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| USN Fleet Oiler 5,723 Tons (light) 14,800 Tons (full load) 475' 7" x 56' 3" x 26' 8" 2 x 5" 38 cal guns 2 x Twin 40mm AA guns 2 x Twin 20mm AA gun   USN c1943   USN April 7, 1943 |
Ship History Built by Mare Island Navy Yard at Mare Island. Laid down December 8, 1913 as the first purpose built fleet oiler designated "Fuel Ship No. 13". Launched July 11, 1914 as USS Kanawha the third ship in the Navy named for the Kanawha River in West Virginia sponsored by Miss Dorothy Bennett. Commissioned June 5, 1915 in the U.S. Navy (USN) under the command of Lieutenant Commander Richard Werner. Nicknamed "The Fat Lady" by her crews. On July 17, 1920 designated fleet oiler AO-1. On December 18, 1929 decommissioned and placed into the reserved fleet. On June 5, 1934 recommissioned. During October 1939 underwent a conversion at Philadelphia Naval Yard with a capacity of 75,000 barrels of fuel. On April 1, 1941 placed under the command of Commander Kendall S. Reed and steams to Midway and Wake then north to Alaska. In early December 1941 enters Mare Island for overhaul. Wartime History On December 7, 1941 still undergoing an overhaul at Mare Island. On March 21, 1942 departs San Pedro with a convoy bound for Pearl Harbor. Afterwards, part of convoys from California to Pearl Harbor then departs for the South Pacific. On May 18, 1942 arrives Tongatapu and begins fueling U. S. Navy warships and transports. On July 27, 1942 refueled by SS Mobilube. Afterwards, refuels warships of Task Force 18 (TF-18) then departs escorted by Task Force 62 (TF-62) bound for Fiji and operates off Koro Island. Next, operated from Nouméa, Espiritu Santo and Efaté refueling destroyers and transports operating between New Hebrides and the Solomon Islands. On October 12, 1942 departs Pago Pago bound for California. October 26, 1942 placed under the command of Commander John G. Cross and three days later arrives San Francisco. On November 2, 1942 at 4:24 enters dry dock no. 5 at Hunter's Point for eighteen days. On November 20, 1942 to pier no. 25 as the overhaul continues. On January 5, 1943 placed under the command of Lieutenant Commander Brainard N. Bock then steams across the Pacific back to Pago Pago arriving February 13, 1943 and resumes refueling operations and by early April 1943 operating in Tulagi Harbor. Sinking History On April 7, 1943 refueling ships in Tulagi Harbor. At 2:45pm, notified of an impending Japanese air raid. Around 3:00pm targeted by Type 99 Carrier Bomber Kanbaku / D3A2 Vals from Zuikaku that scored a hit that triggered an explosion and fire causing extensive damage. During the attack, a total of nineteen crew were lost including sixteen Missing In Action (MIA) and three Killed In Action (KIA). Sixteen Missing In Action (MIA) include: WT2C Paul Ahlfinger, 3602301 USN (MIA / KIA) TX declared dead April 8, 1944. Lt. John W. Beedon, O-088110 USN engineering officer (MIA / KIA) NY declared dead October 8, 1944. MM2C Ralph E. Bell, O-3559842 USN (MIA / KIA) CA declared dead October 8, 1944. CWT George Lee Dalthorp, 3160154 (MIA / KIA) CA declared dead April 7, 1943 CCM Harry Raymond Eames, 1348960 (MIA / KIA) CA declared dead April 7, 1943. BMKR2C Lloyd C. Fawl, 3601180 USN (MIA / KIA) CA declared dead April 8, 1944. EM3C Herbert Miller Griffith, 6331142USNR (MIA / KIA) CA declared dead April 7, 1943. F1c Paul Glenn Hough, 6230466 USNR (MIA / KIA) IN declared dead April 8, 1943. MMC Tarpley Johnson, 2675221 USN (MIA / KIA) CA declared dead April 8, 1944. F1c Francis John Lipinski, 3824120 USN (MIA / KIA) CA declared dead April 8, 1944. MM2c Leslie Bennett Marshall, 3824120 USN (MIA / KIA) CA declared dead April 8, 1944 CMM Neil McKeller, 2866186 (MIA / KIA) NC declared dead April 8, 1944. MM1c Newton Bruce Muller, 3210384 (MIA / KIA) CA declared dead April 8, 1944. MM1c Frank S. Veltri, 2581327 (MIA / KIA) WV declared dead April 7, 1943. EM3c Elbert Wood, 6684986 (MIA / KIA) IN declared dead April 8, 1944. MM1c Henry John Zimmerman, 3371767 (MIA / KIA) MS declared dead April 8, 1944. Three Killed In Action (KIA) and their bodies recovered include: F2c Delmar Joseph Johnson (KIA, BR) IN declared dead April 7, 1943 WT2c Gene Harding Spillman (KIA, BR) Alameda, CA declared dead April 7, 1943. EM1c Charles Edward Stuart (KIA, BR) Austin, TX declared dead April 8, 1943. Burning and heavily damaged, the surviving crew abandons ship. Later a fire party from tug USS Rail (AT-139) boards Kanawha and attempts to put out the raging fires aided by minesweeper USS Conflict (AM-85) until told to withdraw. Next, USS Rail (AT-139), tug USS Menominee (AT-73) and net tender USS Butternut (YN-9) tow Kanawha into Tulagi Harbor. On April 8, 1943 at 4:00am sinks into Tulagi Harbor off the southern Tulagi Island. Shipwreck Kanawha is upright at a depth of 200' / 61m on a gently sloping sea floor. The shipwreck is accessible by techincal SCUBA divers. Memorials The nineteen crew that died on April 7, 1943 earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. They were officially declared dead on either April 8, 1944 (a year and a day later) or October 8, 1944 as their administrative date of death. Sixteen of the crew remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA) and are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Ahlfinger also has a memorial marker at Faulkenberry Cemetery in Groesbeck, TX at section H. Bell also has a memorial marker at El Reno Cemetery in El Reno, OK at 1st addition, block 22, lot 4. Tarpley Johnson also has has a memorial marker at Macedonia Baptist Church Cemetery in Mayday, GA. Wood also has a memorial marker at Kanady Cemetery in Junction, IL. Three of the crew's bodies were recovered and transported to the United Statea for permenant burial. Delmar J. Johnson is buried at Catholic Cemetery in Fort Wayne, IN. Stuart is buried at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery at plot 1-362-10. Spillman is buried at Greenwood Memorial Park in San Diego, CA. Later, T1-M-A2 Mettawee-class gasoline tanker USS Kanawha (AOG-31) was aquired by the U.S. Navy and became the fourth ship named Kanawha. Awards For her World War II service, Kanawha earned one battle star. References Norman S. Voehl adds: "I was a crew member of the USS Kanawha AO-1, from 10 January 1942 until 7 April 1943." NARA USS Kanawha AO-1 War Diary 1 November 1942 to 30 November 1942 Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - USS Kanawha (AO-1) Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) Beans, Bullets, and Black Oil The Story of Fleet Logistics Afloat in the Pacific During World War II pages 23-24, 405-427 (Appendix Kanawha AO-1) Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) Navy Department Communiques 301-600 and Pacific Fleet Communiques March 6, 1943 to May 24, 1945 page 31 (April 7, 1943), 435 (Appendix Kanawha), XIV (index Kanawha) "3. The Allied naval vessels which previously were announced as sunk by Japanese air attack on Allied shipping in the vicinity of Guadalcanal on April 7, 1943, now can be named as the destroyer USS Aaron Ward, the tanker USS Kanawha, and the corvette HMNZS Moa. The next of kin of all casualties aboard these vessels have been notified. The action previously was reported in Navy Department Communiqués No. 337, 338, 339 and 340." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Paul Ahlfinger date of death April 8, 1944 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John W. Beedon date of death October 8 1944 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Ralph E. Bell date of death October 8 1944 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - George L. Dalthorp date of death April 8, 1944 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harry Raymond Eames date of death April 7, 1943 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Lloyd C. Fawl date of death April 8, 1944 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Herbert M. Griffith date of death April 8, 1943 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Paul G. Hough date of death April 8, 1943 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Tarpley Johnson date of death April 8, 1944 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Francis J. Lipinski date of death April 8, 1944 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Leslie B. Marshall date of death April 8, 1944 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Neil McKeller date of death April 8, 1944 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Newton B. Muller date of death April 8, 1944 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Frank S. Veltri date of death April 8, 1944 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Elbert Wood date of death April 8, 1944 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Henry J. Zimmerman date of death April 8, 1944 FindAGrave - WT2 Paul Frank Ahlfinger Jr (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Paul Frank Ahlfinger Jr. (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - Lt John W Beedon (ship photo) FindAGrave - MM2 Ralph E Bell (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Ralph E. Bell (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - George Lee Dalthorp (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Harry Raymond Eames (tablets of the missing photo, obituary) FindAGrave - Lloyd Celeans Fawl (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Lloyd Celeans Fawl (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - EM3 Herbert M Griffith (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - F1 Paul G Hough (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Delmar Joseph Johnson (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Tarpley Johnson (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - F1 Francis John Lipinski (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - MM2 Leslie Bennett Marshall (tablets of the missing photo, obituary) FindAGrave - CMM Neil McKeller (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - MM1 Newton Bruce Muller (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - PO Newton Bruce Muller (photo, Saint Johns UCC Cemetery photos) FindAGrave - Gene Harding Spillman (grave photo) FindAGrave - Charles Edward Stuart (death certificate, grave photo) FindAGrave - MM1 Frank Samuel Veltri (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Elbert “Dues” Wood (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Elbert Wood (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - MM1 Henry John Zimmerman (tablets of the missing photo) Navy Source USS Kanawha AO-1 (photos) X Attack of I-Operation by Richard Dunn South Pacific Air War: The Role of Airpower in the New Guinea and Solomon Island Campaigns, January 1943 to February 1944 (2024) by Richard Dunn pages 215, 219-221 (April 7, 1943), 590 (index Moa) Thanks to Neil Yates / Tulagi Dive for additional information Contribute
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