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Original Deck Log of the USS Cuyama - AO/AO-3 USS Cuyama, Fleet Oiler, January 1, 1918 to December 31, 1918.
Kanawha/Cuyama class Fleet Oiler:
- Displacement: 14,500 tons
- Length: 476' Beam: 56'
- Draft: 28'
- Speed: 12 knots (max); 9 knots (economy)
- Armament: 2 5"/38 DP, 4x2 40mm, 4x2 20mm
- Complement: 475
- Capacity: 55,700 barrels
- Reciprocating engines, twin screws, 10,400 hp
- Built at Mare Island Navy Yard
- Commissioned 2 April 1917;
- Decommissioned 12 April 1946.
Deck Logs: Purpose and Content
A Navy ship's deck log is a daily chronology of certain events for administrative and legal purposes. Preparation of logs was governed by standards set forth in the "Regulations for the Government of the Navy of the United States, 1913, Relative to Log Books" - now governed by the current edition of Office of the Chief of Naval Operations Instruction 3100.7 (OPNAVINST 3100.7) series. This regulation specifies the kinds of events to be entered (such as):
- Absentees
- Accidents [material]
- Accidents/Injuries [personnel]
- Actions [combat]
- Appearances of Sea/Atmosphere/Unusual Objects
- Arrests/Suspensions
- Arrival/Departure of Commanding Officer
- Bearings [navigational]
- Cable/Anchor Chain Strain
- Collisions/Groundings
- Courts-Martial/Captain's Masts
- Deaths
- Honors/Ceremonies/Visits
- Incidents at Sea
- Inspections
- Meteorological Phenomena
- Movement Orders
- Movements [getting underway; course, speed changes; mooring, anchoring]
- Passengers
- Prisoners [crew members captured by hostile forces]
- Propulsion Plant Status changes
- Receipts and Transfers [of Crew Members]
- Ship's Behavior [under different weather/sea conditions]
- Sightings [other ships; landfall; dangers to navigation]
- Soundings [depth of water]
- Speed Changes
- Tactical Formation
- Time of Evolutions/Exercises/Other Services Performed
- Weapons
A deck log identifies a ship's location and movements daily. If the ship is underway, its latitude and longitude are to be entered three times each day in blocks provided for the purpose. Deck logs are not narratives, and do not describe or explain a ship's operations.
Deck logs of commissioned U.S. Navy ships from the earliest times through 1940 are [normally] in the Old Military and Civil Branch, National Archives and Records Administration, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC 20408. This log is a rare find outside of the National Archives and is an important part of World War One era American Naval History.
Deck Logs: Ships That Submit
Only deck logs from commissioned Navy ships are permanently retained by the Naval Historical Center and the National Archives. A ship "in commission" is a Navy command in her own right; she has her own administrative identity, and originates records in her own name. Annual command histories, written under a program initiated by the Chief of Naval Operations in 1952, are included in the active records of the Naval Historical Center. Deck logs are also held by the Ships History Branch of the Naval Historical Center. After 30 years, Ships History Branch transfers the deck logs to the Modern Military Branch, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001.
Nearly all service craft are classified as "in service," rather than "in commission." They do not have their own administrative identity but are, in effect, floating vehicles operated by a parent command. Self-propelled service craft apparently keep a log of their movements for their parent command's administrative and legal purposes, but these are not sent to the Naval Historical Center and do not go into any permanent file.
The USS Cuyama was a commissioned ship. Cuyama (AO) was launched 17 June 1916 by Mare Island Navy Yard; sponsored by Miss M. Offley; and commissioned 2 April 1917, Lieutenant I. B. Smith, USNRF, in command. Cuyama was decommissioned 12 April 1946 and transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal 1 July 1946.
From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
USS Cuyama (AO/AO-3) - A Concise History
Name derivation: A river in California; American Indian.
AO - 3: dp. 4,990 l. 475'7" b. 56'; dr. 26'2" s. 14 k.; l. 144 a. 4 x 5"; cl. Maumee
Cuyama (AO) was launched 17 June 1916 by Mare Island Navy Yard; sponsored by Miss M. Offley; and commissioned 2 April 1917, Lieutenant Isaac. B. Smith (aka I.B. Smith), USNRF, in command.
After her maiden voyage to Pearl Harbor in May 1917, Cuyama departed San Francisco 6 June, loaded petroleum products at Port Arthur, Tex., and arrived at Norfolk 6 July. She called at Boston, New York and Bayonne, before sailing from Norfolk 11 August with a convoy bound for England. Returning to Norfolk 19 September, she was fitted for transporting aircraft. She made three convoy voyages from New York to England until 9 January 1918 when she was transferred to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service. She made six voyages to the United Kingdom delivering war cargo until 17 October.
Cuyama departed New York 16 December 1918 to bring oil and gasoline from Port Arthur to Norfolk, then sailed 4 January 1919 to supply the Fleet in the Caribbean until returning to Norfolk 13 May.
The oiler stood out of Norfolk 25 June 1919, and arrived at San Pedro, Calif., 7 August after fueling ships at Acapulco, Mexico. Classified AO-3 on 7 July 1920, she remained on the west coast procuring and dispensing oil and gasoline cargoes, servicing ships, and occasionally transporting passengers, provisions, and freight, or towing yard craft. In 1927 and 1934 she cruised to the east coast for fleet maneuvers and in 1936, 1937, and 1938 made 13 voyages from the west coast to Pearl Harbor on transport duty. During 1941 she made five similar voyages and practiced refueling at sea with the cruisers of the Scouting Force. She arrived at San Diego 26 November 1941 for overhaul.
Cuyama began her war service by carrying cargo between Pearl Harbor and San Pedro, Calif. from 27 December 1941 to 1 March 1942. Between 15 March and 29 June, she delivered fuel in two voyages to Efate, Noumea, the Tonga and Samoan Islands. She cleared San Pedro once more 25 July loaded men, cargo, and equipment at Seattle, Wash., and arrived at Kodiak, Alaska, 11 August. She operated in Alaskan waters fueling ships and occasionally voyaging to Seattle for replenishment and repairs.
Cuyama cleared Seattle 17 February 1945, delivered cargo to Eniwetok, Saipan, and Guam, and arrived at Kerama Retto, Okinawa, 21 April to fuel the ships engaged in the occupation of Okinawa. She splashed a suicide plane 13 May, and bombarded a Japanese occupied cave on Tokashiki Shima 7 July. Returning to Ulithi 31 July, she sailed on to Leyte where between 5 and 30 August she fueled ships preparing for the occupation of Japan. Between 12 September to 6 November, Cuyama fueled ships at Jinsen, Korea, then cleared for San Francisco, arriving 27 November. Cuyama was decommissioned 12 April 1946 and transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal 1 July 1946.
Cuyama received one battle star for World War II service.
Below are various images of the USS Cuyama (not offered as a part of this listing; reference only):
Good condition but is worn from use. |
