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Olean - (1925-1942)
USS Alameda (AO-10) build in 1919, moored pierside at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA., 7 March 1921.
Panoramic photograph by Crosby, "Naval Photographer", 324 First Street, Portsmouth, Virginia.
In 1925 she became "Olean" for Vacuum Oil Co., New York.
"Olean".
( Photo United States Coast Guard )
Additional information Starke & Schell registers :
ALAMEDA - 1919 USA 1T (aft) (11)
7,253 GRT for U. S. Shipping Board, Philadelphia 430.0 x 58.2
Tanker build by W. Cramp & Sons Ship & Eng. Building Co., Philadelphia (10) #497 218904
1919 - U. S. Navy (AO - 10)
Abandoned afire 19 Nov 1921, 50 miles off Cape Henry, after fire broke out in boiler room, voyage ? - Norfolk,
towed into Norfolk, sold 1922 for repairs
1923 - Arnold & Craig (W. Cramp & Sons Ship & Eng. Bldg. Co.), Philadelphia
1925 - OLEAN, Vacuum Oil Co., New York
1931 - Standard-Vacuum Transportation Co., Inc., New York
1935 - Socony-Vacuum Oil Co., Inc., New York
Torp. by U 158, 15 March 1942, in 34.22N-76.29W, voy. Norfolk - Beaumont, Texas, in ballast, heavily damaged,
transferred to U. S. Gov't. re-engined 1T
1943 - SWEEP U. S. War Shipping Administration, New York
7/1944 - SILVER CLOUD, U. S. Navy - depot tanker (IX-143)
1946 - SWEEP, U. S. Maritime Commission, New York
Broken up at Mobile, Ala., 1st quarter 1947 by Pinto Island Metals Co.
Additional information from Uboat.net :
Name: Olean
Type: Steam tanker
Tonnage: 7.118 tons
Completed: 1919 - Wm. Cramp & Sons Ship & Engine Building Co, Philadelphia PA
Owner: Socony-Vacuum Oil Co Inc, New York
Homeport: New York
Date of attack: 15 Mar, 1942
Nationality: American
Fate: Damaged by U-158 (Erwin Rostin)
Position: 34.22N, 76.29W - Grid DC 1164
- See location on a map -
Complement: 42 (6 dead and 36 survivors). Convoy: Route: Norfolk, Virginia (14 Mar) - Beaumont, Texas
Cargo: water ballast
History: Built in 1919 as USS Alameda, 1924 renamed Olean
On 12 Jul, 1944, the Sweep was acquired on a bare-boat basis by the US Navy as mobile floating storage tanker USS Silver Cloud
(IX 143) at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. The tanker was stationed in the Marshall Islands until 17 August when she sailed for Manus
Island, Admiralty Islands. On 28 August, the USS Silver Cloud (IX 143) dropped anchor in Seeadler Harbor and fueled almost 200
ships before leaving on 28 December for San Pedro Bay, Leyte via Hollandia, New Guinea. On 15 Jan, 1945, she arrived at Leyte and
remained in the Philippine Islands until 30 December when she sailed via Panama for New Orleans for disposal, arriving on 10 Mar,
1946. The next day the tanker sailed for Mobile, arriving one day later, where she was decommissioned and delivered to the US War
Shipping Administration (WSA) on 29 March. Struck from the US Navy list on 17 Apr, 1946 and sold to Pinto Island Metals
Co on 21 Jan, 1947.
Notes on loss: At 06.04 hours on 15 Mar, 1942, the unescorted Olean (Master Theodore Bockhoff) was hit by one torpedo from
U-158 about 15 miles south of Cape Lookout. The torpedo struck the port quarter in the machinery space, causing the vessel to veer
out of control. The gun crew spotted the U-boat but could not depress the gun enough to fire. The eight officers, 30 crewmen and four
armed guards began abandon ship, but the first lifeboat capsized because the ship had still headway. These men transferred to
another boat, which was destroyed when a coup de grâce hit on the starboard side in the engine room at 06.18 hours, killing one
officer and five crewmen. The survivors escaped in one boat or swam to three rafts.
The Cape Lookout and Fort Macon Lifeboat Stations each sent a motor lifeboat, which arrived nine hours after the attack, picked
up the survivors and landed them at Morehead City, North Carolina.
The Olean was later towed to Hampton Roads and dry docked. First she was declared a total loss, but on 13 June requsitioned by
the US War Shipping Administration (WSA), reconstructed as Sweep and returned to service.