USS Narraguagas (AOG-32)

Career (US)
Ordered:	as T1-M-A2 tanker hull, MC hull 1529
Laid down:	30 August 1944
Launched:	15 October 1944
Acquired:	20 November 1944
Commissioned:	2 December 1944
Decommissioned:	5 March 1946
Struck:	16 April 1947
Fate:	scrapped in June 1985
General characteristics
Displacement:	846 tons(lt) 2,270 tons(fl)
Length:	220 ft 6 in
Beam:	37 ft
Draught:	17 ft
Propulsion:	Diesel direct drive, single screw, 720 hp
Speed:	10 knots (19 km/h)
Capacity:	1,228 long tons deadweight (DWT)
Complement:	62
Armament:	one single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount, two 40 mm guns, three single 20 mm gun mounts

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.

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, U.S.C.G., 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 1842, 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, she was sold to Compania de Petroleo Lago, 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.

References

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

External links

• NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AOG-32 Narraguagas