USS Kishwaukee AOG-9

• USS Kishwaukee (AOG-9) was a Patapsco-class gasoline tanker commissioned by the U.S. Navy during World War II, specifically designed to transport gasoline to warships and remote naval stations. • The ship was launched on 22 November 1942 by Cargill, Inc., in Savage, Minnesota, and commissioned on 4 August 1943. • Kishwaukee was named after the Kishwaukee River in northern Illinois, continuing the Navy tradition of naming gasoline tankers after rivers with Native American names. • During World War II, she played a critical logistical role, shuttling fuel between Pacific islands, including bases in the Gilbert Islands, Solomon Islands, and the Marianas. • The ship narrowly escaped several Japanese air attacks during her service at forward bases, highlighting the dangers faced by auxiliary vessels in combat zones. • After the war, Kishwaukee participated in Operation Crossroads in 1946, the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll, supporting the fleet with fuel and logistical support. • She was decommissioned after World War II in 1947 but was recommissioned in 1950 due to the demands of the Korean War. • In the Korean War, Kishwaukee supplied fuel to United Nations forces, operating out of such ports as Sasebo, Japan, and supporting combat operations off Korea’s coast. • Kishwaukee also served during the Vietnam War, transporting gasoline and supplies to U.S. bases and allied forces in Southeast Asia. • The ship earned multiple battle stars for her service in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, before finally being decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1970.