USS Patoka, a 16,800-ton oiler, was built at Newport News, Virginia. Commissioned in October 1919, she transported oil fuel from the United States to European ports during the next few years, as well as performing other support services in both the Atlantic and Pacific. In 1924 Patoka was modified as a tender for the Navy's rigid airships, receiving a distinctive mooring mast on her stern and facilities for handling seaplanes. She was subsequently used as an operational and experimental base by three of the Navy's great dirigibles, USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) in 1924-1925, USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) in 1925-1932, and USS Akron (ZRS-4) in 1932.
Decommissioned in August 1933, following the loss of Akron, Patoka remained in reserve for six years. Reclassified as a seaplane tender (AV-6) in October 1939, she was recommissioned a month later and served briefly in that role, primarily in the Atlantic area. In June 1940, she returned to her original mission as an oiler, and was again designated AO-9. By late 1941, after carrying oil and other cargo in the Atlantic and Caribbean areas during the previous year and a half, Patoka had taken station at Recife, Brazil. She served there for most of World War II as a supply and repair ship for U.S. Naval forces operating in the South Atlantic. She also was employed as a personal and logistics transport during this time, and in early 1942 patrolled off Brazil in an effort to intercept enemy ships bringing vital cargo from the Japanese Empire to Europe.
In 1945 Patoka was refitted to serve as a tender for minecraft in the Pacific. Given the new hull number AG-125 in August, she spent the last four months of the year, and the first part of 1946, supporting mine clearance and other aspects of the occupation of Japan. USS Patoka returned to the United States in March 1946 and was decommissioned at the beginning of June. Soon transferred to the War Shipping Administration and stricken from the list of Naval vessels, she was sold for scrapping in March 1948.
This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have related to USS Patoka (AO-9, later AV-6 and AG-125).
For more photographs of this ship, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 105114 USS Patoka (AO-9) Alongside the Naval Coal Depot, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory, circa late 1920. The original image is printed on postcard ("AZO") stock. This card was sent to his wife by Patoka's first Commanding Officer, Commander Ernest F. Robinson, USNRF, with notes dated 19 December 1920 concerning countries visited by Patoka during her first year of service. See Photo # NH 105114-A for a reproduction of the reverse side of the postcard, featuring these notes. Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2007. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image size: 79KB; 740 x 485 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 60284 USS Patoka (AO-9) In port, 1 June 1927, probably at Pensacola, Florida. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 85KB; 570 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 60296 USS Patoka (AO-9) At anchor in Panama Bay in January 1931. Photographed from the airship Los Angeles (ZR-3). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 545 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 91174 USS Patoka (AO-9) Approaching the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, in 1932. She is being assisted by one of the Yard's harbor tugs. Photographed by Callahan. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 95KB; 740 x 590 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 91175 USS Patoka (AO-9) Leaving the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, 1932. Photographed by Callahan. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 565 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 91176 USS Patoka (AO-9) Clearing the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, 1932. Probably photographed by Callahan. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 580 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 91177 USS Patoka (AO-9) Leaving the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, 1932. Photographed by Callahan. Note the Lone Star Cement facility in the left background. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 76KB; 570 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: 80-G-1017209 USS Patoka (AV-6) Off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, 16 January 1940. Note SOC floatplane amidships, with its wings folded. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 600 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: NH 98161 USS Patoka (AV-6) Off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, 16 January 1940. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 610 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 43586 USS Patoka (AV-6) At Balboa, Panama Canal Zone, 11 February 1940. She is dressed with flags in honor of George Washington's Birthday, and carries a pair of Curtiss SOC floatplanes on deck amidships. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 90KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
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In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Patoka. The following list features some of these images:
The images listed below are NOT in
the Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our
page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".
USS Patoka (AO-9) on 24 July 1924, showing her newly-fitted airship mooring mast and outriggers. High aerial view, taken from off the ship's starboard quarter. Patoka appears to be anchored, with boat booms and airship support outriggers deployed. USS Patoka (AO-9) on 8 August 1924. Photographed by Smith, of Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey. Surface view, taken from almost directly off the ship's stern, emphasizing her airship mooring mast and the associated outriggers. USS Patoka (AV-6) at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, 16 January 1940. Photographed by Ph3c P. Donley Starboard bow surface view, very much toward the bow, showing the ship coming alongside a pier. Her anchors are both hanging below her hause pipes. Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center. The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions". |
For more photographs of this ship, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 6 November 2002
New images added 16 December 2007