US Navy Auxiliary Ships: Pasig (AW-3) Class

USS Pasig (AW-3) on 7 January 1945
Click on this photograph for links to larger images of this class.

Class:        PASIG (AW-3)
Design:        MC T2-SE-A2
Displacement (tons):        6,433 light, 21,650 lim.
Dimensions (feet):        523.5' oa, 503.0' wl x 68.0' e x 30.8' lim.
Original Armament:        1-5"/38 4-3"/50 4-40mmT 8-20mm
Later armaments:        --
Complement:        --
Speed (kts.):        15.1
Propulsion (HP):        10,000
Machinery:        G.E. turbo-electric drive, 1 screw

Construction:

AW	Name	Acq.	Builder	Keel	Launch	Commiss.
3	PASIG	21 Oct 44	Marinship	18 May 44	15 Jul 44	11 Dec 44
4	ABATAN	28 Nov 44	Marinship	9 Jun 44	6 Aug 44	29 Jan 45

Disposition:

AW	Name	Decomm.	Strike	Disposal	Fate	MA Sale
3	PASIG	16 Jun 55	1 Jul 60	30 Jun 60	MA/T	16 Oct 75
4	ABATAN	27 Jan 47	1 May 70	10 Mar 80	Tgt.	--

Class Notes:
FY 1944. On 3 Jul 44 the Auxiliary Vessels Board recommended approving arrangements under which the Maritime Commission was to provide 54 new construction merchant vessels to the Navy for use as auxiliaries. These included six tankers of the T2-SE-A2 type (AO 91-96) and four tankers of the T3-S2-A1 type (97-100). On 9 Aug 44 CominCh recommended to CinCPac that the first two of the T2's be instead delivered to the Navy at a suitable stage of construction for conversion to Distilling Ships (AW). Their special equipment was to include an evaporator plant capable of providing 120,000 gallons per day (three 40,000 gallon units as in the AW-1 class) and a large crane amidships capable of lifting 160 tons. The crane, similar to those installed on ENOREE (AO-69) and NIOBRARA (AO-72), was primarily for lifting LCT's on and off the decks of LST's at advanced bases, especially Eniwetok.

The Navy reacquired ABATAN in 1962 for use as a fresh water storage and distilling ship after Cuba cut off the water supply to the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. She was not restored to service or recommissioned for this duty. The ship arrived at Guantanamo under tow on 22 Oct 62, and the Fleet Training Group there reactivated her distilling plant between 27 October and 6 December. She remained in use as a water storage hulk, with her bow eventually resting on the bottom, after being stricken from the Navy List in 1970, and was finally towed out in early 1980 to be sunk as a target.

Ship Notes:

AW	Name	MC#	Notes
3	PASIG	1826	Ex merc. MISSION SAN XAVIER. Ex-AO-91 24 Aug 44. Converted at the Mare Island Navy Yard. In USN reserve 1946-47 (decomm. 6 Feb 46, recomm. 14 Jan 48 without reactivation of armament), 1948-51 (decomm. 24 Jun 48, recomm. 16 Mar 51 for operation as a Navy-manned ship in MSTS), and 1955-60. To NDRF 4 Mar 60. To buyer 12 Nov 75.
4	ABATAN	1827	Ex merc. MISSION SAN LORENZO. Ex-AO-92 24 Aug 44. Converted at the Mare Island Navy Yard. In USN reserve 1946-60. To NDRF 2 Mar 60, to MA 30 Jun 60, stk. 1 Jul 60, from MA and reinst. 27 Sep 62. Used as fresh water storage and distilling ship at Guantanamo Bay. Sunk by Navy as target.