USS Aucilla ( AO - 56 ) USS Aucilla ( AO - 56 ) was a " Cimarron " - class fleet oiler . She was constructed for the United States Navy during World War II and her assignment was to provide liquids , such as fuel or water , to ships in the forward battle areas . She survived this dangerous task and returned home post - war with five battle star s to her credit . " Aucilla " ( AO - 56 ) was laid down on 25 May 1943 at Sparrows Point , Maryland , by the Bethlehem Steel Co . under a Maritime Commission contract ( MC hull 722 ) ; launched on 20 November 1943 ; sponsored by Mrs . Hope Ridings Miller ; and commissioned on 22 December 1943 , Comdr . Cornelius M . Sullivan in command . World War II . North Atlantic operations . The oiler remained at Sparrows Point until 28 December at which time she got underway for Portsmouth , Virginia . She arrived at the Norfolk Navy Yard on the 29th and began training the crew at battle stations and loading ammunition . " Aucilla " continued her training both in port and underway in the lower Chesapeake Bay . On 2 February 1944 , she departed Norfolk in company with Goldsborough ( DD - 188 ) on her way to the British West Indies . The oiler arrived at the Naval Operating Base ( NOB ) , Trinidad , on 7 February and began dispensing fuel to warships operating in the vicinity . She remained there until 14 March at which time she put to sea , in convoy , for Aruba . " Aucilla " arrived at her destination on the 16th , took on a cargo of aviation gasoline , and departed Aruba on the 17th . After a stop at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , the oiler arrived in Norfolk , Virginia , on 24 March . Convoyed to the United Kingdom . For about a month , she operated out of Norfolk in the lower Chesapeake Bay testing fueling at sea gear and techniques . On 26 April , " Aucilla " departed Norfolk in company with and , five days later , arrived in Baytown , Texas . After taking on a cargo of fuel , the ship stood out of Baytown on 4 May and arrived at Staten Island , New York , on the 8th . On 14 May , she was underway , in convoy , for the British Isles . The oiler parted company with the convoy on 25 May and entered port at Liverpool , England , that same day . She discharged her cargo on the 27th and got underway for Ireland on the 28th . She visited Belfast Lough from 29 May to 5 June and then headed back to the United States . Aucilla arrived at Norfolk on 16 June . Six days after her arrival , the oiler sailed from Norfolk for New York . She arrived on 23 June and operated in that locale until the end of the month . On 2 July , " Aucilla " put to sea bound for Europe once again . She returned to Belfast on 12 July but stopped only briefly , returning to sea that same day . The oiler visited Swansea , Wales , between the 13th and the 16th before heading home via Belfast . She reentered Hampton Roads on 27 July . There , she stayed for almost a month . On 22 August , " Aucilla " put to sea in company with bound for Baytown , Texas . She took on a cargo of fuel oil at Baytown before returning to sea . The ship arrived at Bermuda on 3 September and unloaded her cargo . She then headed back to Hampton Roads , Virginia , where she dropped anchor on the 8th . Operations in Chesapeake Bay followed . Transfer to the Pacific Fleet . on 4 October , " Aucilla " put to sea bound for the Caribbean . She arrived at Aruba on 9 October and loaded fuel oil until the 11th when she set sail for Panama . The oiler transited the Panama Canal on 13 October and , the following day , departed Balboa , Panama , for the Hawaiian Islands . She stopped over at Pearl Harbor from 26 to 29 October and then continued her voyage west . The ship anchored in Eniwetok lagoon on 5 November . She spent the next two days unloading her cargo of fuel before continuing on to Ulithi on the 7th . There , she reported for duty to the Commander , Service Squadron ( ServRon ) 10 . Supporting Iwo Jima and Okinawa operations . For the remainder of the war , " Aucilla " supported U . S . 3rd Fleet / U . S . 5th Fleet operations in the western Pacific Ocean by refueling its units at sea . She provided fuel to the 3d Fleet during its air attacks on Luzon in mid - December 1944 and again at the end of the first week in January 1945 . When the 3d Fleet entered the South China Sea in mid - January , " Aucilla " continued her fueling rendezvous with its warships . Between 15 and 26 February , she steamed in an area off Iwo Jima providing logistics support for the 5th Fleet . She fueled that same fleet from 16 March to 4 May during the invasion of Okinawa . The oiler rounded out her wartime service supporting the 3d Fleet on its final series of raids on the Japanese home islands between 11 July and 15 August . End - of - war activity . Following the cessation of hostilities , " Aucilla " continued steaming with the 3d Fleet off Japan . After a brief stop at Ulithi , she set sail for Japan on 27 September . The oiler entered Tokyo Bay on 2 October — one month to the day after Japan formally surrendered . The oiler performed extensive occupation duty at various locations in the Far East between the end of the war and the summer of 1947 . Supporting nuclear test ships at Bikini . That service also included some logistics support work for the ships of Joint Task Force 1 , the task organization engaged in the atomic bomb tests conducted at Bikini Atoll during the summer of 1946 . The western Pacific cruise in the summer and fall of 1948 ended with " Aucilla " steaming through the Indian Ocean , the Suez Canal , and the Mediterranean before she crossed the Atlantic to join the fleet stationed on the eastern seaboard of the United States . East Coast operations . For about four years , the oiler operated along the U . S . East Coast , in the Gulf of Mexico , and in the Caribbean taking on oil at various oil ports and carrying it to the fleet . She also conducted independent ship ' s exercises and amphibious exercises both at Vieques Island near Puerto Rico and at Onslow Beach in North Carolina . At this time she was attached to MSTS . In 1950 she was deployed to Sasebo Japan to support the Korean War operation . She left Norfolk , Va in October 1950 , where she was in for repairs at the Portsmouth Navy yard . Her home port was Mare Island Ca . She steamed through the Med . down through the Suez Canal , the Red Sea and up into the Persian Gulf to Ras Tanura where she loaded bunker oil . Leaving this port she headed through the Indian Ocean , the Straights of Molacca , around Singapore and headed North for Sasebo where she unloaded her cargo . Headed south again to Bahrain for another load of oil . Again leaving , headed for Sasebo once again . Arriving Sasebo and unloading she headed for Pearl Harbor . leaving Pearl harbor and returning to Sasebo , Japan . She returned to San Francisco and was detached from MSTS and attached to the fleet as a fleet tanker . Returning to Norfolk via the Panama Canal , completing her round the world voyage and assumed her duties a fleet tanker . In June 1952 , " Aucilla " embarked upon the first of a long series of deployments to the Mediterranean . Four months later , she resumed operations along the eastern seaboard and in the West Indies . The first part of 1953 saw the oiler engaged in another series of training evolutions in the Puerto Rico - Vieques Island area . Midshipman cruise to Rio . June and July 1953 brought a midshipman cruise which took her to Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , and Barbados in the British West Indies . In September , " Aucilla " deployed to the Mediterranean Sea once more . She completed that assignment late in January 1954 and returned to Norfolk on 3 February 1954 . Following post - deployment standdown and participation in the annual fleet exercise , Operation Springboard , the oiler resumed fuel services for the U . S . 2nd Fleet from her base at Norfolk , Virginia . May brought rough weather fueling tests in the North Atlantic followed by a two - month overhaul at a civilian shipyard in Baltimore , Maryland . Caribbean operations . In August , " Aucilla " departed Baltimore and steamed down Chesapeake Bay to rejoin the active units of the Atlantic Fleet . She performed normal logistics services and training operations out of Norfolk until November . Late that month , the oiler put to sea for Gonaïves , Haiti , to provide support for some unspecified tests conducted by the Operational Development Force for the Bureau of Ordnance . In the course of those operations , the oiler visited Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , and Port - au - Prince , Haiti . When the ship returned to the United States early in December , she entered the Bethlehem Shipyard at Hoboken , New Jersey , for a three - month modification and repair period . Between mid - April and early May 1955 , " Aucilla " completed refresher training out of Newport , Rhode Island . She then returned to Norfolk where she began preparations for an extended tour of duty with the 6th Fleet . Service in the Mediterranean Sea . Homeported in Barcelona , Spain . On 31 May 1955 the ship stood out of Norfolk en route to her new home port , Barcelona , Spain . She reached her destination on 20 June . For the next 22 months , " Aucilla " served with Task Force ( TF ) 63 in a logistics support role . She participated in a number of exercises and visited ports all along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea . On 2 April 1957 , the oiler headed back to the United States . She spent the entire summer of 1957 engaged in repairs , first a four - month regular overhaul at the New York Naval Shipyard and then boiler repairs at Key Highway Shipyard of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation , in Baltimore , Maryland . Between 16 September and 27 October , " Aucilla " completed refresher training — out of Guantanamo Bay — and post - refresher availability . Supporting landings in Lebanon . On 28 October 1957 , she set sail from Norfolk on her way back to the Mediterranean Sea . Once again , she spent her time ranging the length and breadth of the Mediterranean supporting the operations of TF 63 . During the summer of 1958 , " Aucilla " provided logistics support for the ships , sailors , and marines involved in the landings in Lebanon earned out in order to help restore order after severe factional fighting . Following that interlude , the oiler resumed normal U . S . 6th Fleet operations . On 30 May 1959 , " Aucilla " headed back to the United States for a regular overhaul at the Boston Naval Shipyard . The overhaul lasted about six months . During that time , the oiler received a new home port assignment , Norfolk . The ship completed overhaul and set sail from Boston on 18 November , bound for refresher training in the Guantanamo Bay operating area . She shaped a course from the West Indies back to Norfolk on 16 December and arrived at her destination in time to spend the holidays there . Continued support of the 6th Fleet . Underway again on 4 January 1960 , " Aucilla " operated in the vicinity of Norfolk until late in the month . On the 28th , she put to sea bound for the Mediterranean Sea . That seven - month deployment followed the pattern of previous ones , mixing port visits with logistics missions in support of 6th Fleet combat units . The oiler returned to Norfolk on 31 August and , after the usual leave and upkeep period , resumed normal east coast - West Indies operations . That routine lasted into 1961 . In February and March 1961 , she participated in the annual fleet exercise Operation Springboard . She returned to Norfolk on 17 March and began preparations for another tour of duty with the 6th Fleet . On 15 May 1961 , she stood out of Norfolk and shaped a course for the Mediterranean Sea . " Aucilla " served a 14 - week deployment that followed patterns established earlier . Yard Overhaul at Norfolk . The oiler reentered Norfolk on 11 September 1961 and began post - deployment standdown . Following the leave and upkeep period , she started preparations for overhaul . On 20 November , she entered the yard at the Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Co . " Aucilla " completed her overhaul on 20 February 1962 and then set sail on 1 March for five weeks of refresher training in the West Indies . Upon completion of refresher training , the oiler joined an underway replenishment group to support the amphibious Exercise " Phiblex 1 - 62 " , also conducted in the West Indies . Later , she returned to United States ' waters to participate in Fleet Exercise " Quick Kick . " That summer , she conducted a midshipman training cruise and took part in convoy exercises off the eastern seaboard . European tour of duty . The oiler continued operations out of Norfolk through the end of 1962 and into 1963 . On 7 March 1963 , Aucilla left Chesapeake Bay on her way back to the Mediterranean . The deployment lasted just under four months . She was back in Norfolk by 1 July . Following post - deployment standdown , the oiler got underway on 6 August to participate in NATO Exercise " Riptide IV " conducted in the eastern Atlantic . As an adjunct to that mission , she visited Bremerhaven , Germany , and Rota , Spain , before returning to Norfolk on 11 September . For the remainder of 1963 , " Aucilla " conducted local operations out of her home port . Visiting the 1964 New York World ' s Fair . Similar duty occupied her time during the first two months of 1964 . On 3 March 1964 , however , the oiler entered the yard at the Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Co . for a regular overhaul . She completed repairs and modifications late in June and put to sea on the 29th for a month of refresher training in the Guantanamo Bay operating area . At the conclusion of refresher training , " Aucilla " voyaged north to New York where her crew members visited the World ' s Fair . The ship returned to Norfolk on 8 August and resumed local operations . That resumption lasted just one month . On 8 September , " Aucilla " got underway from Norfolk once more to participate in a series of NATO exercises in the eastern Atlantic . She visited Bremerhaven , Germany , again at the end of the exercises early in October . She returned to Norfolk on 23 October 1964 . Reassigned to the 6th Fleet . Upon her return to her home port , she began preparations for another assignment with the 6th Fleet . " Aucilla " left Norfolk on 27 November and arrived in Rota , Spain , on 8 December . Another standard 6th Fleet tour of duty ensued with " Aucilla " fueling units of the fleet , participating in exercises , and visiting Mediterranean ports . She concluded the deployment with her arrival back in Norfolk on 11 May 1965 . From late June to late July , " Aucilla " cruised the waters of the West Indies in support of U . S . 2nd Fleet units keeping an eye on the latest crisis to trouble the Dominican Republic . Supporting Gemini space shots . She returned to Norfolk on 23 July and resumed local operations out of her home port . Those operations included support roles in the Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 space shots during October , November , and December . " Aucilla " reentered Norfolk on 23 December to begin her holiday leave and upkeep period . Further upkeep and a tender availability period occupied her time during January and February 1966 . Early in March , the oiler put to sea for another cruise with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean . She arrived in Cartagena , Spain , on 15 March and , for the next five months , provided logistics support for United States naval forces in the Mediterranean . " Aucilla " departed Rota , Spain , on 12 August and set a course for home . The oiler arrived in Norfolk on the 22d and remained there in a leave and upkeep status until the middle of October . Assigned recovery ship for Titan IIIC heat shield . She put to sea again on 18 October to serve as a recovery ship for an U . S . Air Force Titan III - C heat shield qualification test . She returned to Norfolk from that mission on 21 November and remained in port for the rest of the year . Responding to the Six - Day Arab - Israeli War . On 6 February 1967 , " Aucilla " stood out of Norfolk once again on her way to the Mediterranean . She arrived in Rota , Spain , on the 17th and soon began making the rounds to ports in the " middle sea . " The most notable event of that deployment was the Six - Day Arab - Israeli War to which units of the 6th Fleet - - " Aucilla " included — responded with alacrity . She and her colleagues moved quickly to the eastern Mediterranean early in June , out the rapidity with which the Arab forces collapsed allowed them to return to a more normal routine at mid - month . Thus , the oiler resumed port visits , exercise , and fueling operations . She completed turnover proceedings at Rota on 19 and 20 August and headed back to the United States on the latter day . " Aucilla " arrived back in Norfolk on 30 August . After post - deployment standdown , the oiler entered the yard at the Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Co . for regular overhaul on 13 November . South Atlantic operations . " Aucilla " completed her overhaul by 5 April 1968 . On that day , she stood out of Norfolk on her way to refresher training in the West Indies . The oiler completed that mission in May and returned to Norfolk on the 19th . Soon thereafter , she embarked upon a two - month voyage that took her to the Cape of Good Hope where she refueled the Vietnam - bound aircraft carrier . In addition , " Aucilla " made port calls at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil , St . Thomas in the Virgin Islands , Nassau in the Bahamas , and at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , before returning to Norfolk on 10 August . Last voyage and disposal . At that time , the oiler began a tender availability as well as a leave and upkeep period preparatory to overseas movement . " Aucilla " stood out of Norfolk on 23 September ; and , on 3 October she relieved at Rota . After almost five months fueling the ships of the 6th Fleet and making port visits throughout the Mediterranean , " Aucilla " departed Rota late in March 1969 . She arrived back in Norfolk on 5 April . After the usual post - deployment standdown , the oiler began normal operations out of Norfolk . For the next 14 months , the ship cruised the waters along the eastern seaboard and the West Indies in support of the ships of the Atlantic Fleet . " Aucilla " returned to Norfolk from her last voyage early in July 1970 . In the middle of September 1970 , she began preparations for inactivation . " Aucilla " was placed out of commission at Norfolk on 18 December 1970 . On 7 October 1971 , she was transferred to the Maritime Administration for berthing with its James River , Virginia , facility . Her name was struck from the Navy List on 1 December 1976 . She was subsequently withdrawn from MARAD twice for further stripping , and last returned to MARAD on 21 August 1985 . Sold on 27 April 1992 , she was scrapped on 25 October 1992 . Military awards and honors . " Aucilla " earned five battle star s for her World War II service .