USS Waccamaw ( AO - 109 ) USS " Waccamaw " ( AO - 109 ) was a replenishment oiler in the United States Navy . She was named after Waccamaw River . The original capacity was . " Waccamaw " was laid down on 28 April 1945 by the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Co . , Chester , Pennsylvania ; launched on 30 March 1946 ; sponsored by Miss Irene F . Long ; and commissioned on 25 June 1946 , Capt . Guy W . Stringer in command . It was the last of five oilers in the Mispillion class . Atlantic Fleet operations . After completing shakedown and training at Norfolk , Virginia , and Guantanamo Bay , " Waccamaw " spent her first two years engaged in transporting oil from the Persian Gulf to the United States . In September 1948 , she was assigned to duty with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean and , in the spring of 1949 , was transferred to the 2nd Fleet for exercises in the Caribbean . A second tour of the Mediterranean followed in the early part of 1950 and a third in 1951 , the latter extending to nine months . After a shipyard overhaul at Boston , Massachusetts , in 1952 , " Waccamaw " participated in the development of the Thompson - Arwood method of fueling destroyers at sea in heavy weather . In 1953 , the ship made her first midshipman cruise , which included a visit to Edinburgh , Scotland . During the summer of 1954 , " Waccamaw " was again in the Mediterranean for her fourth tour with the 6th Fleet . This was followed by logistic services in the western Atlantic and Caribbean . On a second midshipman cruise in 1955 , she visited Copenhagen , Denmark and Edinburgh , Scotland . In the fall of 1955 , the ship entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for overhaul and proceeded to the Caribbean for training the following spring . A third midshipman cruise was made in June and July 1956 , the visit this time being to Halifax , Nova Scotia . At the end of July , the ship departed for a fifth assignment to the 6th Fleet . This tour was extended until January 1957 because of the Suez crisis . During this period , " Waccamaw " provided logistic support to the ships engaged in the evacuation of Haifa , Israel ; and Alexandria , Egypt . After returning from the Mediterranean , " Waccamaw " operated in the Caribbean for two months , participated in the International Naval Review at Norfolk , Virginia , on 12 and 13 June 1957 , and then departed on her fourth midshipman cruise which took her to Rio de Janeiro , Brazil ; and Aruba , Dutch West Indies . During September and October 1957 , " Waccamaw " , as a member of the underway replenishment group , supported the international fleet participating in the NATO fall exercises . These exercises were designed to test the ability of the navies of the Atlantic community to cooperate in mutual defense . In the course of these operations , " Waccamaw " played a novel role in the rapidly developing character of the Fleet ; she was the last oiler to fuel , the last of the battleship s , and the first to fuel the new super carriers , and . Supporting U . S . landing in Lebanon . In the winter of 1957 and 1958 , " Waccamaw " underwent a much - needed overhaul at Boston , followed by training at Guantanamo Bay . During the spring of 1958 , she provided logistic support to antisubmarine groups in the western Atlantic . Refitted and retrained , " Waccamaw " joined the 6th Fleet for a Mediterranean deployment , during which she participated in the operations connected with the 1958 Lebanon crisis . " Waccamaw " returned to Newport , Rhode Island , her home port , in November 1958 . After a brief rest in December 1958 , " Waccamaw " returned to her assigned mission by fueling Destroyer Flotilla 2 in January 1959 and then proceeded south to the Virgin Islands where she remained until the end of March . On 20 April 1959 , " Waccamaw " departed for another Mediterranean tour . This seventh tour , however , was shorter than those previous , and she returned to Newport in June . Upon her return , the ship continued her familiar role of logistic support to the antisubmarine forces in the western Atlantic . This continued until November when she began a period of overhaul at the Bethlehem Steel Shipyard , New York . Due to a labor - management dispute in January 1960 , " Waccamaw " was moved by tugs to the New York Shipyard at Brooklyn , New York , to complete her overhaul in April . After completing refresher training at Guantanamo Bay , the ship returned to Newport , Rhode Island , and embarked 18 midshipmen from several eastern colleges for a cruise in Atlantic waters . After an eight - day tender availability at Newport , " Waccamaw " departed for an eighth tour with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean . During this deployment , " Waccamaw " was the first naval ship to visit the newly independent country of Cyprus . On 25 February 1961 , she returned to Newport for a leave and upkeep period . The spring months of 1961 were spent supporting the 2nd Fleet and conducting a sixth midshipman cruise . During August , " Waccamaw " underwent a much - needed tender availability , and a one - day dependents ' cruise was fitted into her busy September schedule . In October , " Waccamaw " supported the newly created antisubmarine warfare group operating in the eastern Atlantic . She arrived back in the United States just in time for Christmas after an cruise . " Waccamaw " then commenced preparations for overhaul at the Bethlehem Steel Shipyard in Hoboken , New Jersey . Completing overhaul in April 1962 , the ship sailed for refresher training at Guantanamo Bay . In June 1962 , " Waccamaw " again resumed support of the 2nd Fleet ; and , in August , she set sail for the Mediterranean on her ninth tour with the 6th Fleet . On the way , " Waccamaw " participated in Operation " Riptide " , working in support of such ships as the nuclear carrier . The ship spent the holiday season at Golfe Juan , France , and gave a Christmas party for some 50 orphans . She returned to her home port , Newport , on 2 March 1963 . Search for the USS " Thresher " . During the period from March through June , " Waccamaw " held a dependents ' cruise ; supported the fruitless search ; and conducted two deployments which totaled five weeks with Canadian antisubmarine warfare forces . Late in July , " Waccamaw " departed Newport for six weeks in the Caribbean supporting Commander , ASW Forces , Atlantic Fleet , embarked in . " Waccamaw " fueled the carrier and her five escorting destroyer s 10 times . Upon her return , she stopped at Norfolk , Virginia , for a successful operational readiness inspection . " Waccamaw " spent most of the fall in Newport , with scattered brief commitments and type training periods underway . Much time was devoted to the administrative inspection for fiscal 1964 which was held in November . At the year ' s end , preparations were hard underway on board " Waccamaw " for the most extensive yard period in the ship ' s 17 - year history . She was scheduled to enter the Puget Sound Bridge and Dry - dock Co . in Seattle , Washington on 29 February 1964 . West Coast operations . On 27 January 1964 , " Waccamaw " got underway for Seattle , Washington , and arrived on 21 February . During a seven - month yard period , she received the oiler equivalent of " framming " , " jumbo conversion . " On 26 February 1965 , the ship returned to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard , Bremerton , Washington . At that time , her status was changed from " in commission , in reserve " to " in commission , active . " Following a fitting out and ready - for - sea period , " Waccamaw " departed the Puget Sound area and proceeded to San Diego , arriving there on 23 April . After stopping at Acapulco , Mexico , and Guantanamo Bay Naval Base , Cuba , the ship returned to Newport , Rhode Island , on 12 May 1965 . Reassigned to homeport of Norfolk . During the period between 14 May and 17 June , " Waccamaw " engaged in shakedown training at Guantanamo Bay ; then proceeded to Norfolk , Virginia , her new home port , for a period of upkeep and acceptance trials . On 13 July , she sailed for the Boston Naval Shipyard for post - shakedown availability which lasted from 19 July through 9 November . On 14 November , " Waccamaw " returned to Norfolk and underwent type training and services before serving as a replenishment ship for the primary recovery group assigned to the Gemini VI and VII space missions . She returned to Norfolk on 19 December and spent the remainder of 1965 in type training and services . " Waccamaw " got underway on 10 January 1966 for the Caribbean and Operation " Springboard . " During this exercise , she refueled 42 ships and conducted gunnery exercises and other at - sea trials before returning to Craney Island on 4 February . Upon her return , she operated in the Virginia Capes area and began making preparations for overseas deployment . On 4 May 1966 , " Waccamaw " departed Norfolk destined for the Mediterranean . She was the first " jumbo oiler " to operate with the 6th Fleet . During her Mediterranean cruise , she steamed in excess of , refueled 256 ships , and pumped more than 32 million US gallons ( 120 , 000 m ) of fuel oil . On 20 October , she returned to the Naval Station Norfolk , then proceeded to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard to repair the damage sustained in a minor collision with . The ship took part in Exercise " Lantflex 66 " in the Caribbean on 28 November . " Waccamaw " returned to the Norfolk Navy Station on 15 December and remained until the end of the year for tender availability and holiday leave . After refueling ships of the 2nd Fleet and lifting fuel at Craney Island , " Waccamaw " departed on 27 February 1967 to escort six destroyer s to the Azores . She returned on 21 March , then got underway again on 10 April for Operation " Clovehitch III " which lasted through the end of the month . On 1 May , the ship returned to Norfolk for upkeep and tender availability . On 12 June 1967 , " Waccamaw " departed for a midshipman training cruise to the Caribbean and returned to Norfolk for upkeep . On 24 July , she took part in NATO Exercise " Lashout ; " and , upon her return to Norfolk , she prepared for annual administrative and operational readiness inspections which were completed on 28 August and 12 September , respectively . From 6 to 27 October , the ship had tender availability at the Norfolk Navy Base . Searching for the lost submarine USS " Scorpion " . " Waccamaw " departed on 13 November for her 11th Mediterranean cruise . At the close of 1967 , " Waccamaw " was at Naples , Italy , for a holiday liberty and upkeep period . This cruise ended on 23 April 1968 when the ship arrived at Norfolk , Virginia . On 28 May , she participated in the search for the nuclear submarine . This was followed by exercises in the Jacksonville , Florida , and Virginia Capes operating areas and participation in NATO exercise " Silvertower " with the British and Canadian Navies . During " Silvertower " , " Waccamaw " refueled 69 ships before returning to Norfolk on 15 October . The ship then operated off the Virginia and Florida coasts until 21 November when she underwent tender availability at Craney Island , Virginia , and returned to Norfolk on 18 December 1968 to finish the year in liberty and upkeep . " Waccamaw " began the year 1969 in her home port of Norfolk , Virginia , and , on 2 January , arrived at the Maryland Shipbuilding and Drydock Co . , Baltimore , for routine hull maintenance followed by regular overhaul at Home Bros . Shipyard , Newport News , Virginia . After conducting exercises in the Virginia Capes operating area , she completed refresher training in Guantanamo Bay on 20 June . The next month was spent in operations off the Virginia and Florida coasts . On 21 August , the ship moved to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard , Portsmouth , Virginia , to make final preparations for deployment . North Atlantic operations . On 2 September 1969 , " Waccamaw " got underwav for deployment to the North Atlantic . From 17 to 23 September , she participated in NATO Exercise " Operation Peacekeeper " . " Wacamaw " returned to the Naval Station , Norfolk , on 11 December and remained there until the end of 1969 for leave and upkeep . During January and February 1970 , " Waccamaw " continued a period of tender availability . After a fuel lift at Craney Island , she departed on 5 March for a Mediterranean deployment . However , problems with her feed pumps forced " Waccamaw " to return to Norfolk . Repairs completed , she again set sail for the Mediterranean on 17 March and arrived at Rota , Spain , 12 days later . On 7 April , " Waccamaw " was visited by the Vice Chief of Naval Operations and the Commander , 6th Fleet . On 22 May , Admiral Zumwalt , Chief of Naval Operations , visited " Waccamaw " , high - lining on board from . Supporting Jordan Crisis operations . On 18 June 1970 the and the " Waccamaw " are in a minor collision in the eastern Mediterranean during refueling operations . The ship arrived at Rota , Spain , on 17 September . However , just four hours before outchop , she was notified that her deployment was to be extended due to the crisis in Jordan . Underway on the 18th , she returned to the Mediterranean . After visiting Athens , Greece , and Souda Bay , Crete , " Waccamaw " again departed for Rota , Spain , and home . " Waccamaw " arrived at Norfolk , Virginia , on 31 October and spent the remainder of 1970 in leave and upkeep . Waccamaw collides with USS " Detroit " . In 1971 " Waccamaw " was in restricted availability status in Norfolk , Virginia . After sea trials on 10 February and a fuel lift at Craney Island on 16 February , " Waccamaw " got underway for operations on 20 February . Three days later , she collided with during an underway replenishment but sustained very little damage . However , she returned to Norfolk for repairs which lasted from 24 February to 9 March . During the next month , " Waccamaw " operated in the Jacksonville , Florida , operations area . Upon her return to Norfolk , the ship remained in port for repairs until 28 June . On 28 June 1971 , " Waccamaw " deployed to the North Atlantic to support the antisubmarine warfare group . Steering difficulties forced her to return home early on 29 August . " Waccamaw " spent the remainder of the year in port undergoing steering repairs and upkeep , except for sea trials on 20 September and services in the Virginia capes area from 2 to 24 November 1971 . " Waccamaw " departed on 3 January 1972 for refresher training at Guantanamo Bay . She returned to Norfolk on 12 February , after having visited Port - au - Prince , Haiti , and Port Everglades , Florida . The ship spent the next month in port providing services for a naval reserve surface division . From 17 March through 30 May , " Waccamaw " conducted operations in the Virginia Capes area and off the east coast of Florida and South Carolina . Circumnavigating the world by sea . On 30 May 1972 , " Waccamaw " set sail from Norfolk , Virginia , for a nine - month deployment to Subic Bay , Philippines . On 21 June , the ship rounded the Cape of Good Hope and entered the Indian Ocean . Arriving on 11 July , she anchored in Subic Bay after a 41 - dav transit . Five days later , she got underway for her first " line swing " off the embattled coast of Vietnam . This duty consumed the rest of the year , with the exception of periodic rests and repairs at Hong Kong and Singapore . " Waccamaw " found herself working again early in the new year . On 4 January 1973 , a milestone was reached : " Waccamaw " refueled , her last of 246 commitments off the coast of Vietnam . The ship returned to Subic Bay , thence to Pearl Harbor , the Panama Canal , and , finally , Norfolk , Virginia . She arrived at her home port on 17 February 1973 , after circumnavigating the world . Return to East Coast assignments . On 9 April , " Waccamaw " got underway to provide services to NATO forces operating off the coast of Greenland . Upon her return to Norfolk , the ship underwent restricted availability from 4 May until 16 July . After extensive repairs , " Waccamaw " got underway on 8 December 1973 to operate off the coast of Virginia . She returned to Norfolk one week later and spent the last weeks of 1973 in her home port area . On 8 January 1974 , " Waccamaw " got underway for Mayport , Florida , and operated in the Jacksonville area . On 27 January , she arrived at Roosevelt Roads , Puerto Rico , and took part in Operation " Springboard - 74 " , followed by a stop at Guantanamo Bay , arriving on 18 February . " Waccamaw " departed on 1 March for Norfolk , Virginia , where she remained through April . On 3 May , the ship got underway for a Mediterranean cruise . This seven - month deployment took the ship to ports in Spain , Italy , France , Greece , Crete and Turkey . Decommissioning , Civilian Service and Disposal . On 6 December 1974 , " Waccamaw " returned to Norfolk , Virginia , where she prepared for decommissioning . The ship was decommissioned by the Navy on 24 February 1975 . " Waccamaw " transferred to the Military Sealift Command , where she continued in non - commissioned U . S . Navy service with a civilian crew as United States Naval Ship USNS " Waccamaw " ( T - AO - 108 ) . On 3 April 1978 , the and the " Waccamaw " received structural damage in a collision north of Corsica when the " Waccamaw " loses steering control during refueling . Both proceeded under their own power to Naples , Italy , for repairs . On 5 April 1979 , the " Waccamaw " collided with the which was operating with the 6th Fleet , during a refueling operation south of Crete , suffering minor damage and no injuries . On 24 September 1981 the and the " Waccamaw " collided during underway replenishment south of Sardinia , Italy , causing minor damage but no injuries . " Waccamaw " was retired from service and returned to the Navy in 1989 . She was then transferred to the custody of MARAD and assigned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Fort Eustis , James River , Virginia , where she remained berthed until sold for scrapping at Brownsville , Texas in 2005 . Awards . " Waccamaw " received one award of the Meritorious Unit Commendation for participation in the Jordanian crisis of 1970 , and a Meritorious Unit Commendation and one battle star for service in Vietnam . Captains . Navy captains commanded :