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USS ''Tolovana'' (AO-64) was a ''Cimarron''-class fleet oiler 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 in combat areas, she was awarded one battle star during World War II, two during the Korean War, and thirteen campaign stars and the Navy Unit Commendation during the Vietnam War. ''Tolovana'' was laid down on 5 June 1944 under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 730) at Sparrows Point, Maryland, by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation; launched on 6 January 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Richard M. Bissell, Jr.; acquired by the Navy on 24 February 1945; and commissioned that same day, Lt. Comdr. Carleton G. Long, USNR, in command. == World War II Pacific Theatre operations == Following shakedown training in Chesapeake Bay and repairs at the Norfolk Navy Yard, ''Tolovana'' put to sea on 25 March bound ultimately for the western Pacific. En route, she stopped at Houston, Texas, from 30 March to 2 April; loaded diesel oil; and continued on her way. The oiler transited the Panama Canal on 6 April and, after further repairs at Balboa, Panama, resumed her voyage west. On 23 April, she reached Pearl Harbor and reported for duty with the Service Force, Pacific Fleet. After completing voyage repairs and loading aviation gasoline, ''Tolovana'' stood out of Pearl Harbor on 28 April. On 9 May, she entered the lagoon at Ulithi Atoll in the Western Carolines and reported for duty with Service Squadron 10. Three days later, she returned to sea bound via Kossol Roads in the Palaus to Leyte Gulf. ''Tolovana'' discharged the aviation gasoline portion of her cargo at Kossol Roads on 14 and 15 May and transferred her diesel oil to gasoline oilers at San Pedro Bay, Leyte, between 17 and 31 May. == Dangerous operations == Since her tanks had not been contaminated with fuel oil and gasoline constituted the commodity in greatest need at Okinawa, ''Tolovana'' was earmarked for duty shuttling it between Ulithi and the combat area which was considered too dangerous for merchant tankers. She returned to Ulithi from Leyte on 2 June and loaded her first full cargo of gasoline. For the remainder of the war, the oiler steamed back and forth between Ulithi and the Ryukyus delivering aviation and automobile gasoline to the tank farm on Okinawa. She experienced frequent air attacks but suffered no combat damage. == End-of-war activity == When the war ended in mid-August, ''Tolovana'' was at Okinawa. During the immediate postwar period, she continued to make the Okinawa-Ulithi gasoline shuttle in support of occupation forces. Later that fall, she widened her sphere of operations to include such ports as Jinsen, Korea; and Yokosuka, Japan. == Supporting atomic testing at Bikini == In May 1946, she moved to the Marshall Islands to support Operation Crossroads, the atomic bomb tests conducted at Bikini Atoll. She remained in that area until 17 June when she headed back to the United States. ''Tolovana'' reached Long Beach, California, on 6 July and entered the naval shipyard for her first overhaul since commissioning. == North Pacific operations == On 22 September, the ship emerged from the naval shipyard revitalized and began two years of duty along the western coast of North America. During the greater part of that period, ''Tolovana'' provided logistics support for bases in Alaska and in the Aleutians chain. She made frequent calls at Adak, Attu, Kodiak, and Anchorage, Alaska, while operating from Seattle, Washington, and periodically returned to California ports for visits and overhauls. She also made a voyage apiece to Guam and to Pearl Harbor during the period. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「USS Tolovana (AO-64)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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