USS CHICOPEE (AO-34)

USS ''Chicopee''.
Career
Laid down:	14 May 1941
Launched	6 September 1941
Commissioned:	9 February 1942
Decommissioned:	14 February 1946
Struck:	1 July 1946
Fate:	Converted for civilian use, eventually scrapped on unknown date
General Characteristics
Displacement:	5,375t (lt.); 22,430t (fl.)
Length:	520'
Beam:	68'
Draft:	30' 10"
Propulsion:	geared turbines, single shaft, 9,000hp.
Speed:	16.5 kts.(max.)
Complement:	279
Armament:	1 5"/38 dp, 4 3"/50 dp, 4x2 40mm, 2x2 20mm
Capacity:	131,600 barrels,
USS ''Chicopee''.

The 'USS ''Chicopee'' (AO-34)', originally named 'SS ''Esso Trenton'' II', was the first ''Chicopee''-class fleet oiler serving in the United States Navy during the era of the Second World War. Laid down on 14 May 1941, she was renamed as the second vessel named by the USN for the Chicopee River, located in a town of Massachusetts bearing the same name. The original ''Chicopee'' served in the 1860s during the American Civil War.
''Chicopee'' was launched 6 September 1941 after being built at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Chester, Pennsylvania, under Maritime Commission contract. Sponsored by Mrs. N.L. Lank, acquired by the Navy 3 January 1942, and commissioned on 9 February with Commander G. Bannerman in command.
After a short period as station tanker at Casco Bay, Maine, ''Chicopee'' made several oil runs between ports on the Gulf of Mexico and the US east coast. She departed Norfolk 8 June 1942 for NS Argentia, Newfoundland, and served as station tanker there from 12 June until 8 July when she sailed to Reykjavík, Iceland, returning to Norfolk 25 July.
From August to November 1942 ''Chicopee'' resumed coastwise fueling operations. She then made three voyages to a midocean point with the ''Ranger'' task group to launch U.S. Army planes to North Africa, and in March resumed her oil runs between Norfolk and the Gulf ports with one voyage to Argentia.
''Chicopee'' sailed from Norfolk 10 May 1943 as an escort oiler and arrived at Oran 23 May to serve as station tanker until 28 July when she got underway for New York. After a convoy voyage to Gibraltar, she was overhauled and on 8 October departed on escort oiler duty to Londonderry, Ireland, and HMNB Clyde, Scotland returning to Norfolk 3 December for overhaul. From 3 February until 26 September 1944, ''Chicopee'' operated as an escort oiler between Norfolk and the North African ports of Casablanca, Oran, and Bizerte.
She departed Norfolk 28 October 1944 for Pacific service and arrived at Ulithi 8 December. She sailed out of Ulithi supplying fuel for the US Pacific Fleet fast carrier task forces engaged in the Luzon, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa operations, and air strikes against Japan until the close of the war.
After serving as station tanker in Tokyo Bay from 26 September until 28 October 1945, ''Chicopee'' cleared for San Francisco, arriving 9 November. On 14 February 1946 she was decommissioned at Mare Island and sold through the Maritime Commission for return to her owners, Standard Oil of New Jersey, 1 July 1946.
''Chicopee'' earned four battle stars for World War II service.
The ship was eventually scrapped on an unknown date after being converted to a containership in 1963.

Contents

Personnel

References

Personnel

★ G. Bannerman (CDR, CO, 1942)

★ Mike McKinney (fueling officer)

References

★

★ HyperWar's USS ''Chicopee'' (AO-34) page