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Rappahannock
T1-MT-M1
Patapsco Class Gasoline Tanker:
Laid down, 25 May 1942, as Rappahannock, a Maritime Commission type (T1-MT-M1) tanker hull,
under a Maritime Commission contract at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co., Seattle, WA.
Renamed Kern (date unknown)
Launched, 7 September 1942
Commissioned USS Kern (AOG-2), 9 March 1943
Decommissioned, 6 August 1946 and transferred to the Army Transportation Service Returned to US
Navy custody and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 1 July 1950
Placed in service as USNS Kern (T-AOG-2), 1 July 1950
Placed out of service in September 1956
Laid up in the Reserve Fleet Reactivated and assigned to MSTS, placed in service, 30 April 1957
Placed out of service, 1 October 1957
Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown) Custody transferred to MARAD
Final Disposition, fate unknown
( See photos below )
Specifications:
Displacement 1,850 t.(lt) 4,130 t.(fl)
Length 310' 9"
Beam 48' 6"
Draft 15' 8"
Speed 15.5 kts.
Complement 131
Armament four 3"/50 dual purpose guns, twelve 20mm guns
Cargo Capacity 2,210 DWT
Propulsion four GE diesel electric engines, twin shafts, 3,300hp
View the Kern (AOG-2)
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center web site
USS Kern (AOG-2) ex. Rappahannock, at anchor, date and place unknown.
USS Kern (AOG-2) ex. Rappahannock, underway, date and location unknown.
( Photo thanks to Stan Svec )