USS Hassayampa (AO-145) USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145) - "Finest Oiler in the Fleet, she was"

Photos and text submitted by Capt. Pat Moloney

The Hassayampa was well known in the MSC fleet for being the hottest of the 143 Class oilers in the engineering spaces. The KAWISHIWI and PONCHATOULA had over twice the money spent on them in the conversions to MSC operation. On the other hand we were a Far East ship and spent most of our time in the tropics. It was with some trepidation that we're being assigned to Vladivostok Patrol. MISPILLION got it first, supporting the watchdog escort on snooping assignment. She got beat up pretty badly. Our turn was next but something came up and the PONCHATOULA got sent instead. She got the crap beat out of her. By now, I had the advantage of several lessons learned through reports and was preparing for our time in the barrel. I took a bunch of flack in Subic when we loaded snow shovels but I had a plan. This was one of those few cases where you plan ahead and everything actually works! You wouldn't want to get accustomed to that because it almost never happens twice (not twice in a row...twice!!!). Note photo #18: the boom on #3 rig has been replaced with an outrigger. We were getting out of the 1950's. In any case, we had our day in the barrel. We planned it and ran it. It was great. The frigate made her approach in 600 yd visibility, surfaced in on some of the biggest swells I've ever seen (got video of the sonar dome out of the water), refueled her, relieving the rig crew every 15 minutes with a port and starboard gang, got away and headed for Sasebo. Tension down, I could relax a bit. One of our not-so-Able Seamen had the wheel and managed to fall off into the trough in the next several minutes. Note the starboard railing on photo 18. I scrambled back up to the bridge and must say, in my 51 years, I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've lost my temper. That was one of them. Otherwise, there's our Hot Weather Hassayampa as an Ice Queen. Our preparations worked as expected. Fire hoses ran overboard from bow and stern, steam winches were rolling on a few stations, and anchor windlass was rolling. The ship was ready but us thin-blooded Asiatics had some adjusting to do.

This could be almost anywhere, but I think it's South China Sea. Just slogging along, taking it on the chin. From the size of the billow, I'd say we were pushing 18 knots to make a commitment.

This always used to make my day. I'm a seaman and have enough common sense to be superstitious in some matters. having porpoise around the ship was clear good luck. In the photo you can see the paravane skeg at keel level as the light band, then the reflection of the bow beyond it.

This is early 1981, heading to the Indian Ocean. This was a heavy deck load. Note the boats
have been replaced by reefer vans and the rigs have protective cages over them. We haven't
gotten rid of the boom on #3 rig yet, as that is still a couple years off. I'm still Cargo Mate at this time.

Three of the Masters of the Hassayampa. Left side, Capt. Pat Moloney (32 yrs old), next is one
of the Able Seamen and his bride of about one hour and I'm ashamed to not remember his name.
He was a good seaman. Middle: Capt. Josh Johnson, one of the funniest guys ever to bless this
earth, but checked out several months ago. Partially hidden, Cargo Mate Mark Brandlin, later
master of MSC ships, now in medical retirement in Guam. On the right is Capt. Don Gavin.
Don relieved Josh, and I relieved Don. The year of the photo was 1984.

A starboard view of the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS BAINBRIDGE (CGN-25)
with other ships. Three submarines, including the nuclear-powered attack submarine
USS HADDOCK (SSN-621), are docked off the port bow of the BAINBRIDGE. The four ships
on the other side of the pier are, right to left: the guided missile cruiser USS WILLIAM H. STANDLEY (CG-32),
the guided missile destroyer USS HENRY B. WILSON (DDG-7), the guided missile cruiser
USS STERETT (CG-31) and the oiler USNS HASSAYAMPA (T-AO-145).
Naval Station, Subic Bay, Luzon Philippines ~ 28 Aug 1981

Additional shot of Naval Base, Subic Bay, with the city of Olongapo in the background. The ships docked
at the pier in the foreground are, from right: the oiler USNS HASSAYAMPA (T-AO-145), the guided missile
cruiser USS STERETT (CG-31), the guided missile destroyer USS HENRY B. WILSON (DDG-7) and the
guided missile cruiser WILLIAM H. STANDLEY (CG-32).
Naval Station, Subic Bay, Luzon Philippines ~ 28 Aug 1981

Additional view of the pier area with docked ships including the auxiliary stores ship USNS RIGEL (T-AF-58)
and the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS BAINBRIDGE (CGN-25) in the foreground. At left are
the oiler USNS HASSAYAMPA (T-AO-145), the guided missile cruiser USS STERETT (CG-31), the guided missile
destroyer USS HENRY B. WILSON (DDG-7) and the guided missile cruiser USS WILLIAM H. STANDLEY (CG-32).
Naval Station, Subic Bay, Luzon Philippines ~ 28 Aug 1981

August 28, 1981: Naval Station Subic Bay, Luzon, the Philippines
View of docked ships including guided missile destroyer USS Berkeley (DDG-15),
frigate USS Hepburn (FF-1055), USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145),
guided missile cruiser USS Sterrett(CG-31) and guided missile destroyer USS Henry B. Wilson (DDG-7)

USNS Passumpsic (T-AO 107) berthed port side of USNS Hassayampa (T-AO145) Subic Bay, Philippines June 1982

USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145), February 2, 1985 taken by Pat Moloney, Master,
upon returning to the ship from Masirah Island, Oman by helicopter prior to being put aboard by horsecollar

USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145) alongside POL Pier, Subic Bay, Philippines, February 1986

USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145) conducting underway replenishment operations
with unidentified vessel c. December 1986

USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145) refueling USS Midway (CV-41) April 1987
USNS Kiluea (T-AE 26) in background

USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145), Indian Ocean, operating with Battle Group Echo, c. 1987

USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145) refueling USS Ranger (CV-61) to port and USS Shasta (AE-33) to starboard
27 September 1987

Battle Group Echo in formation ~ November 1, 1987
USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145) is the last ship on the far starboard column from USS Ranger (CV-61)

(From the left, aft to forward)
Column 1: USNS Hassayampa (T-AO-145), USS Leftwich (DD-984), USS Hoel (DDG-13);
Column 2: USS Kansas City (AOR-3), USS Bunker Hill (CG-52), USS Robert E. Peary (FF-1073);
Column 3: USS Long Beach (CGN-9), USS Ranger (CV-61), USS Missouri (BB-63);
Column 4: USS Wichita (AOR-1), USS Gridley (CG-21), USS Curts (FFG-38);
Column 5: USS Shasta (AE-33), USS John Young (DD-973), USS Buchanan (DDG-14)

Battle Group Echo in formation ~ November 1, 1987
USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145) is the last ship on the far starboard column from USS Ranger (CV-61)

(From starboard, aft to forward)
(click here for a 1600x1280 px image)
Column 1: USNS Hassayampa (T-AO-145), USS Leftwich (DD-984), USS Hoel (DDG-13);
Column 2: USS Kansas City (AOR-3), USS Bunker Hill (CG-52), USS Robert E. Peary (FF-1073);
Column 3: USS Long Beach (CGN-9), USS Ranger (CV-61), USS Missouri (BB-63);
Column 4: USS Wichita (AOR-1), USS Gridley (CG-21), USS Curts (FFG-38);
Column 5: USS Shasta (AE-33), USS John Young (DD-973), USS Buchanan (DDG-14)

Battle Group Echo in formation ~ November 1, 1987
USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145) is the last ship on the far starboard column from USS Ranger (CV-61)