USS Wabash (AOR-5)

The USS "Wabash" (AOR-5) was a sclass|Wichita|replenishment oiler in the United States Navy from 1970 to 1994.

The "Wabash" was named for the Wabash River, a river that rises in Darke County, Ohio, near Fort Recovery and meanders westward across Indiana until it reaches Illinois at a point just southwest of Terre Haute.

USS "Wabash" was laid down on 21 January 1970 by General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division at Quincy, Massachusetts; launched on 6 February 1971; sponsored by Mrs. William G. Bray; and commissioned on 20 November 1971 at the Boston Naval Shipyard, Capt. Robert P. Chrisler in command.

Initial Atlantic Ocean operations

"Wabash" sailed for the West Coast on 5 January 1972, called at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; transited the bleak Strait of Magellan; and visited Valparaíso, Chile; Callao, Peru; and Acapulco, Mexico, before arriving at her home port, Long Beach, California, on 3 March, She underwent shakedown from 22 May to 16 June and operated off the coast of southern California into the autumn.

Vietnam Support operations

The replenishment oiler commenced her first western Pacific (WestPac) deployment when she departed Long Beach on 9 November. After proceeding via Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, she arrived at Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, on 1 December and, assigned to Service Squadron 9, assumed duties as flagship for Commander, Task Group (TG) 73.5. That group sortied for Tonkin Gulf on 7 December. "Wabash" conducted 46 underway replenishments during her first tour on the "line" off the coast of Vietnam and celebrated Christmas at sea while returning to the Philippines. Arriving in Subic Bay on 28 December, "Wabash" soon headed back toward the line on 2 January 1973. She conducted two or three replenishments a day during the final phase of American combat operations in Vietnam. In February, United States forces were withdrawn from combat. However, she made two more line deployments during her WestPac deployment, for—while combat operations had ceased—the vital job of supplying the ships of the Fleet still remained. On 21 May, "Wabash" departed Yokosuka, Japan, bound, via Pearl Harbor, for Long Beach.

Second WestPac deployment

The ship engaged in training exercises and underwent inspections into the summer. On 6 September 1973, her home port was changed to Alameda, California. The oiler conducted local operations out of Alameda through the end of the year and departed the west coast on 2 March 1974 for her second WestPac deployment. This lasted through the summer, with operations in Philippine and Japanese waters, before the ship departed Subic Bay on 25 September to return to the United States. During this period of Alameda-based fleet support operations, "Wabash" participated in the multinational maneuvers "FleetEx 1-76." This operation, conducted off the southern California coast, lasted from 1 to 13 March 1976, and included units of the United States, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand navies.

Additional WestPac deployment

On 5 June 1976, "Wabash" again set sail for WestPac. En route, she collided with USS|Flint|AE-32|2 during a towing exercise, but neither ship suffered damage curtailing her primary mission capabilities. No one was injured. After damage and voyage repairs at Subic Bay, "Wabash" commenced routine local operations in Philippine waters. On 9 July, however, she returned hurriedly to Subic Bay to load stores and cargo and departed the following day to conduct a "stern chase" of task group TG 77.7. This group was then headed for the Indian Ocean and a 30-day "show the flag" cruise. En route, "Wabash" rendezvoused with USS|Mars|AFS-1|2 to load further supplies and stores, transited the Strait of Malacca, and entered the Indian Ocean on 17 July. "Wabash" conducted underway replenishments with USS|Ranger|CVA-61|2, USS|Preble|DDG-46|2, USS|Goldsborough|DDG-20|2, and USS|Ouellet|FF-1077|2, as task force TF-77 "showed the flag" in the Indian Ocean as part of the American effort to balance a growing Soviet presence in that area of the globe. Her duties thus completed, "Wabash" returned to Subic Bay on 7 August and got underway nine days later to rejoin the Ranger task group to replenish them as they returned to the United States. Completing her duties with the "Ranger" group soon thereafter, "Wabash" put into Guam, Mariana Islands, and prepared to provision the incoming USS|Enterprise|CVN-65|2 task group. The replenishment ship subsequently conducted local operations in the Philippines in September and in Japanese waters in October—operating out of Sasebo—before visiting Pusan, Korea. Returning to Sasebo on 25 October, the ship headed for Yokosuka soon thereafter for repairs and upkeep prior to concluding her WestPac deployment. During this, her third WestPac tour, "Wabash" had steamed over 35,000 miles, conducted 100 underway replenishments, and had been at sea nearly 65 percent of the time. Departing Japanese waters on 10 November, "Wabash" arrived at her home port one day before Thanksgiving.

Exercise RIMPAC 77

Completing the year 1976 in port at Alameda, "Wabash" spent the latter half of January 1977 undergoing a restricted availability at Alameda. During the period 17 February to 1 March, the ship engaged in Exercise "RIMPAC 77", a major fleet exercise involving ships from the United States, Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian navies. "Wabash" conducted 28 underway replenishments during this time. Refresher training continued throughout the spring until the replenishment ship entered Todd Shipyard, Alameda, on 15 June for the commencement of a regular overhaul. With the overhaul completed on 9 June 1978, "Wabash" devoted the remainder of the year to shakedown and refresher training. January 1979 found "Wabash" in her home port of Alameda preparing to meet scheduled commitments for that year.

Photos

References

See also

* List of United States Navy ships
* World War II

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/#Anchor-Editoria-14954 Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]
* [http://www.usswabash.com/home.htm USS "Wabash" AOR-5]
* [http://www.usswabash.com/Newsletter%20Nov%202004%20p1.htm A NEWSLETTER SERVING FORMER CREWMEN OF USS WABASH (AOR-5)]
* [http://navysite.de/aor/aor5.htm USS "Wabash" (AOR 5)]
* [http://ships.bouwman.com/Navy/Wabash/index.html USS WABASH]
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcowboy/156450364/ The USS "Wabash" AOR-5 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!]
* [http://www.military.com/HomePage/UnitPageHistory/1,13506,201844%7C791073,00.html History for USS "Wabash" - AOR 5]
* [http://www.usnavyreunions.com/AOR-5 USS WABASH Reunion Information]