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Platte - (1939-1939)
"USS Platte (AO-24)".
"USS Platte (AO-24)".
USS Platte (AO 24) refueling USS Watts (DD 567) and USS Philippine Sea (CV 47), while
operating with the Seventh Fleet, 19 July 1955.
Cimarron Class Fleet Oiler:
Laid down (date unknown) as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A1) tanker hull under Maritime Commission contract
(MC hull 8) at Bethlehem Steel, Baltimore, MD., for Standard Oil of N.J.
Launched, 8 July 1939
Commissioned USS Platte (AO-24), 10 December 1939 at Norfolk, VA., CDR. P. L. Meadows USN in command
Platte made almost yearly deployments to the western Pacific from 1960 to 1968, including extensive operations in
Vietnamese waters and refueling the Enterprise task group off Korea during the Pueblo crisis. Platte continued to served
the 7th Fleet until early 1970's when she was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register.
She was sold for scrap 14 May 1971 to the Levin Metals Corporation.
Specifications:
Displacement 7,470 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl)
Length 553'
Beam 75'
Draft 32' 4"
Speed 18 kts.
Complement 276
Armament four 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts, four twin 40mm gun mounts, four twin 20mm gun mounts
Cargo Capacity 146,000 barrels
Propulsion geared turbines twin screws. 30,400hp.
View the Platte (AO-24)
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center web site.