Laid down 30 August 1944 Commissioned 2 December 1944 Struck 16 April 1947 Launched 15 October 1944 | Acquired 20 November 1944 Decommissioned 5 March 1946 Construction started 30 August 1944 | |
Ordered as T1-M-A2 tanker hull,
MC hull 1529 | ||
USS Narraguagas (AOG-32) was a Mettawee-class gasoline tanker acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of transporting gasoline to warships in the fleet, and to remote Navy stations.
Contents
- World War II service
- Under attack by Japanese planes
- End of war activity
- Post war decommissioning
- References
Narraguagas (ex MC hull 1529) was laid down 30 August 1944 by East Coast Ship Yard, Inc., Bayonne, New Jersey; launched 15 October 1944; acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission 20 November 1944; and commissioned 2 December 1944, Lt. Randall F. Elder, USCG, in command.
World War II service
Following shakedown, the U.S. Coast Guard-manned tanker Narraguagas reported to ComServLant, 15 January 1945, for routing through the Panama Canal to California. Attached to ServRon 8, Pacific Fleet 13 February, she moored at San Pedro, California, until departing for Pearl Harbor on the 20th. Arriving 2 March, she got underway two weeks later on a shuttle run to Johnston Island. On 6 April she sailed for Eniwetok, where she joined ServRon 10 on the 20th. By the 25th she was en route to Ulithi, whence she proceeded to Leyte and thence Kerama Retto.
Under attack by Japanese planes
Arriving in the Ryukyus 13 June, she commenced refueling operations immediately. On 21 June, at 18:42, a surprise attack on the anchorage was staged by two Japanese planes. During the action one of the planes collided with Curtiss (AV-4), while the second splashed by the Coast Guard cutter Bibb (WPG-31).
End-of-war activity
Narraguagas resumed her vital refueling operations shortly thereafter, continuing them at Kerama Retto until 7 July. She then shifted to Buckner Bay, and operated in the Ryukyus until getting underway for the United States at the end of the year.
Post-war decommissioning
Arriving at San Pedro 10 January 1946, she commenced inactivation. Decommissioned 5 March, she was struck from the Navy List 12 April 1947 and was transferred to the Maritime Commission in June 1947 for disposal. Later that year, it was sold to Creole Petroleum Corporation, in Maracaibo, Venezuela and renamed the Esso Maracaibo. In April 1964, she collided with the recently inaugurated General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge across the Maracaibo ship channel, destroying one of the spans and causing the deaths of seven people. Later renamed Lagoven Maracaibo, the ship was eventually scrapped in Taiwan in June 1985.