs at the Portsmouth Navy yard. Her home port was Mare Island Ca. She steamed through the Med. down through the Suez Canal,the Red Sea and up into the Persian Gulf to Ras Tanura where she loaded bunker oil. Leaving this port she headed through the Indian Ocean, the Straights of Molacca, around Singapore and headed North for Sasebo where she unloaded her cargo. Headed south again to Bahrain for another load of oil. Again leaving, headed for Sasebo once again. Arriving Sasebo and unloading she headed for Pearl Harbor. leaving Pearl harbor and returning to Sasebo, Japan. She returned to San Francisco and was detached from MSTS and attached to the fleet as a fleet tanker. Returning to Norfolk via the Panama Canal, completing her round the world voyage and assumed her duties a fleet tanker.
In June 1952, Aucilla embarked upon the first of a long series of deployments to the Mediterranean. Four months later, she resumed operations along the eastern seaboard and in the West Indies. The first part of 1953 saw the oiler engaged in another series of training evolutions in the Puerto Rico
-Vieques Island area.
cruise which took her to Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil, and Barbados
in the British West Indies
. In September, Aucilla deployed to the Mediterranean Sea once more. She completed that assignment late in January 1954 and returned to Norfolk on 3 February 1954. Following post-deployment standdown and participation in the annual fleet exercise, Operation Springboard, the oiler resumed fuel services for the U.S. 2nd Fleet from her base at Norfolk, Virginia
. May brought rough weather fueling tests in the North Atlantic followed by a two-month overhaul at a civilian shipyard in Baltimore, Maryland.
. She performed normal logistics services and training operations out of Norfolk until November. Late that month, the oiler put to sea for Gonaïves
, Haiti
, to provide support for some unspecified tests conducted by the Operational Development Force for the Bureau of Ordnance
. In the course of those operations, the oiler visited Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Port-au-Prince
, Haiti
. When the ship returned to the United States early in December, she entered the Bethlehem Shipyard at Hoboken, New Jersey
, for a three-month modification and repair period. Between mid-April and early May 1955, Aucilla completed refresher training out of Newport, Rhode Island
. She then returned to Norfolk where she began preparations for an extended tour of duty with the 6th Fleet.
, Spain. She reached her destination on 20 June. For the next 22 months, Aucilla served with Task Force
(TF) 63 in a logistics support role. She participated in a number of exercises and visited ports all along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. On 2 April 1957, the oiler headed back to the United States. She spent the entire summer of 1957 engaged in repairs, first a four-month regular overhaul at the New York Naval Shipyard and then boiler
repairs at Key Highway Shipyard of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, in Baltimore, Maryland. Between 16 September and 27 October, Aucilla completed refresher training—out of Guantanamo Bay—and post-refresher availability.
earned out in order to help restore order after severe factional fighting. Following that interlude, the oiler resumed normal U.S. 6th Fleet operations. On 30 May 1959, Aucilla headed back to the United States for a regular overhaul at the Boston Naval Shipyard. The overhaul lasted about six months. During that time, the oiler received a new home port assignment, Norfolk. The ship completed overhaul and set sail from Boston on 18 November, bound for refresher training in the Guantanamo Bay operating area. She shaped a course from the West Indies back to Norfolk on 16 December and arrived at her destination in time to spend the holidays there.
training cruise and took part in convoy exercises off the eastern seaboard.
, before returning to Norfolk on 11 September. For the remainder of 1963, Aucilla conducted local operations out of her home port.
. The ship returned to Norfolk on 8 August and resumed local operations. That resumption lasted just one month. On 8 September, Aucilla got underway from Norfolk once more to participate in a series of NATO exercises in the eastern Atlantic. She visited Bremerhaven, Germany, again at the end of the exercises early in October. She returned to Norfolk on 23 October 1964.
, on 8 December. Another standard 6th Fleet tour of duty ensued with Aucilla fueling units of the fleet, participating in exercises, and visiting Mediterranean ports. She concluded the deployment with her arrival back in Norfolk on 11 May 1965. From late June to late July, Aucilla cruised the waters of the West Indies in support of U.S. 2nd Fleet units keeping an eye on the latest crisis to trouble the Dominican Republic
.
space shots during October, November, and December. Aucilla reentered Norfolk on 23 December to begin her holiday leave and upkeep period.
Further upkeep and a tender availability period occupied her time during January and February 1966. Early in March, the oiler put to sea for another cruise with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. She arrived in Cartagena, Spain
, on 15 March and, for the next five months, provided logistics support for United States naval forces in the Mediterranean. Aucilla departed Rota, Spain, on 12 August and set a course for home. The oiler arrived in Norfolk on the 22d and remained there in a leave and upkeep status until the middle of October.
qualification test. She returned to Norfolk from that mission on 21 November and remained in port for the rest of the year.
forces collapsed allowed them to return to a more normal routine at mid-month. Thus, the oiler resumed port visits, exercise, and fueling operations. She completed turnover proceedings at Rota on 19 and 20 August and headed back to the United States on the latter day. Aucilla arrived back in Norfolk on 30 August. After post-deployment standdown, the oiler entered the yard at the Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. for regular overhaul on 13 November.
where she refueled the Vietnam
-bound aircraft carrier . In addition, Aucilla made port calls at Rio de Janeiro
in Brazil, St. Thomas
in the Virgin Islands
, Nassau
in the Bahamas, and at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, before returning to Norfolk on 10 August.
. After almost five months fueling the ships of the 6th Fleet and making port visits throughout the Mediterranean, Aucilla departed Rota late in March 1969. She arrived back in Norfolk on 5 April. After the usual post-deployment standdown, the oiler began normal operations out of Norfolk. For the next 14 months, the ship cruised the waters along the eastern seaboard and the West Indies in support of the ships of the Atlantic Fleet. Aucilla returned to Norfolk from her last voyage early in July 1970.
In the middle of September 1970, she began preparations for inactivation. Aucilla was placed out of commission at Norfolk on 18 December 1970. On 7 October 1971, she was transferred to the Maritime Administration for berthing with its James River, Virginia
, facility. Her name was struck from the Navy List
on 1 December 1976. She was subsequently withdrawn from MARAD twice for further stripping, and last returned to MARAD on 21 August 1985. Sold on 27 April 1992, she was scrapped on 25 October 1992.
Cimarron class oiler
Cimarron class oiler may refer to either of two classes of oilers.*Cimarron class fleet oiler , were built before and during World War II and served into the 1970s, in some cases until the Gulf War....
fleet oiler. She was constructed for the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II and her assignment was to provide liquids, such as fuel or water, to ships in the forward battle areas. She survived this dangerous task and returned home post-war with five battle stars to her credit.
Aucilla (AO-56) was laid down on 25 May 1943 at Sparrows Point, Maryland, by the Bethlehem Steel
Bethlehem Steel
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation , based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel. After a decline in the U.S...
Co. under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 722); launched on 20 November 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Hope Ridings Miller; and commissioned on 22 December 1943, Comdr. Cornelius M. Sullivan in command.
North Atlantic operations
The oiler remained at Sparrows Point until 28 December at which time she got underway for Portsmouth, VirginiaPortsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
. She arrived at the Norfolk Navy Yard on the 29th and began training the crew at battle stations and loading ammunition. Aucilla continued her training both in port and underway in the lower Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
. On 2 February 1944, she departed Norfolk in company with Goldsborough
USS Goldsborough (DD-188)
USS Goldsborough was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the second Navy ship named for Rear Admiral Louis M...
(DD-188) on her way to the British West Indies
British West Indies
The British West Indies was a term used to describe the islands in and around the Caribbean that were part of the British Empire The term was sometimes used to include British Honduras and British Guiana, even though these territories are not geographically part of the Caribbean...
. The oiler arrived at the Naval Operating Base (NOB), Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, on 7 February and began dispensing fuel to warships operating in the vicinity. She remained there until 14 March at which time she put to sea, in convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
, for Aruba
Aruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
. Aucilla arrived at her destination on the 16th, took on a cargo of aviation gasoline, and departed Aruba on the 17th. After a stop at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the oiler arrived in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, on 24 March.
Convoyed to the United Kingdom
For about a month, she operated out of Norfolk in the lower Chesapeake BayChesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
testing fueling at sea gear and techniques. On 26 April, Aucilla departed Norfolk in company with and, five days later, arrived in Baytown, Texas
Baytown, Texas
Baytown is a city within Harris County and partially in Chambers County in the Gulf Coast region of the U.S. state of Texas. Located within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, it lies along both State Highway 146 and Interstate 10. As of 2010, Baytown had an population of 71,802...
. After taking on a cargo of fuel, the ship stood out of Baytown on 4 May and arrived at Staten Island, New York, on the 8th. On 14 May, she was underway, in convoy, for the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
. The oiler parted company with the convoy on 25 May and entered port at Liverpool, England, that same day. She discharged her cargo on the 27th and got underway for Ireland on the 28th. She visited Belfast Lough
Belfast Lough
Belfast Lough is a large, natural intertidal sea lough at the mouth of the River Lagan on the east coast of Northern Ireland. The inner part of the lough comprises a series of mudflats and lagoons. The outer lough is restricted to mainly rocky shores with some small sandy bays...
from 29 May to 5 June and then headed back to the United States. Aucilla arrived at Norfolk on 16 June.
Six days after her arrival, the oiler sailed from Norfolk for New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. She arrived on 23 June and operated in that locale until the end of the month. On 2 July, Aucilla put to sea bound for Europe once again. She returned to Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
on 12 July but stopped only briefly, returning to sea that same day. The oiler visited Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, between the 13th and the 16th before heading home via Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. She reentered Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
on 27 July. There, she stayed for almost a month. On 22 August, Aucilla put to sea in company with bound for Baytown, Texas
Baytown, Texas
Baytown is a city within Harris County and partially in Chambers County in the Gulf Coast region of the U.S. state of Texas. Located within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, it lies along both State Highway 146 and Interstate 10. As of 2010, Baytown had an population of 71,802...
. She took on a cargo of fuel oil at Baytown before returning to sea. The ship arrived at Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
on 3 September and unloaded her cargo. She then headed back to Hampton Roads, Virginia, where she dropped anchor on the 8th. Operations in Chesapeake Bay followed.
Transfer to the Pacific Fleet
on 4 October, Aucilla put to sea bound for the Caribbean. She arrived at ArubaAruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
on 9 October and loaded fuel oil until the 11th when she set sail for Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. The oiler transited the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
on 13 October and, the following day, departed Balboa, Panama
Balboa, Panama
Balboa is a district of Panama City, located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal.- History :The town of Balboa, founded by the United States during the construction of the Panama Canal, was named after Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the Spanish conquistador credited with discovering the Pacific Ocean...
, for the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
. She stopped over at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
from 26 to 29 October and then continued her voyage west. The ship anchored in Eniwetok lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
on 5 November. She spent the next two days unloading her cargo of fuel before continuing on to Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
on the 7th. There, she reported for duty to the Commander, Service Squadron (ServRon
ServRon
A ServRon is a standard United States Navy abbreviation for "Service Squadron."A Service Squadron was a squadron of U.S. Navy ships that served the fleet. The squadron included ships such as tankers, oilers, refrigerator ships, ammunition ships, supply ships, repair ships, and the like...
) 10.
Supporting Iwo Jima and Okinawa operations
For the remainder of the war, Aucilla supported U.S. 3rd Fleet/U.S. 5th Fleet operations in the western Pacific Ocean by refueling its units at sea. She provided fuel to the 3d Fleet during its air attacks on LuzonLuzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
in mid-December 1944 and again at the end of the first week in January 1945. When the 3d Fleet entered the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
in mid-January, Aucilla continued her fueling rendezvous with its warships. Between 15 and 26 February, she steamed in an area off Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
providing logistics support for the 5th Fleet. She fueled that same fleet from 16 March to 4 May during the invasion of Okinawa. The oiler rounded out her wartime service supporting the 3d Fleet on its final series of raids on the Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
home islands between 11 July and 15 August.
End-of-war activity
Following the cessation of hostilities, Aucilla continued steaming with the 3d Fleet off Japan. After a brief stop at UlithiUlithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
, she set sail for Japan on 27 September. The oiler entered Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
on 2 October—one month to the day after Japan formally surrendered. The oiler performed extensive occupation duty at various locations in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
between the end of the war and the summer of 1947.
Supporting nuclear test ships at Bikini
That service also included some logistics support work for the ships of Joint Task ForceTask force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
1, the task organization engaged in the atomic bomb tests conducted at Bikini Atoll
Bikini Atoll
Bikini Atoll is an atoll, listed as a World Heritage Site, in the Micronesian Islands of the Pacific Ocean, part of Republic of the Marshall Islands....
during the summer of 1946. The western Pacific cruise in the summer and fall of 1948 ended with Aucilla steaming through the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
, and the Mediterranean before she crossed the Atlantic to join the fleet stationed on the eastern seaboard of the United States.
East Coast operations
For about four years, the oiler operated along the U.S. East Coast, in the Gulf of MexicoGulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, and in the Caribbean taking on oil at various oil ports and carrying it to the fleet. She also conducted independent ship's exercises and amphibious exercises both at Vieques Island near Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and at Onslow Beach
Onslow Beach
Onslow Beach is a 12 km stretch of undeveloped beach at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Onslow County, North Carolina. It has been used at various times for practice amphibious landings by the U.S. Navy. Presently, it is used as a recreational area by the Camp Lejeune community.- External...
in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. At this time she was attached to MSTS. In 1950 she was deployed to Sasebo Japan to support the Korean War operation. She left Norfolk,Va in October 1950, where she was in for repairs at the Portsmouth Navy yard. Her home port was Mare Island Ca. She steamed through the Med. down through the Suez Canal,the Red Sea and up into the Persian Gulf to Ras Tanura where she loaded bunker oil. Leaving this port she headed through the Indian Ocean, the Straights of Molacca, around Singapore and headed North for Sasebo where she unloaded her cargo. Headed south again to Bahrain for another load of oil. Again leaving, headed for Sasebo once again. Arriving Sasebo and unloading she headed for Pearl Harbor. leaving Pearl harbor and returning to Sasebo, Japan. She returned to San Francisco and was detached from MSTS and attached to the fleet as a fleet tanker. Returning to Norfolk via the Panama Canal, completing her round the world voyage and assumed her duties a fleet tanker.
In June 1952, Aucilla embarked upon the first of a long series of deployments to the Mediterranean. Four months later, she resumed operations along the eastern seaboard and in the West Indies. The first part of 1953 saw the oiler engaged in another series of training evolutions in the Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
-Vieques Island area.
Midshipman cruise to Rio
June and July 1953 brought a midshipmanMidshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
cruise which took her to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil, and Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
in the British West Indies
British West Indies
The British West Indies was a term used to describe the islands in and around the Caribbean that were part of the British Empire The term was sometimes used to include British Honduras and British Guiana, even though these territories are not geographically part of the Caribbean...
. In September, Aucilla deployed to the Mediterranean Sea once more. She completed that assignment late in January 1954 and returned to Norfolk on 3 February 1954. Following post-deployment standdown and participation in the annual fleet exercise, Operation Springboard, the oiler resumed fuel services for the U.S. 2nd Fleet from her base at Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. May brought rough weather fueling tests in the North Atlantic followed by a two-month overhaul at a civilian shipyard in Baltimore, Maryland.
Caribbean operations
In August, Aucilla departed Baltimore and steamed down Chesapeake Bay to rejoin the active units of the Atlantic FleetUnited States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
. She performed normal logistics services and training operations out of Norfolk until November. Late that month, the oiler put to sea for Gonaïves
Gonaïves
Gonaïves is a city in northern Haiti, the capital of the Artibonite Department. It has a population of about 104,825 people . The city's name derives from the original Amerindian name of Gonaibo. It is also known as Haïti's "independence city"...
, Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, to provide support for some unspecified tests conducted by the Operational Development Force for the Bureau of Ordnance
Bureau of Ordnance
The Bureau of Ordnance was the U.S. Navy's organization responsible for the procurement, storage, and deployment of all naval ordnance, between the years 1862 and 1959.-History:...
. In the course of those operations, the oiler visited Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
, Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
. When the ship returned to the United States early in December, she entered the Bethlehem Shipyard at Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
, for a three-month modification and repair period. Between mid-April and early May 1955, Aucilla completed refresher training out of Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
. She then returned to Norfolk where she began preparations for an extended tour of duty with the 6th Fleet.
Homeported in Barcelona, Spain
On 31 May 1955 the ship stood out of Norfolk en route to her new home port, BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain. She reached her destination on 20 June. For the next 22 months, Aucilla served with Task Force
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
(TF) 63 in a logistics support role. She participated in a number of exercises and visited ports all along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. On 2 April 1957, the oiler headed back to the United States. She spent the entire summer of 1957 engaged in repairs, first a four-month regular overhaul at the New York Naval Shipyard and then boiler
Boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
repairs at Key Highway Shipyard of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, in Baltimore, Maryland. Between 16 September and 27 October, Aucilla completed refresher training—out of Guantanamo Bay—and post-refresher availability.
Supporting landings in Lebanon
On 28 October 1957, she set sail from Norfolk on her way back to the Mediterranean Sea. Once again, she spent her time ranging the length and breadth of the Mediterranean supporting the operations of TF 63. During the summer of 1958, Aucilla provided logistics support for the ships, sailors, and marines involved in the landings in LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
earned out in order to help restore order after severe factional fighting. Following that interlude, the oiler resumed normal U.S. 6th Fleet operations. On 30 May 1959, Aucilla headed back to the United States for a regular overhaul at the Boston Naval Shipyard. The overhaul lasted about six months. During that time, the oiler received a new home port assignment, Norfolk. The ship completed overhaul and set sail from Boston on 18 November, bound for refresher training in the Guantanamo Bay operating area. She shaped a course from the West Indies back to Norfolk on 16 December and arrived at her destination in time to spend the holidays there.
Continued support of the 6th Fleet
Underway again on 4 January 1960, Aucilla operated in the vicinity of Norfolk until late in the month. On the 28th, she put to sea bound for the Mediterranean Sea. That seven-month deployment followed the pattern of previous ones, mixing port visits with logistics missions in support of 6th Fleet combat units. The oiler returned to Norfolk on 31 August and, after the usual leave and upkeep period, resumed normal east coast-West Indies operations. That routine lasted into 1961. In February and March 1961, she participated in the annual fleet exercise Operation Springboard. She returned to Norfolk on 17 March and began preparations for another tour of duty with the 6th Fleet. On 15 May 1961, she stood out of Norfolk and shaped a course for the Mediterranean Sea. Aucilla served a 14-week deployment that followed patterns established earlier.Yard Overhaul at Norfolk
The oiler reentered Norfolk on 11 September 1961 and began post-deployment standdown. Following the leave and upkeep period, she started preparations for overhaul. On 20 November, she entered the yard at the Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Aucilla completed her overhaul on 20 February 1962 and then set sail on 1 March for five weeks of refresher training in the West Indies. Upon completion of refresher training, the oiler joined an underway replenishment group to support the amphibious Exercise "Phiblex 1-62", also conducted in the West Indies. Later, she returned to United States' waters to participate in Fleet Exercise "Quick Kick." That summer, she conducted a midshipmanMidshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
training cruise and took part in convoy exercises off the eastern seaboard.
European tour of duty
The oiler continued operations out of Norfolk through the end of 1962 and into 1963. On 7 March 1963, Aucilla left Chesapeake Bay on her way back to the Mediterranean. The deployment lasted just under four months. She was back in Norfolk by 1 July. Following post-deployment standdown, the oiler got underway on 6 August to participate in NATO Exercise "Riptide IV" conducted in the eastern Atlantic. As an adjunct to that mission, she visited Bremerhaven, Germany, and Rota, SpainRota, Spain
-External references:*, official website * On-line since 1999! News, premiere information, pictures, weather, etc. Into Spanish, English... ****- External links :...
, before returning to Norfolk on 11 September. For the remainder of 1963, Aucilla conducted local operations out of her home port.
Visiting the 1964 New York World's Fair
Similar duty occupied her time during the first two months of 1964. On 3 March 1964, however, the oiler entered the yard at the Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. for a regular overhaul. She completed repairs and modifications late in June and put to sea on the 29th for a month of refresher training in the Guantanamo Bay operating area. At the conclusion of refresher training, Aucilla voyaged north to New York where her crew members visited the World's Fair1964 New York World's Fair
The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair was the third major world's fair to be held in New York City. Hailing itself as a "universal and international" exposition, the fair's theme was "Peace Through Understanding," dedicated to "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe";...
. The ship returned to Norfolk on 8 August and resumed local operations. That resumption lasted just one month. On 8 September, Aucilla got underway from Norfolk once more to participate in a series of NATO exercises in the eastern Atlantic. She visited Bremerhaven, Germany, again at the end of the exercises early in October. She returned to Norfolk on 23 October 1964.
Reassigned to the 6th Fleet
Upon her return to her home port, she began preparations for another assignment with the 6th Fleet. Aucilla left Norfolk on 27 November and arrived in Rota, SpainRota, Spain
-External references:*, official website * On-line since 1999! News, premiere information, pictures, weather, etc. Into Spanish, English... ****- External links :...
, on 8 December. Another standard 6th Fleet tour of duty ensued with Aucilla fueling units of the fleet, participating in exercises, and visiting Mediterranean ports. She concluded the deployment with her arrival back in Norfolk on 11 May 1965. From late June to late July, Aucilla cruised the waters of the West Indies in support of U.S. 2nd Fleet units keeping an eye on the latest crisis to trouble the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
.
Supporting Gemini space shots
She returned to Norfolk on 23 July and resumed local operations out of her home port. Those operations included support roles in the Gemini 6 and Gemini 7Gemini 7
Gemini 7 was a 1965 manned spaceflight in NASA's Gemini program. It was the 4th manned Gemini flight, the 12th manned American flight and the 20th spaceflight of all time . The crew of Frank F. Borman, II and James A...
space shots during October, November, and December. Aucilla reentered Norfolk on 23 December to begin her holiday leave and upkeep period.
Further upkeep and a tender availability period occupied her time during January and February 1966. Early in March, the oiler put to sea for another cruise with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. She arrived in Cartagena, Spain
Cartagena, Spain
Cartagena is a Spanish city and a major naval station located in the Region of Murcia, by the Mediterranean coast, south-eastern Spain. As of January 2011, it has a population of 218,210 inhabitants being the Region’s second largest municipality and the country’s 6th non-Province capital...
, on 15 March and, for the next five months, provided logistics support for United States naval forces in the Mediterranean. Aucilla departed Rota, Spain, on 12 August and set a course for home. The oiler arrived in Norfolk on the 22d and remained there in a leave and upkeep status until the middle of October.
Assigned recovery ship for Titan IIIC heat shield
She put to sea again on 18 October to serve as a recovery ship for an U.S. Air Force Titan III-C heat shieldHeat shield
A heat shield is designed to shield a substance from absorbing excessive heat from an outside source by either dissipating, reflecting or simply absorbing the heat...
qualification test. She returned to Norfolk from that mission on 21 November and remained in port for the rest of the year.
Responding to the Six-Day Arab-Israeli War
On 6 February 1967, Aucilla stood out of Norfolk once again on her way to the Mediterranean. She arrived in Rota, Spain, on the 17th and soon began making the rounds to ports in the "middle sea." The most notable event of that deployment was the Six-Day Arab-Israeli War to which units of the 6th Fleet -- Aucilla included—responded with alacrity. She and her colleagues moved quickly to the eastern Mediterranean early in June, out the rapidity with which the ArabArab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
forces collapsed allowed them to return to a more normal routine at mid-month. Thus, the oiler resumed port visits, exercise, and fueling operations. She completed turnover proceedings at Rota on 19 and 20 August and headed back to the United States on the latter day. Aucilla arrived back in Norfolk on 30 August. After post-deployment standdown, the oiler entered the yard at the Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. for regular overhaul on 13 November.
South Atlantic operations
Aucilla completed her overhaul by 5 April 1968. On that day, she stood out of Norfolk on her way to refresher training in the West Indies. The oiler completed that mission in May and returned to Norfolk on the 19th. Soon thereafter, she embarked upon a two-month voyage that took her to the Cape of Good HopeCape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
where she refueled the Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
-bound aircraft carrier . In addition, Aucilla made port calls at Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
in Brazil, St. Thomas
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...
in the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
, Nassau
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
in the Bahamas, and at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, before returning to Norfolk on 10 August.
Last voyage and disposal
At that time, the oiler began a tender availability as well as a leave and upkeep period preparatory to overseas movement. Aucilla stood out of Norfolk on 23 September; and, on 3 October she relieved at RotaRota, Spain
-External references:*, official website * On-line since 1999! News, premiere information, pictures, weather, etc. Into Spanish, English... ****- External links :...
. After almost five months fueling the ships of the 6th Fleet and making port visits throughout the Mediterranean, Aucilla departed Rota late in March 1969. She arrived back in Norfolk on 5 April. After the usual post-deployment standdown, the oiler began normal operations out of Norfolk. For the next 14 months, the ship cruised the waters along the eastern seaboard and the West Indies in support of the ships of the Atlantic Fleet. Aucilla returned to Norfolk from her last voyage early in July 1970.
In the middle of September 1970, she began preparations for inactivation. Aucilla was placed out of commission at Norfolk on 18 December 1970. On 7 October 1971, she was transferred to the Maritime Administration for berthing with its James River, Virginia
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
, facility. Her name was struck from the Navy List
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 1 December 1976. She was subsequently withdrawn from MARAD twice for further stripping, and last returned to MARAD on 21 August 1985. Sold on 27 April 1992, she was scrapped on 25 October 1992.