| USS
Kalamazoo
The name Kalamazoo has graced U.S. Navy ships in several eras.
The most recent was the USS KALAMAZOO (AOR6), a U.S. Navy replenishment
oiler, one of seven of that class named in honor of U.S. cities
or rivers with names of Native American origins.
Launched 11 November 1972, the 659-foot ship held approximately
400 crew members and 22 officers and carried fuel, weapons, and
enough food to service 45,000 people for up to 30 days. She served
proudly, including during the Persian Gulf War (1991). Setting a
Navy refueling record, she was capable of pumping 28,000 gallons-per-minute
to ships that pulled along side. A 1991 Kalamazoo Gazette editorial,
described the ship’s impressive service record by saying that
she performed “... the humble but vitally important job of
refueling battleships and transporting supplies in mine-infested
and potentially dangerous waters...the USS KALAMAZOO crew set a
U.S. Navy record for wartime in assisting more than 100 ships....”
The ship also provided supplies to support United Nations Peacekeeping
Forces in Bosnia. She was decommissioned in 1996.
The people aboard the USS KALAMAZOO served an important though
often under-appreciated purpose. A plaque that hung on-board read,
“Logistics is as vital to military success as daily bread
is to daily work.” - Rear Admiral Alfred T. Mahan.
An earlier ship bearing the name USS KALAMAZOO (AOG 30) was built
in 1944. The tanker transported cargo and fuel in the Pacific. Decommissioned
in 1947, she is now serving the Government of Columbia as the Bals
de Lazo. In 1863, during the Civil War, the navy ordered the construction
of four larger warships called the Kalamazoo Class. However, construction
was halted in 1865.
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For further information, we suggest
these sources:
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| “Oiler and Toiler: The USS Kalamazoo supplies and refuels
Navy combat ships,” Kalamazoo Gazette, 11 April 1990, section
D, page 1, column 1. |
| “USS Kalamazoo brings honor to its name.” Kalamazoo
Gazette, 9 March 1991, section A, page 6, column 1. |
| “USS Kalamazoo near the end.” Kalamazoo
Gazette,
12 August 1996, section A, page 1, column 2. |
| History Room Subject File: USS Kalamazoo |
Written by Beth Scott, Kalamazoo Public
Library Staff, 1997. Updated March 2003.
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