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Photo # 80-G-294654:  USS Kaskaskia during experimental refueling operations with USS Hart, December 1944

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Kaskaskia (AO-27), 1940-1970

USS Kaskaskia, a Cimarron class (T-3 type) oiler, was built at Newport News, Virginia, as the civilian tanker Esso Richmond. Launched in late September 1939, she was acquired by the Navy in October 1940 and placed in commission later in that month. She was sent to the Pacific in November 1940 and spent the next year supplying fuel to Navy ships and bases in the Hawaiian area.

During the months after the United States entered World War II in December 1941, Kaskaskia mainly operated in the south Pacific. She was transferred to the Alaskan theater in mid-1942 but returned to the south Pacific in March 1943 and served there until July, when she went to California for repairs. For the rest of the Pacific War, Kaskaskia supported the great seaborne offensive that swept across the central Pacific to the Philippines and then turned northwards to seize islands closer to Japan. For a year after the fighting ended in August 1945, she helped with the occupation effort in the China-Korea-Japan area.

Kaskaskia carried fuel between the U.S., Asia and Pacific bases from 1947 until the Korean War began in mid-1950. She then began regular deployments to support ships operating off the Korean coast, with the first lasting for nearly a year, from September 1950 until late August 1951. Her second and third Korean War tours took place in January-July 1952 and from December 1952 into July 1953. The oiler made one post-war Far Eastern cruise, in 1954, before decommissioning in April 1955. She operated briefly with the Military Sea Transportation Service in 1957 and was stricken from the Navy List in January 1959.

Increasing Cold War tensions brought Kaskaskia back to active duty in the early 1960s. Reinstated as a Naval vessel in September 1961, she recommissioned in December of that year. During 1962 Kaskaskia served in the western Atlantic and Caribbean, taking part in space flight recovery activities and Cuban Missile Crisis operations. In 1963-1969, she continued to provide fuel to Navy ships in those areas, as well as deploying five times to the Mediterranean to support the Sixth Fleet. She celebrated her 30th anniversary afloat in September 1969, at the conclusion of her final Mediterranean cruise, and was decommissioned in the following December. USS Kaskaskia was sold for scrapping in September 1970.

This page features all the views we have related to USS Kaskaskia (AO-27).


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: 80-G-293946

USS Kaskaskia (AO-27)
and
USS Hart (DD-594)

Refueling at sea on 16 December 1944.
Photographed from a blimp of squadron ZP-31.
This was one of a series of experimental refuelings conducted by these two ships during 12-23 December 1944 to develop improved fueling at sea techniques.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 525 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 80-G-294653

USS Kaskaskia (AO-27)
and
USS Hart (DD-594)

Separate, after refueling at sea on 23 December 1944.
Photographed from a blimp of squadron ZP-31.
This was one of a series of experimental refuelings conducted by these two ships during 12-23 December 1944 to develop improved fueling at sea techniques.
Hart's camouflage is Measure 31 Design 16d.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 111KB; 740 x 610 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 80-G-294654

USS Kaskaskia (AO-27)
and
USS Hart (DD-594)

Refueling at sea, 23 December 1944.
Photographed from a blimp of squadron ZP-31.
This was one of a series of experimental refuelings conducted by these two ships during 12-23 December 1944 to develop improved fueling at sea techniques.
Hart's camouflage is Measure 31 Design 16d.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 108KB; 740 x 610 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 80-G-14166

USS Kaskaskia (AO-27)


Takes green water over her deck, while refueling USS Enterprise (CV-6) in the Solomon Islands area, 18 August 1942.
Note refueling hose in the right center, ready to be sent over to the carrier.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 156KB; 740 x 615 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: KN-8700 (Color)

Insignia of USS Kaskaskia (AO-27)

Photographed on 10 May 1963.
This emblem features an image of the ship, along with a globe representing the World-wide missions of a fleet oiler. The Latin motto is translated: "Best in the World"

Official U.S. Navy Photograph.

Online Image: 94KB; 590 x 765 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system as Photo # 428-KN-8700

 


In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Kaskaskia (AO-27). The following list features some of these images:

The images listed below are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."



  • Photo #: 80-G-456375
    USS Kaskaskia (AO-27) underway, soon after she was first commissioned, circa 1940-41.
    Starboard bow surface view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-457915
    USS Kaskaskia (AO-27) underway, soon after she was first commissioned, circa 1940-41.
    Starboard quarter surface view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-79679
    USS Kaskaskia (AO-27) at Kodiak, Alaska, in 1943.
    Port broadside surface view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-303197
    USS Kaskaskia (AO-27) underway off San Pedro, California, 18 February 1945.
    Port side aerial view, taken from somewhat toward the stern.

  • Photo #: 80-G-303198
    As 80-G-303197, but taken from directly ahead.

  • Photo #: 80-G-303199
    As 80-G-303197, but taken from directly astern.

  • Photo #: 80-G-303200
    As 80-G-303197, but taken from ahead and somewhat to starboard.


  • Photo #: USN 1078418
    USS Kaskaskia (AO-27) underway in Pearl Harbor, 16 July 1953.
    Starboard bow surface view, with the ship partially framed by palm tree branches.

  • Photo #: USN 1059322
    USS Kaskaskia (AO-27) underway in harbor, 10 January 1962.
    Aerial view, taken from directly ahead.

  • Photo #: USN 1059323
    As USN 1059322, but taken from off the ship's starboard quarter -- rather more starboard than quarter.

  • Photo #: USN 1059324
    As USN 1059322, but taken from off the ship's starboard bow -- rather tight on the bow.

  • Photo #: USN 1059325
    As USN 1059322, but taken from off the ship's starboard quarter -- rather more quarter than starboard.

  • Photo #: USN 1059326
    As USN 1059322, but taken from off the ship's port bow.

  • Photo #: USN 1060326
    USS Kaskaskia (AO-27) underway during refueling at sea operations, with USS Alcor (AK-259) off her starboard side, 19 February 1962. Photographed by PH1c A.F. Hefner.
    Aerial view, taken from off the ships' starboard quarters.

  • Photo #: USN 1060327
    As USN 1060326, but taken from directly overhead.

  • Photo #: USN 1060328
    As USN 1060326, but taken from ahead and somewhat to starboard.

  • Photo #: USN 1060329
    USS Kaskaskia (AO-27) underway by herself, 19 February 1962. Photographed by PH1c A.F. Hefner.
    Low aerial view, taken from off the ship's port side.

  • Photo #: USN 1108821
    USS Kaskaskia (AO-27) refueling USS Mullinix (DD-944) and USS Lake Champlain (CVS-39) in September 1964. Photographed by AN James S. Lindzey from Lake Champlain, which is not seen in the view..
    Surface port bow view, with Mullinix steaming on Kaskaskia's opposite side.

    Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center.

    The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


  • If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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    Page made 3 March 2002