USS Cacapon ( AO - 52 ) USS " Cacapon " ( AO - 52 ) was a acquired by the U . S . Navy during World War II . She served her country primarily in the Pacific Ocean Theatre of Operations , and provided petroleum products where needed to combat ships . For performing this dangerous task , she was awarded battle stars and citations during World War II , the Korean War , and the Vietnam War . " Cacapon " was launched 12 June 1943 at Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard , Sparrows Point , Maryland , under a Maritime Commission contract ; sponsored by Mrs . A . V . Doherty ; acquired by the Navy 21 September 1943 ; and commissioned the same day , Lieutenant Commander G . Eyth in command . World War II Pacific Theatre operations . On 22 October 1943 " Cacapon " sailed from Norfolk , Virginia , to load fuel at Aruba in the West Indies en route to Pearl Harbor , where she arrived 12 November . On 30 November she rendezvoused with the U . S . 5th Fleet to deliver fuel at sea to the ships carrying out the Gilbert Islands operation . After a west coast overhaul , she returned to Pearl Harbor , from which she sailed 3 February 1945 to carry her vital logistic support to task force TF - 50 , then engaged in the Marshall Islands operation . She carried fuel on which all modern naval warfare depends to units of the U . S . 3rd Fleet from March into May , as the mighty task forces sent their strikes against Rabaul , Kavieng , Green , Emirau , and the Admiralties . During a part of this period , she served temporarily with the U . S . 7th Fleet ' s service support group for the New Guinea operation . " Cacapon " served as station tanker successively at Efate and Espiritu Santo , New Hebrides ; Port Purvis , Solomon Islands ; and Manus , Admiralty Islands , until 8 January , when she cleared Manus for Ulithi . Here she reported to the 3rd Fleet , and between 12 and 27 January her operations supported task force TF - 38 during its series of strikes against Luzon and Formosa supporting the Philippine attacks and consolidation . " Cacapon " lengthened the list of operations to which she had given vital support as she steamed with the 5th Fleet during the Iwo Jima operation , from 15 to 26 February , and the Okinawa operation from 24 March to 30 June . Between these , she served briefly as station tanker in San Pedro Bay , Philippine Islands . End - of - war activity . " Cacapon " brought her essential aid to the 3d Fleet in its final devastating air attacks and bombardments on the Japanese home islands in July 1945 , and on 20 September entered Tokyo Bay . Ten days later she cleared for San Pedro , California , arriving for overhaul 11 October . She returned to the Far East in December , providing support to occupation forces with a shuttle service between Yokohama , Japan , and Shanghai and Tsingtao , China . Running aground in the Persian Gulf . In April 1946 she sailed to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf to load oil for delivery to Kwajalein Atoll , where her cargo was to be used during Operation Crossroads . However , on the first day at sea , 24 April , she ran on Shah Allum Shoal in the Persian Gulf . While the current pulled her clear , her engine and fire rooms began to flood and all power was lost . Aided by , , and , " Cacapon " put back to Bahrain for temporary repairs , and proceeded to San Pedro , California , for permanent repairs . Supporting Antarctic operations . On 2 December 1946 , " Cacapon " cleared San Pedro , California , for 10 weeks in the Antarctic in Operation Highjump . She called at Sydney , Australia , en route Long Beach , California , returning home 8 April 1947 . Between 1947 and 1950 she cruised in the Pacific on two extended Far Eastern tours . Korean War operations . Far Eastern operations continued to be the rule for " Cacapon " when war broke out in Korea in June 1950 ; she completed four lengthy tours of duty there during the three years of fighting . Sailing with the U . S . 7th Fleet and the Formosa Patrol Force , she carried fuel and supplies to these sea forces . On her first tour , during which she helped to support the amphibious landing at Inchon on 15 September 1950 , she earned the Navy Unit Commendation for her high performance of duty . From the end of hostilities in Korea through 1960 , " Cacapon " made six more Far Eastern tours , continuing to sail with the 7th Fleet and the Taiwan Patrol Force . Vietnam War operations . During her 1955 tour she took part in the evacuation of the Tachen Islands from 6 to 14 February , and the Vietnam evacuation " Operation Passage to Freedom " of 6 to 15 March . From February to August 1958 , she joined in Operation Hardtack I at Bikini Atoll . The intervals between deployments have found her operating locally from Long Beach , California . The Cacapon was the site of the 1968 strangulation of Ensign Andrew Muns . He was murdered after uncovering a theft of $ 8 , 600 from the ship ' s safe by Michael LeBrun . The Navy initially branded Ensign Muns the thief and accused him of deserting with the stolen cash . At the insistence of the Muns ' family , the case was reopened by NCIS in 1998 and a subsequent cold case investigation led to Michael LeBrun . After a lengthy interrogation , LeBrun confessed to the murder and to disposing of the body by throwing Ensign Muns into one of the oiler ' s massive fuel tanks . The body was never recovered . After thirty years marked as a dishonorable deserter , Ensign Muns was given an honorable ceremonial burial in Arlington Cemetery . Final decommissioning . She was decommissioned , and struck from the Navy List in August 1973 and transferred to the Maritime Administration for disposal . Her final disposition was to be sold for scrapping ( date unknown ) to Zidell Exploration Portland , Oregon . Awards . " Cacapon " received four battle stars for World War II service , and the Navy Unit Commendation and nine battle stars for Korean war service .