USS Cuyama ( AO - 3 ) USS " Cuyama " ( AO - 3 ) was a tanker of the United States Navy launched 17 June 1916 by Mare Island Navy Yard ; sponsored by Miss M . Offley ; and commissioned 2 April 1917 , Lieutenant I . B . Smith , USNRF , in command . The USS " Cuyama " was named after the Chumash Indian word for " clams " . After her maiden voyage to Pearl Harbor in May 1917 , " Cuyama " departed San Francisco 6 June , loaded petroleum products at Port Arthur , Tex . , and arrived at Norfolk 6 July . She called at Boston , New York , and Bayonne , before sailing from Norfolk 11 August with a convoy bound for England . Returning to Norfolk 19 September , she was fitted for transporting aircraft . She made three convoy voyages from New York to England until 9 January 1918 when she was transferred to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service . She made six voyages to the United Kingdom delivering war cargo until 17 October . " Cuyama " departed New York 16 December 1918 to bring oil and gasoline from Port Arthur to Norfolk , then sailed 4 January 1919 to supply the Fleet in the Caribbean until returning to Norfolk 13 May . The oiler stood out of Norfolk 25 June 1919 , and arrived at San Pedro , Calif . , 7 August after fueling ships at Acapulco , Mexico . Classified AO - 3 on 7 July 1920 , she remained on the west coast procuring and dispensing oil and gasoline cargoes , servicing ships , and occasionally transporting passengers , provisions , and freight , or towing yard craft . In October 1921 " Cuyama " conducted the first ever underway refueling , towing the destroyer astern ; over the next three years she was the test ship for developing the technique of alongside refueling , first of destroyers and then larger vessels . " Cuyama " therefore played a key role in the development of what would prove a major factor in the successful war against Japan . In 1927 and 1934 she cruised to the east coast for fleet maneuvers and in 1936 , 1937 , and 1938 made 13 voyages from the west coast to Pearl Harbor on transport duty . During 1941 she made five similar voyages and practiced refueling at sea with the cruisers of the Scouting Force . She arrived at San Diego 26 November 1941 for overhaul . " Cuyama " began her war service by carrying cargo between Pearl Harbor and San Pedro , Calif . , from 27 December 1941 to 1 March 1942 . Between 15 March and 29 June , she delivered fuel in two voyages to Efate , Noumea , the Tonga and Samoan Islands . She cleared San Pedro once more 25 July loaded men , cargo , and equipment at Seattle , Wash . , and arrived at Kodiak , Alaska , 11 August . She operated in Alaskan waters fueling ships and occasionally voyaging to Seattle for replenishment and repairs . " Cuyama " cleared Seattle 17 February 1945 , delivered cargo to Eniwetok , Saipan , and Guam , and arrived at Kerama Retto , Okinawa , 21 April to fuel the ships engaged in the occupation of Okinawa . She splashed a suicide plane 13 May , and bombarded a Japanese - occupied cave on Tokashiki Shima 7 July . Returning to Ulithi 31 July , she sailed on to Leyte where between 5 and 30 August she fueled ships preparing for the occupation of Japan . Between 12 September to 6 November , " Cuyama " fueled ships at Jinsen , Korea , then cleared for San Francisco , arriving 27 November . " Cuyama " was decommissioned 12 April 1946 and transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal 1 July 1946 . " Cuyama " received one battle star for World War II service .