USS Hassayampa (AO-145) USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145)

USS Hassayampa (AO-145)
United States Navy
15 April 1955 - 17 November 1978

Home Port Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145)
 Military Sealift Command
17 November 1978 - 2 October 1991
*************                                                                                                        "Cashmere Delta"
*************                                                                                                           "Humpin' Hass"
*************                                                                                          "Finest Oiler in the Fleet, she was."

An Ongoing History Project
(last updated September 3, 2010)

USS Hassayampa (AO-145)          USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145)

Neosho Class Fleet Oiler

Fleet oilers operate as a unit of an underway replenishment group, replenishing petroleum products and ordnance to the fleet at sea during underway replenishments (UNREPS). The oilers transport bulk petroleum and lubricants from depots to the ships of the battle group. The ships also transport and deliver limited Fleet Freight, mail and personnel to combatants and support units underway.

Award date, 28 February 1952; Ship builder, New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, Jew Jersey; Keel date, 13 July 1953; Launch date, 12 September 1954; Delivery date, 15 April 1955 (U.S. Navy officially accepted custody from the shipbuilder); Commission date, 19 April 1955; Commissioned USS Hassayampa (AO-145), Captain William V McKaig in command; Decommission date, 17 November 1978; Placed In-Service with Military Sealift Command as USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145), 17 November 1978; Placed Out-of-Service, 1991; Decommission date, 2 October 1991; Struck from the Naval Register, 16 February 1997; Title transfer to United States Maritime Administration (MARAD), 1 May 1999 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, California; Date set for dismantle, December 2005       [As of January 17, 2010, Hassayampa is still 'Alive and Well' in Suisun Bay]

Specifications

Displacement 38,251 tons
Length 655 feet
Beam 86 feet
Draft 35 feet
Complement 324
Cargo - Navy special fuel oil 5,484,444 gallons
Cargo - Aviation Gas 454,188 gallons
Cargo - Jet Fuel (JP-5) 1,892,898 gallons
Speed - maximum 21 knots, plus
Speed - sustained 19 knots
Speed - economical 12 knots
Screws Twin screws, four blades, 18 feet
Armament Two single 5"/38 dual purpose mounts
Six twin 3"/50 gun mounts
.50 cal machine guns
Propulsion Steam turbines

After shakedown

Upon completion of standard shakedown maneuvers, Hassayampa departed Camden, New Jersey and steamed southward into the western Atlantic on her way to Home Port Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This cruise took Hassayampa southwesterly between Cuba and Haiti, past Jamaica, and on into the Canal Zone and through the Panama Canal on her way to layoffs in Southern California, arriving Pearl Harbor 15 July 1955 for duty with Service Force, Pacific Fleet.

Between July 1955 and May 1958, Hassayampa made three deployments to the Western Pacific, providing logistics for the United States 7th Fleet. In June 1958 Hassayampa joined the 1st Fleet at San Francisco to participate in the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the cruise of the Great White Fleet around the world. On 16 July 1958, Hassayampa returned to Pearl Harbor and resumed regular duties.

In September 1958, Hassayampa, as part of America's flexible power afloat, deployed with the 7th Fleet to prevent invasion of Chinese offshore islands and convoyed Nationalist transports during the Quemoy-Matsu Crisis. At one point, in December 1958, Hassayampa had the unfortunate experience of being close-in to an aviation mishap when a pilot from a near-by carrier lost control of his aircraft and crashed into the sea astern of her. Two crewmembers recall the incident. Apparently, the only plane parts that were recovered was a portion of a wing tank, a section of the windshield and some debris from the cockpit.

Between 1959 and 1961 she made three additional deployments to the Western Pacific continuing her services to the 7th Fleet including an eventful 1960 visit to Perth, Western Australia and Adelaide, South Australia to participate in Australia's 18th annual celebration of the Battle of Coral Sea. In May 1962, Hassayampa supported units of the 7th Fleet moving Marines into Thailand to prevent flare-up of trouble in Laos.

During the period 25 April 1962 through 31 December 1962, fleet tankers Hassayampa, Ponchatoula, Kawishiwi, Tolovana, Chipola, and Tolovana were replenishment vessels during atmospheric nuclear testing off Johnston Island and Christmas Island in the Pacific, code named Operation Dominic. Hassayampa was involved in shots named Chama, Housatonic, Checkmate, Bluegill Triple Prime and Kingfish. {Operation Dominic was a series of 105 nuclear test explosions conducted in 1962 and 1963 by the United States. Those conducted in the Pacific are sometimes called Dominic I. The blasts in Nevada are known as Dominic II.}

On 23 January 1963, Hassayampa deployed to the Far East to resume duty with the 7th Fleet. Returning to Pearl Harbor 15 June 1963, she underwent a modernization overhaul from October 1963 to January 1964. She again sailed for the Western Pacific 12 March 1964. On 31 March 1964, she joined a Navy carrier task force from Subic Bay, Philippines for operations in the Indian Ocean. On 4 April 1964, the  Concord Squadron,  commanded by Rear Admiral R. B. Moore and composed of Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31) the destroyers Shelton (DD-790), Blue (DD-744), Frank Knox (DD-742) and Hassayampa, entered the Indian Ocean from the Pacific and began a 6-week goodwill cruise which carried it near Iran, the Arabian Peninsula, Malaysia, the African Coast and into ports along the way for good will visits, until returning to Subic Bay 16 May 1964.

Hassayampa remained in the Far East until mid-September 1964. During that time she refueled ships off Japan and in the South China Sea. During the Tonkin Gulf crisis in August 1964 Hassayampa provided at-sea logistics support for the ready ships of the U.S. Pacific and 7th Fleets. After completing her deployment, the busy fleet oiler arrived Pearl Harbor 29 September 1964.

Resuming Far East duty in April 1965, Hassayampa operated in the South China Sea and supported the American effort to thwart Communist aggression in Southeast Asia. During this time, Hassayampa acted as an integral replenishment vessel in support of Operation Market Time which was a joint effort between the U.S. Navy and the South Vietnamese Navy in an effort to stop the flow of supplies from North Vietnam into the south by sea. Mobility and the endurance sustained by underway replenishment forces resulted in maximum use of Seventh Fleet carriers for retaliatory raids, for strikes in support of troops ashore, and for attacks against the enemy lines of communication. Naval air operations were of particular importance in the days before adequate airfields could be built ashore, and the ability of task forces to operate in nearby Tonkin Gulf permitted effective and efficient air operations against targets in North Vietnam. {According to Navy reports, Operation Market Time was very successful but received little credit. Eventually, all the supply routes at sea became non-existent which forced the North Vietnamese to use the Ho Chi Minh Trail.)

Hassayampa returned to home port Pearl Harbor 16 December 1965, thence serving as a recovery logistic ship during the Gemini 8 space shot in mid-March 1966 in unison with USS Leonard F. Mason (DD-852), USS Boxer (LHD 4), USS Caloosahatchee (AO-98), USS Charles P. Cecil (DD 835), USS Cochrane (DDG-21), USS Fidelity (MSO-443), USS George K. MacKenzie (DD-836), USS Goodrich (DDR-831), USS Myles C. Fox (DD-829), USS Noa (DD-841) and USS Paiute (ATF-159).

In early June 1966, Hassayampa facilitated in the Gemini 9 space shot in unison with USS Wasp (CV-18) (PRS), USS Bordelon (DD-881), USS Chikaskia (AO-54), USS Epperson (DD-719), USS George K. MacKenzie (DD-836), USS McCaffery (DD-860), USS Nimble (MSO 459), USS Opportune (ARS-41), USS Papago (ATF-160), USS Robert L. Wilson (DD 847), USS Rupertus (DD-851), USS Sabine (AO-25), USS Saratoga (CVA-60) and USS William C. Lawe (DD-763).

Sailing again for the Far East 5 June 1966, during the next five months Hassayampa maintained a busy schedule refueling escorts and hard-hitting carriers of the Pacific and 7th Fleets including Constellation (CVA-64), Oriskany (CVA-34), Ranger (CVA-61), Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42), Intrepid (CVS-11) and Coral Sea (CVA-43). (At one point, on 8 September 1966 during Task Group refueling operations, the Soviet Intelligence Trawler Gidrofon closed the formation and placed herself in close proximity to Roosevelt. At that point, the carrier that was refueling alongside Hassayampa directed USS Black (DD-666) to intervene and "shoulder" the intruder away from the formation. During a 2-week period in November 1966, Hassayampa refueled 67 ships. Prior to returning to Pearl Harbor 16 December 1966,  Hassayampa had refueled 367 ships in the Western Pacific.

Hassayampa maintained her posture and seaworthiness while repeatedly responding to the needs of Pacific- and 7th-Fleet vessels and crewmembers into the late 60s with further missions including Operation Sealords (an acronym for Southeast Asia Lake, Ocean, River, and Delta Strategy). Conceived by Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., it was a joint operation between U.S. and South Vietnamese forces. Operation Sealords, launched on October 8, 1968, was intended to disrupt North Vietnamese supply lines in and around the Mekong Delta. As a two-year operation, by 1971, all aspects of Sealords had been turned over to the South Vietnam Navy.

Continuing her service in the Western Pacific, Hassayampa served as replenishment vessel during the Apollo 11 recovery mission where she was on hand for replenishment duties for USS Hornet (CVS-12) and  support vessels USS Arlington (AGMR-2), USS Goldsborough (DDG-20), USS New (DD-818), USS Ozark (MCS-2) and USS Salinan (ATF-161). On 22 July 1969, Hassayampa refueled USS Hornet (CVS-12) just prior to Hornet's recovery of the Apollo 11 space capsule. Hornet's deck log shows this occurring on July 22, 1969, about 36 hours before Hornet picked up the Apollo 11 astronauts and crew fresh from their lunar excursion. The command module "Columbia" splashed down about 200 nautical miles south of Johnston Island at 12:50 GMT July 24, 1969. Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the Moon. It was the fifth human spaceflight of the Apollo program and the third human voyage to the moon. Launched on July 16, 1969, it carried Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin. On July 20, 1969, Armstrong and Aldrin became the first humans to land on the Moon while Collins orbited above. The mission fulfilled President John F. Kennedy's goal of "landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth" by the end of the 1960s. Many consider the landing one of the defining moments of the 20th century.

As a fleet oiler, Hassayampa continued to operate out of Pearl Harbor well into the 1970s to maintain peak readiness and efficiency while preparing to further support the 7th Fleet off Southeast Asia.

During a bleak period in U.S. Naval history in 1972, racial tensions erupted aboard several naval vessels, including Hassayampa. These incidents indicated the depth of racial problems in the Navy. All of the services had experienced similar problems earlier, but the Navy had lagged behind the others in addressing the issues that contributed to the racial tensions that had erupted. At this point, Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., Chief of Naval Operations, instituted new race relations programs and made significant changes to Naval Regulations to address many of the very real issues raised by Black sailors regarding racial injustice in the Navy.

July, August, September and October 1972 found Hassayampa facilitating heavy cruiser Newport News (CA-148) and other naval ships in combat action throughout southeast Asia -- and continued that stance well into the 1980's.

In (c.) 1981, working in conjunction with USS Barbel (SS-580), Hassayampa was instrumental in securing the rescue of 87 Vietnamese refugees drifting at sea in an open boat off the coast of South Vietnam. While en-route to Singapore to safely offload the 87 refugees picked up by Barbel, Hassayampa came upon an additional boat with 104 refugees. Several years later, on May 8, 1984, Hassayampa spotted a 25 foot teak fishing boat that was adrift and located 65 miles from the nearest island and 130 miles south of Saigon. On board was a group of 20 Vietnamese refugees, which included many women with infants. In all, Hassayampa had now facilitated in the rescue of 211 Vietnamese Boat People.

September and October 1983 found Hassayampa entwined in Russian politics and foreign intrigue when she accompanied Coast Guard Cutter Munro, the rescue salvage ship USS Conserver and the Fleet Tug USNS Narrangansett in search and salvage efforts surrounding the wreckage of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 that was brought down by Russian firepower. In addition, there were also three Japanese tugs chartered through the U.S. Navy’s Far East Salvage Contractor (Selco)—the Ocean Bull, the Kaiko-Maru 7, and the ill-fated Kaiko-Maru 3. These vessels, which housed navigation systems equipment, had the assignment of towing sideways scanning sonar designed to detect objects at the bottom of the sea such as the wreckage of Korean Air Lines Flight 007. Additionally, there were U.S. naval combatants and logistical support ships—the USS Elliot, USS Badger, USS Sterrett, USS Callaghan, USS Brooke, USS Meyerkord, USS Tower, USS Stark and USS Wichita. In addition to the above ships, there were numerous Japanese Maritime Safety Agency (JMSA) patrol boats and South Korean vessels. Additionally, there were scores of Russian vessels navigating the area. On October 17, 1983, Rear Admiral Walter T. Piotti, Jr., was placed in command of U.S. Seventh Fleet Task Force 71 which was overseeing search and salvage efforts. Commander Piotti’s assessment of the enormity of this naval undertaking was: “Not since the search for the hydrogen bomb lost off Palamares, Spain has the U.S. Navy undertaken a search effort of the magnitude or import of the search for the wreckage of KAL Flight 007.”

By 1987, Hassayampa was well-versed in war effort management and was operating with Battle Group Echo. The 1987 COMCARGRU 1 / Battle Group Echo deployment to the Arabian Sea included Ranger (CV-61), Missouri (BB-63); Hassayampa (T-AO 145), Leftwich (DD-984), Hoel (DDG-13); Kansas City (AOR-3), Bunker Hill (CG-52), Robert E. Peary (FF-1073); Long Beach (CGN-9), Wichita (AOR-1) , Gridley (CG-21), Curts (FFG-38); Shasta (AE-33), John Young (DD-973), Curts (FFG 38) and Buchanan (DDG-14).

Throughout the late 1980's, Hassayampa played an integral role in Western Pacific, Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf peace keeping efforts and worked in harmony with naval and military operations including Operation Earnest Will {July 24, 1987-September 26, 1988 protection of Kuwaiti owned oil tankers from attacks from Iranian forces}, Operation Nimble Archer {an October 19, 1987 attack on two Iranian oil platforms in the Persian Gulf by United States Navy forces ---platforms that were being used by Iranian forces to attack U.S. ships and aircraft transiting the Persian Gulf and was in response to Iran's October 16, 1987 attack on the MV Sea Isle City, a re-flagged Kuwaiti oil tanker at anchor off Kuwait} and Operation Praying Mantis {an April 18, 1988 attack by U.S. naval forces in retaliation for the Iranian mining of the Persian Gulf and the subsequent damage to an American warship---the largest battle by American naval forces since World War II which sank two Iranian warships and three armed speedboats. It also marked the first anti-ship surface-to-surface missile engagement in U.S. Navy history}.

In the years that followed, up to October 1991, Hassayampa  continued to support United States protection policy. Hassayampa provided underway replenishments to Naval forces on an ongoing basis, as did many other U.S. Naval Ships and auxiliaries that participated in Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991. During this period she operated as a vital unit with the Military Sealift Command in the North Arabian Sea. In the summer of 1991, USNS Hassayampa further distinguished herself in participating in Operation Fiery Vigil following the June 12, 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, the Philippines. Hassayampa, along with 22 other ships, helped move over 45,000 people from the Subic Bay Naval Station to the Port of Cebu in the Visayas. Operation Fiery Vigil was the largest peacetime evacuation of active military personnel and their families in history.

Throughout her distinguished life, Hassayampa earned numerous service awards, some of which include the Combat Action Ribbon, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Navy "E" Ribbon, Navy Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and several others........

In characteristics depicting military proficiency, Hassayampa, on several occasions, displayed her abilities to act offensively, as well as defensively. In the late 50's, '60's and 70's, Hassayampa earned battle efficiencies and was so honored by being able to display the coveted "E" for Battle Efficiency. Throughout her active duty lifetime, Hassayampa continued to display that proficiency in military readiness. Time and time again, she continued to prove herself. Even as she served with the Military Sealift Command, in 1989 USNS Hassayampa earned an MSCPAC Smart Ship Award, which is the MSC’s version of the coveted Navy "E."

Hassayampa was one hell of a ship.

For a Wikipedia description of the various Operations that Hassayampa contributed to, please click here

In addition to her brilliant service career, Hassayampa contributed
at least eleven individuals to flag rank and one to convoy commodore

Former Commanding Officer Captain George Pressey:  Some years after graduating with the US Naval Academy Class of 1932, Lieutenant George W. Pressey began an event-filled naval career as Executive Officer of the ill-fated four-stack destroyer USS Truxton (DD-229) operating southeast of Greenland in 1941. Truxton was one of two escort destroyers that ran aground and sunk February 18, 1942, in a fog-filled raging snow storm off Newfoundland performing screening duties for commercial cargo vessels crossing the Atlantic. Just prior to that event, Pressey was assigned as Flag Lieutenant to CINCLANT Vice Admiral Royal E. Ingersoll (Ingersoll was promoted to Admiral on July 1, 1942) aboard USS Augusta (CA-31), thence aboard USS Constellation, thence aboard the converted gunboat USS Vixen (PG-53).

From October 1943 to January 29, 1945, Commander George W. Pressey had located to the Pacific Theater as Commanding Officer of USS Hobby (DD-610) which provided fire support for the invasions of Peleliu and Ngesebus Islands off New Guinea and screening duties off the coasts of the Philippines, Formosa and China as US Naval power pushed closer to Japan. Of note were the efforts of Commander Pressey in bringing Hobby through Typhoon Cobra with minimal damage to the vessel. On December 17-18, 1944, Typhoon Cobra’s 140 mph winds took 790 lives, sunk three destroyers, damaged nine warships and wrecked or washed overboard 146 aircraft.

From February 1945 to June 1945, he served as Commanding Officer of USS Stevens (DD-479) whose duty it was to provide convoy screening and firepower in support of US military landings in the South China and Philippine Seas and the East Indies in addition to minesweeping. On many occasions, Stevens found herself engaged in self-preservation while fighting off air attacks by enemy aircraft. On or about March 3, 1945, Stevens was among the first Allied ships to anchor in Manila Bay following the Battle of Manila. About that same time, General Douglas MacArthur was arriving in Manila Bay. Two hours after Stevens dropped anchor, the destroyer reversed and was underway for Subic Bay. As it turned out, Jean MacArthur, wife of General Douglas MacArthur, was aboard the Norwegian merchant freighter M/S British Columbia Express with their 7-year old son and his Chinese nurse and were in waiting for escort to Manila Bay after traveling from Brisbane, Australia. USS Stevens (DD-479), along with USS Young (DD-580), meet up with Express and escorted the vessel and its cargo to Manila Bay where they arrived on March 6, 1945. All three vessels then dropped anchor because there were no shore facilities for any vessel to tie up to.

During that summer, Commander Pressey had received new orders: on October 4, 1945, USS Glennon (DD-840) was commissioned at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine and set sail under his command. After shakedown off Cuba, Glennon sailed from Boston on February 12, 1946 for Europe and visited the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands before returning to New York in August of that year. Pressey served in that position until February 1947.

From March 1947 to May 1950, he attended/taught at the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia and served in the Training Branch of the Bureau of Naval Personnel. While there, he received a late-night phone call one January night to aid and assist skippering USS Missouri (BB-63) back out into shipping lanes after she was run aground off Hampton Roads January 17, 1950. Apparently, Pressey was considered the Navy’s top navigator in that area.

In May 1950, three months after he assisted in getting Missouri back out into shipping lanes, Commander Pressey took over as Executive Officer of battleship USS Missouri (BB-63) where he served during the Korean War. During 1953-1954, he attended the National War College at Ft. McNair, Washington D.C. Upon completion of studies, Pressey moved to Honolulu in July 1954 to serve on the staff of CINCPAC Admiral Felix Stump. While still stationed at Pearl Harbor, Pressey was promoted to the rank of Captain, and from October 1956 to September 1957 he served as commanding officer of USS Hassayampa (AO-145).

From September 1957 to January 1959, Captain Pressey became Commander Destroyer Squadron TWO Norfolk, Virginia. From there, he went on to become Chief of Staff, 7th Fleet from January 1959 to August 1960 in Yokosuka, Japan.

In 1960, he was promoted to Rear Admiral and began serving as Commander Naval Forces Korea. From there, Rear Admiral Pressey was transferred to the staff of Chief of Naval Operations where he served in the Logistics Division, and, subsequently, as Director, Shore Activities and Control. From there, he was to become Commander Amphibious Group TWO Norfolk, which consisted of four amphibious squadrons, Naval Beach Group TWO, two tactical air control squadrons, 19 ships and 12,000 personnel.

On March 28, 1965, Rear Admiral George W. Pressey was confirmed to CINCPAC staff, arriving in May as Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Assistance, Logistics and Administration on the staff of Admiral U.S. Grant Sharp of the Pacific Military Command. While there, Rear Admiral George Washington Pressey served with sustained distinction until his death on April 21, 1966 at the age of 55.

Oddly enough, Admiral Pressey’s widow, Elizabeth Lee Pressey, wound up marrying Samual D. Berger, Deputy U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam three years later, thus returning to the Far East with her family where U.S. efforts were being made to help stabilize the country and its National Museum of Art.

Former Commanding Officer Captain Bernard "Chick" Clarey went on to become Rear Admiral Clarey, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Vice Admiral Clarey, Deputy Commander, and Chief of Staff and Aide to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet; then on to Commander, U.S. Second Fleet and Commander, NATO Striking Force Atlantic; later as Admiral Clarey, Vice Chief of Naval Operations and finally on to Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, retiring from the Navy in 1973 as one of the Navy's most highly decorated officers. Additionally, the bridge to Ford Island at Pearl Harbor is named after him. 

Former Commanding Officer Captain John H. Maurer entered the United States Naval Academy, graduating with the Class of 1935. His initial duty upon graduation was aboard the battleship USS Colorado (BB-45) where he participated in the search for Amelia Earhart. Several years later, Admiral Maurer attended Submarine School in Connecticut. After Submarine School and during World War II, he served on USS Pickerel (SS-177), USS Tarpon (SS-175), and as Executive Officer of USS Harder (SS-257). Leaving Harder, Admiral Maurer assumed command of USS Atule (SS-403), then being built at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Admiral Maurer commanded Atule for three years, including four war patrols. After the war, Admiral Maurer served on various submarine and nuclear weapons billets in Washington, New Mexico and Hawaii. He attended the National War College and served as a Submarine Division Commander and later as a Submarine Squadron Commander. In August 1958, he began his command of Hassayampa  and then on to Commanding Officer of USS Saint Paul (CA-73), flagship of Commander Seventh Fleet; then as Chief of Staff and Aide to Commander, Submarine Force, Atlantic; then as Director of Submarine Warfare, the Pentagon; then Director of Naval Warfare Analyses in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1963. As a Flag Officer, Admiral Maurer served as Commander Middle East Force in Bahrain and then as Commander Pacific Fleet Submarines in Pearl Harbor. After Hawaii, Admiral Maurer was Chief of Staff for Strike Command Tampa. His final assignment was as Commander of Naval Forces Key West.

It has been stated that former Commanding Officer Captain Albert T. Church, Jr. (October 1961 - January 1962} went on to become Admiral Albert T. Church, Jr. (Webmaster note: I seem to find no information regarding Admiral Albert T. Church, Jr. as of yet.) 

Albert T. Church, III, son of former Commanding Officer Captain Albert T. Church, Jr., served as the Navy's Inspector General, the Navy’s top investigative officer. Upon completion of several sea and shore commands and periods of time within the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Captain Albert T. Church, III was selected to the rank of Rear Admiral. Admiral Church began serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Shore Installation Management, U.S. Pacific Fleet; then as Director, Office of Budget in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management/Comptroller) and Director, Fiscal Management Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; then on to Director of Navy Staff; and then to Naval Inspector General.

Former Commanding Officer Julian Lake, a three-war combat veteran, went on to become commanding officer of USS John F. Kennedy (CVA-67) {September 1969-September 1970}; was commander of the first active F-4 squadron in the U.S. Navy and on to become Vice Admiral Julian Lake and Commander, Naval Electronic Systems Command Headquarters. Research has indicated that he is best known for writing the book on modern electronic warfare, “…Literally. As an admiral, Lake developed electronic warfare technology and doctrine, including development of the EA-6 A/B, submarine electronic intelligence technology and other aircraft and e-weapons systems. His papers are still cited in discussions of electronic warfare….” Further research has indicated that Admiral Lake used to refer to Hassayampa as the "Electronic Oiler." Additional research has pulled up various other quips and comments: Rear Admiral Julian Lake considered by many to be the Navy's Father of Electronic Warfare; the father of Navy countermeasures; attached to the Apollo Space Program; naval aviator and electronic warfare expert.

Former Commanding Officer Lew Chatham: Rear Admiral (Retired) Lew Chatham was a graduate of Rice University and received his commission as a naval officer in June 1956. He was designated a naval aviator upon completion of flight training in August 1957. As an aviator, Chatham served in both fighter and attack squadrons and has flown approximately 5,000 hours in over 30 different aircraft types and logged 1100 carrier arrested landings – 300 at night. During the Southeast Asia conflict he flew 366 combat missions into Vietnam. Chatham commanded Attack Squadron FIFTY-SIX, Carrier Air Wing FIVE, USS Hassayampa (AO145), USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), Carrier Group SIX, and Task Force SEVENTY/SEVENTY-SEVEN/Carrier Group FIVE. Additionally, he served on the staffs of the Chief of Naval Operations, Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Commander SEVENTH Fleet, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Japan and Commander Light Attack Wings Pacific. Admiral Chatham retired in June 1987 after 31 years of naval service and is listed on the Blue Angels Association website as a board member for the period 2007-2011.

It has been stated that former Commanding Officer Captain Roger Box {January 1978 - November 1978} went on to become Admiral Roger Box. (Webmaster note: I seem to find no information regarding Admiral Roger Box as of yet.)

Former LT Paul O. Soderberg was Hassayampa's Supply Officer from 1972-1974. LT Soderberg, commissioned in 1969 through Officer Candidate School, went on to become Rear Admiral Paul O. Soderberg as Director, Logistics/Fleet Supply Officer; then on to Commander, Naval Exchange Service Command, in charge of the Navy Exchange system worldwide. NEXCOM is a field activity of the Naval Supply Systems Command whose primary mission is to provide U.S. Naval Forces with quality supplies and services. NEXCOM oversees the Navy Exchange System, which includes Navy Exchanges, Navy Uniforms, Navy Lodges, Ship Stores, Public Private Ventures and Service Programs.

Former Gunnery Officer, Navigator and Operations Officer of Hassayampa off the coast of South Vietnam, Carlson M. LeGrand, went on to become Rear Admiral Carlson M. LeGrand and was the Navy’s former deputy judge advocate general, the second-highest legal officer in the Navy. In 1971, he entered the Naval Reserve and attended the California Western School of Law graduating in 1974. After entering into private practice for three years, he returned to active duty in 1977 as a member of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps and attended the Naval Justice School. After serving in the Naval Legal Service Office in Guam and as a legal officer at the Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River, he went on to receive a master of laws degree from Georgetown University in 1983. Rear Adm. LeGrand served three years at the Pentagon as special assistant for military law to the assistant secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs. He spent three years at Pearl Harbor before returning to Washington in 1989 as director of legal counsel in the Bureau of Naval Personnel. In 1992, he was named commanding officer of the Naval Legal Service Office Southwest in San Diego. In 1994, while serving at the Pentagon, he was promoted to rear admiral and appointed deputy judge advocate general. At the same time, he held the dual office of commander of the Naval Legal Service Command. He retired from the Navy in 1997. In 1997 and 1998, Rear Adm. LeGrand held a civilian position as general counsel for the Navy's Fleet and Industrial Supply Center in San Diego. 

 Former Officer-in-Charge of the Military Department aboard USNS Hassayampa, Mike Shatynsk went on to become Rear Admiral Mike Shatynski as Vice Commander, Naval Surface Forces where he directs the implementation of the Surface Sea Warrior culture and personnel readiness strategy for the Surface Force. Rear Admiral Shatynski is a Surface Warfare Officer who earned his commission in 1979 from the U.S. Naval Academy.

Former Master Patrick Moloney, who has served the longest of any commanding officer aboard USS or USNS Hassayampa, on several occasions has officiated as Convoy Commodore while in command of USNS Hassayampa. This webmaster had the opportunity to interview Captain Pat Moloney in May 2009, and respectfully submits the following as an entry into Hassayampa history:

Captain Pat Moloney:  "I was convoy commodore on the Hass to the extent that while on Indian Ocean deployments I had one or two commercial tankers assigned to me for battlegroup replenishment. The Navy didn’t know what to do with them so they said, "Hass, take care of them.” That was my supply line to stay topped off for the battlegroup.

My commodore time came in 1983 when I commanded the freighter USNS Mercury (T-AKR 10) in PREPOSITION GROUP ONE in the Indian Ocean for Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force. On board Mercury were several US Navy communications personnel, but the Commodore and his staff were aboard sistership USNS Jupiter (T-AKR 11) which was the flagship of PREPOGRU1.

 The US Military Sealift Command chartered the SS Illinois and SS Arizona (formerly SS Lipscomb Lykes) and renamed these state-class roll-on/roll-off ships USNS Mercury (T-AKR 10) and USNS Jupiter (T-AKR 11), respectfully. [Currently (May 2009), Mercury is now the Cape Island and Jupiter is now the Cape Intrepid] Along with USNS Meteor (T-AKR 9), they supported the equipment of the 7th Marine Amphibious Brigade. Also, MSC extended charters for SS American Champion and SS American Courier with United States Lines to transport Air Force and Army ammunition, medical supplies and other material. The tanker USNS Sealift (T-AO 168) carried fuel and MV Patriot was chartered to carry potable water. In July 1980, the ships sailed from Wilmington, North Carolina for Diego Garcia under the command of MSC Office Indian Ocean, re-designated in 1983 as PREPOSITION GROUP ONE. While there, Meteor had been replaced by the Lykes Line RO-RO ship Lyra.

While commanding Mercury, I served as Convoy Rear Commodore, Vice Commodore and, later, as Commodore of a six-ship convoy which involved merging my convoy into another eight-ship convoy. Upon completion, I reverted to vice commodore (all this --in addition to already commanding unrep oilers in battlegroup operations-- before attaining 32 years of age). Following my command of Mercury, I relieved the master of flagship Jupiter.

 Upon leaving Diego Garcia and while on vacation and planning a cape buffalo hunt in Namibia, in March 1984, I received a call from the Port Captain:  could I take command of USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145) which had just failed an INSURV. I jumped for the opportunity and the rest, I feel, is history. Hassayampa passed the re-inspection and four years later I declined a new commissioning oiler to take Hassayampa through another INSURV. We kicked ass on that one --this time around, at the age of 36. Also, during that period, Hassayampa was able to get up to 22.1 knots. The offer for Hassayampa and my getting married has, so far, to date, put off my Namibia trip, but I have my elephant rifle and still plan to get a cape buffalo someday.

Upon departure as Master of Hassayampa in December 1988, I commenced duties as Port Captain in January 1989. A few years later, in 1991, I went on USNR active duty for two weeks to attend the Navy Convoy Commodore School in San Diego. Attending the class, there were three retired US Navy captains (the Commodores) and four commanders (two pre-position group masters, a Panama Canal pilot and myself). When the Navy captain teaching the course asked each of us to state our credentials, he just tossed me the chalk and said, "You teach it."

In looking back, I feel that due to the fact that Hassayampa virtually had a homestead crew (with over 70% of it having been on the ship for years) it bore significantly upon the Hass having such an impressive career; she was that kind of ship. What a great ship we had." ###

Currently, Captain Pat Moloney is Master of National Liberty Ship Memorial SS Jeremiah O'Brien which has been designated a National Historic Landmark and is docked at Pier 45 at Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, California. SS Jeremiah O'Brien, in and of itself, has quite a history of its own.

Family Members Serving Aboard Hassayampa Together

    

Due to the loss of the five Sullivan Brothers aboard USS Juneau (CL-52) when it was sunk by enemy fire on 13 November 1942, U.S. Navy policy regarding family members serving together in the same unit has been revised several times. In short, today, if members of the same immediate family desire to serve together, the Chief of Naval Personnel will permit it under certain conditions.

In any event, throughout Hassayampa's history, there have been several instances whereby brothers served with brothers, and in one instance where a son served with father. The following is a list of immediate family members serving together aboard Hassayampa.

Rex Courser ('59) with brother Bob Courser ('59)
Larry Markham ('59) with brother ("name") ('59)
Charles Vaughn Jr. ('59) with brother Dewey Vaughn ('59)
Harold Deshotel ('60-'65) with son Dan Deshotel ('64-'66)
Terry Kuehn ('60-'63) with brother Leo Kuehn ('62-'65)
Ed Casten ('62-'64) with brother Hank Casten ('62-'66)
Bob Lucas ('67-'68) with brother James Lucas ('67-'68)
Patrick Hart ('74-'76) with brother Dave Hart ('74-'76)

There are two other instances that are suspected, these being the following:

Hoplight Brothers - first names and years aboard not certain
Pettit Brothers - first names and years aboard not certain

USS Hassayampa (AO-145)
Commanding Officers 		USS Hassayampa (AO-145)
Executive Officers
~ mos. ~ mos.
CAPT William V. McKaig, April 1955 - October 1956 18   LCDR O. J. Bachman, April 1955 - November 1956 19
CAPT George Pressey, October 1956 - September 1957 11   CDR Harry H. Haeussler, Jr., November 1956 - January 1958 14
CAPT Kenneth West, September 1957 - July 1958 10   CDR J. Keith Wills, January 1958 - May 1959 16
CAPT Bernard Clarey, July 1958 - August 1958

1

  CDR L. H. Jullien, May 1959 - September 1961 28
CAPT John H. Maurer, August 1958 - October 1959 14   CDR Robert H. Crawford, September 1961 - April 1963 19
CAPT J. F. Morse, October 1959 - October 1961 24   LCDR Richard T. Whitehead, April 1963 - March 1965 23
CAPT Albert T. Church Jr., October 1961 - January 1962 3   LCDR C. A. Taylor, March 1965 - February 1967 23
CAPT Gerald S. Norton, January 1962 - October 1962 9   LCDR W. E. Richards, February 1967 - August 1968 18
CAPT Marion C. Walley, October 1962 - August 1963 10   CDR T. G. Caston, August 1968 - August 1971 18
CAPT Archer R. Gordon, August 1963 - December 1964  16   CDR David E. Sigsworth, February 1970 - August 1971 18
CAPT James McCormick, December 1964 -September 1965 9   CDR W. H. Hannaford, August 1971 - September 1972 13
CAPT William G. Coulter, September 1965 -October 1967 25   CDR John Albright, September 1972 - July 1974 22
CAPT George Harrelson, October 1967 - October 1968 12   LCDR Sterling M. Giannotti, July 1974 - December 1975 17
CAPT Julian S. Lake, October 1968 - June 1969 8   LCDR James Pafias, December 1975 - November 1977 23
CAPT Jack E. Waits, June 1969 - October 1970 16   LCDR R. T. Sloane, November 1977 - November 1978 12
CAPT James E. Edmundson, October 1970 - April 1972  18 ~ -
CAPT O. W. McGuire, April 1972 - December 1972 8 ~ -
CAPT Robert B. Olds, December 1972 - July 1974 19 ~ -
CAPT Ralph Goulds, July 1974 - July 1976 24 ~ -
CAPT Lew Chatham, July 1976 - January 1978 18 ~ -
CAPT Roger Box, January 1978 - November 1978 10 ~ -

Total Months

 283

Total Months

 283

Total Months USS Hassayampa (AO-145) ~ April 1955 to November 1978 ~ 283

When USS Hassayampa (AO-145) was decommissioned on November 17, 1978 she was transferred to the Military Sealift Command and began her life as USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145).

During her conversion to civilian duty, the Hass was disarmed, de-militarized, modernized and given the distinctive blue and yellow stripes on her stack; berthing spaces were converted to 2-person staterooms; the forward 3"-50's and the aft 5"-38 mount base were replaced by a VERTREP station; a boxy structure was placed on the 02 & 03 levels aft to provide staterooms for the civilian crew; "Officers Country" became berthing for the U.S. Navy personnel and included staterooms for the women assigned to her. ("They were lumpy sailors or seamen; you had to look right through them, and treat them like anybody else.  That's equal opportunity." - Capt Pat Moloney)

After conversion, Hassayampa, under the initial command of U.S. Maritime Service Captain Gottfried C. Krull, began embarking on a distinguished 12 1/2 year career serving the needs of the Navy around the world, including participation in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.

While Hassayampa's physical appearance may have changed, her spirit did not.

USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145)
Masters

USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145)
Relief Masters
~ Mos. ~ Mos.
CAPT Gottfried C. Krull, November 1978 - May 1980 18   CAPT Burton L. Holt, December 1984 - February 1985   -o- 2
CAPT Jack Shettlesworth, May 1980 - April 1981 11   CAPT Robert A. Farr, October 1985 - November 1985   -o- 1
CAPT Robert A. Farr, April 1981 - December 1981 8   CAPT Michael R. Melton, April 1986 - July 1986   -o- 3
CAPT Charles Tracy, December 1981 - January 1983 13   CAPT Nathan E. Smith, July 1986 - September 1986   -o- 2
CAPT Joshua T. Johnston, January 1983 - January 1984 12   CAPT Charles L. Becker, April 1987 - June 1987   -o- 2
CAPT Donald Gavin, January 1984 - April 1984 3   CAPT Thomas J. Savoie, December 1987   -o- 1
CAPT Patrick A. Moloney, April 1984 - December 1988   -o- 56   CAPT James P. Walsh, December 1987 - March 1988   -o- 2
CAPT Burton L. Holt, May 1989 - June 1991 26   CAPT Daniel P. Hawley, March 1988   -o- 1
~ 5   CAPT Michael R. Melton, December 1988 - May 1989   + 5
~ ~   CAPT Michael Murphy, December 1989 - March 1990   -o- 3
~     CAPT Robert Wiley, September 1990 - December 1990   -o- 3
~ 1   CAPT Patrick A. Moloney, July 1991   + 1
~ 2   CAPT Bradley K. Smith, August 1991 - October 1991   + 2

Total Months

 155 ~ ~

Total Months USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145) ~ November 1978 to October 1991 ~ 155

If anybody can add any information to this History Page please contact webmaster at

TerryKuehn@hotmail.com Thank You!

Hassayampa - The Upside-down River

Fleet oilers are named after American rivers bearing Indian names. USS Hassayampa was named after the River Hassayampa in the State of Arizona.

In Arizona, there is a river that flows both above ground and below ground. Because of this characteristic, the American Indians of the time named the river the Hassayampa River, which means "the upside-down river." Today, a section of the Hassayampa River has been set aside as the Hassayampa River Preserve and is a place for wildlife to be nurtured and for mankind to learn from that nurturing.

Origin of the name Hassayampa

Oilers of the U.S. Navy are named after rivers. Hassayampa, the river for which this ship is named is an intermittent stream channel having its rise in North Central Arizona, near Prescott, site of the original capital of Arizona Territory, and running south to the Gila river. It has been the scene of innumerable events contributing to the history of Arizona.

The incident marking the origin of the name "Hassayampa" occurred in 1863, the year in which Abraham Lincoln appended his signature to the Act of Congress creating the Territory of Arizona, but preceded by almost a year the arrival of the officers chosen by the President to effect the Territory's organization.

In 1862 a company of thirty hardy frontiersmen, headed by Captain Joe Walker, a famous adventurer of the period, was organized in the Colorado Rockies to explore the gold region of Arizona. Exciting and tragic events, including the killing of Magnus Colorados, chief of the Mimbreno Apaches, and one of the greatest Apache warrior chiefs, marked the progress of this expedition through New Mexico and westward through Arizona by way of the Gila river to where a conspicuous stream channel approached from the north, the direction in which the gold fields lay, to reach which the Walker expedition was bending its efforts.

Here the party was joined by a band of Mojave-Apache Indians, whose chieftain, Irotaba, guided the party up the tortuous channel. The chief spoke no words of English, but upon the approach of each bend in the channel waved his arms to indicate his course and exclaimed "Haviyamp," with a laborious grunt on the "p."

A liberal prospect of gold was found all along the creek, and upon final determination that the prospect was good the journey came to an end -- a few miles south of what was soon to be the townsite of Prescott, the capital of the new Territory. A miners' meeting was held, organization effected and a mining district declared. It was given the name of "Haviyamp," as pronounced by the Indians, but the recorder of the proceedings, while arranging his records, declared his intention to give the word a Spanish pronunciation. It was spelled "Hassayampa" and the spelling has been sustained by all geographies, thereby rendering a pure Indian word by the assistance of a Spanish dialect, obscure and uncertain.

The history of the Hassayampa River and the territory it traverses is replete with interesting, exciting and important events.

Origin of the name "Humpin' Hass"

Humpin' Hass was developed during the ship's first long term Indian Ocean deployment in 1980. After the hostages were snatched in Iran the Navy started keeping a carrier battlegroup in the North Arabian Sea. As they chopped into 7th fleet an MSC oiler would be added to the group from the gang of five homeported in the Far East. We would generally leave from Subic and 105 days later return to Subic, without having made landfall the whole time. Hass was new to MSC at the time and I was her Cargo Mate. My notes show that we joined the Midway Battlegroup, but while we were on station we also worked with the Eisenhower Battlegroup too. The three and a half month deployment had us humpin' but also gave us a lot of time between jobs. The ship didn't have a nickname like our old oilers so Humpin' Hass came to be. We designed a logo with a fleabitten camel with a drum of oil strapped to either side of the hump (DFM and JP-5 of course) with hoses trailing in the wind. Once we got back to Subic that quickly appeared on t-shirts. The name stuck to the end of her MSC career. The other Far East oilers were the Mispelling (also know as Spill a Million), the Pumpin' P (Passumpsic), the Nastysoda (Navisota), the Ponch, and the West Coaster Kawishiwi kept her USN Special K name. Later when I was Capt on her the Humpin' Hass name would be included in early messages to the battlegroups and became semi-official. Everybody in 7th Fleet knew her by that name.
So there is the rest of the story.

Pat Moloney
01/15/2006