USS Mattabesset ( AOG - 52 ) USS " Mattabesset " ( AOG - 52 ) was a acquired by the U . S . Navy for the dangerous task of transporting gasoline to warships in the fleet , and to remote Navy stations . " Mattabesset " was laid down 6 July 1944 by Cargill , Inc . , Savage , Minnesota ; launched 11 November 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . John Uhrenholdt ; and commissioned 16 June 1945 , Lt . Comdr . N . O . W . Adams , Jr . , USNR , in command . " Mattabesset " completed her U . S . Gulf Coast shakedown and departed for the Pacific Ocean area 14 July 1945 , having filled her cargo tanks at Baytown , Texas . She arrived at Pearl Harbor a week before the end of hostilities in the Pacific and continued on to Midway Island . End - of - war activity . On 27 August , having completed delivery of diesel fuel , she sailed for Saipan , where she spent five weeks as a station tanker . She next steamed for Japan , arriving at Yokohama 24 October . For the next month she transferred gasoline from merchant tankers to shore installations . On 9 December , she began shuttling gasoline between shore installations in Japan and Korea , continuing this duty until 7 December 1946 , when she got underway for San Pedro , California . North Atlantic operations . Her scheduled overhaul completed in May 1947 , " Mattabesset " sailed for Norfolk , Virginia , and duty with Service Force , Atlantic Fleet . Arriving 13 June , " Mattabesset " began a four year assignment carrying petroleum products to ports along the Atlantic coast , from Greenland and Labrador to the Caribbean , and occasionally across the $ 3 to Casablanca . Deployment with the 6th Fleet . " Mattabesset " departed the U . S . East Coast for her first U . S . 6th Fleet deployment 12 September 1951 . Since that time , she has served at least four months a year fueling units engaged in operations and exercises in the Mediterranean . From 1951 until 1955 , she returned to the United States only for overhaul . In October 1956 , Naples , Italy , became the home port from which she operated until April 1961 . On several occasions , including the Lebanon crisis of July 1958 , " Mattabesset " provided direct support for peacekeeping operations . Supporting NATO exercises . " Mattabesset " was assigned a stateside home port , Norfolk , Virginia , in April 1961 . Her three Mediterranean deployments between then and 1965 involved her primarily in operations with the 6th Fleet ' s Amphibious Force , including Operation Steel Pike of 1964 , and NATO landing exercises with British , French , and Italian units . Secondary duties were to keep the advanced airbases supplied with aviation gasoline and provide support for units of the 6th Fleet , other than amphibious , whenever called upon . Arctic Circle initiation . During July 1965 , " Mattabesset " made a cruise to the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea ; and all hands were initiated into the " Order of the Polar Bear " when the ship crossed the Arctic Circle on that cruise . She returned to the Mediterranean three more times between March 1966 and August 1968 , again participating in various NATO and 6th Fleet operations . Final Decommissioning and Fate . " Mattabesset " returned to her home port in August 1968 . She decommissioned at Norfolk and her name was struck from the Navy list 1 October 1968 . She was then transferred to the Maritime Administration on 26 June 1969 and was sold on the same day to the Peck Iron & Metal Co of Norfolk , Va for $ 26 , 863 . 42 . " Mattabesset " was scrapped a short time later . Military awards and honors . Her crew was eligible for the following medals :