USS Narraguagas, AOG-32
A river in Maine.
Builder: East Coast Shipyard, Bayonne, New Jersey
Length: 220' 6"
Beam: 37'
Draft: 17'
Displacement: 2,270 (fl)
Commissioned: 2 December 1944
Decommissioned: 5 March 1946
Disposition: Sold
Machinery: 720 hp diesel direct drive; single propeller
Top Speed: 10 knots
Complement: 62
Armament: 1 3"/50; 2 x 40mm; 3 x 20mm
HISTORY:
The USS Narraguagas was a Sequatchie-Class gasoline tanker. She was laid down 30 August 1944 by East Coast Ship Yard, Inc., Bayonne, N.J.; 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.
Following shakedown, the Coast Guard manned tanker Narraguagus 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 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 enroute to Ulithi, whence she proceeded to Leyte and thence to Kerama Retto.
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 was splashed by the Coast Guard cutter Bibb (WPG–31). 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. Arriving at San Pedro 10 January 1946, she commenced inactivation. Decommissioned 5 March, she was struck from the Navy List 12 April and was transferred to the Maritime Commission in June 1947 for disposal. Later that year, she was sold to Compania de Petroleo Lago, Maracaibo, Venezuela and renamed Esso Maracaibo.
Sources:
Cutter Files, Coast Guard Historian's Office
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.