USS ''Kalamazoo'' (AOG-30) was a T1-M-A2 ''Mettawee''-class

gasoline tanker A tanker (or tank ship or tankship) is a ship designed to transport or store liquids or gases in Bulk liquids, bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and gas carrier. Tankers also carry commodities such as ve ...

acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of transporting gasoline to warships in the fleet, and to remote Navy stations. ''Kalamazoo'' was laid down 7 July 1944 by East Coast Shipyards, Inc.,

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, under a Maritime Commission contract; launched 30 August 1944; sponsored by Miss Harriett Savage; acquired by the Navy 7 October; and commissioned 14 October at

New York Navy Yard The Brooklyn Navy Yard (originally known as the New York Navy Yard) is a shipyard and industrial complex located in northwest Brooklyn in New York City, New York (state), New York. The Navy Yard is located on the East River in Wallabout Bay, a ...

World War II service

Following

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in the

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, ''Kalamazoo'' cleared

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, 7 December for

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, Dutch West Indies, to load fuel oil.

Pacific Theatre operations

She departed

21 December for duty in the Southwest Pacific Ocean. After fueling operations in the Solomons, Admiralties, and

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, New Guinea, she arrived Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands, 4 March 1945 as a unit of the

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. She operated as a

out of San Pedro Bay until 15 April when she sailed for fueling operations off the southern Philippines. Arriving

Police Harbor The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...

, Mindanao, 20 April, she served for more than 7 months in the Celebes Sea, transporting cargo and fuel from Borneo and

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to ports in Mindanao.

Post-war activity

Departing Zamboanga, Mindanao, 1 December, ''Kalamazoo'' steamed via Manila to Subic Bay, Luzon, where she remained until sailing for the United States 11 January 1946. She reached San Francisco, California, 12 March and cleared port on the 22d for passage to the

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. On 1 April while en route to the

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her main engine failed. (AO-81) assisted her to Balboa where she arrived 10 April. Under tow from rescue tug ''ATR-85'', she departed Cristobal,

, 26 April for

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, where she arrived 3 May. Final disposition: fate unknown.

Post-war decommissioning

''Kalamazoo'' decommissioned 18 May and subsequently was turned over to the Maritime Commission for disposal. She transferred to

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

26 November 1947 and was renamed ''Blas de Lezo'' (BT-62). Final Disposition, fate unknown.

Military awards and honors

''Kalamazoo crew was eligible for the following medals: * American Campaign Medal * Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal * World War II Victory Medal * Philippine Liberation Medal

References

External links

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AOG-30 Kalamazoo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kalamazoo (AOG-30) Mettawee-class gasoline tankers Type T1-M-A2 tankers of the United States Navy Ships built in Bayonne, New Jersey 1944 ships World War II auxiliary ships of the United States Ships transferred from the United States Navy to the Colombian Navy Auxiliary ships of the Colombian Navy