USS Pawcatuck (AO-108)

• Commissioning and Class: USS Pawcatuck (AO-108) was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler, commissioned on 19 March 1946, designed to refuel ships at sea and extend the operational range of the U.S. Navy’s fleets. • Named After a River: The ship was named for the Pawcatuck River, which runs through Connecticut and Rhode Island, following the Navy tradition of naming oilers after rivers with Native American names. • Korean War Service: Although commissioned just after World War II, the Pawcatuck played a vital support role during the Korean War, refueling combatant ships and helping sustain naval operations in the region. • Cold War Operations: Throughout the Cold War, Pawcatuck participated in numerous exercises and deployments with the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, supporting NATO operations and acting as a logistical backbone during tense periods with the Soviet Union. • Cuban Missile Crisis: In 1962, USS Pawcatuck was a key part of the naval blockade (“quarantine”) of Cuba, refueling ships enforcing the blockade during the Cuban Missile Crisis. • Vietnam War Deployments: The oiler made several deployments to the Mediterranean and Vietnam, providing vital underway replenishment to U.S. Seventh Fleet ships during the Vietnam War. • First Female Sailors: In the late 1970s, Pawcatuck was among the first Navy ships to integrate female sailors, marking a significant milestone in Navy history and gender integration at sea. • Decommissioning: After over 34 years of service, the ship was decommissioned on 20 February 1980, having steamed hundreds of thousands of miles in support of U.S. and allied naval operations worldwide. • Transfer to Royal Fleet Auxiliary: After decommissioning from the U.S. Navy, she was transferred to the United Kingdom and served as RFA Olna (A123) in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary from 1981 to 1999, continuing her legacy in a new navy. • Final Fate: After nearly five decades of service between two navies, the former USS Pawcatuck was scrapped in 2001, closing the chapter on a ship that supported countless missions and made a lasting impact on naval logistics and cooperation.