U.S Navy Photograph - Tokyo Bay (Kaiwan)
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Saugatuck AO-75 leaving James River Reserve Fleet enroute to Bay Bridge Enterprise of Chesapeake, VA. for scrapping, 18 July 2006. Norfolk, VA in background. Photo courtesty of Mabel Clark |
The U.S.S. Saugatuck was built at Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company with her keel being laid on August 20, 1942 as MC Hull #335. She was launched on December 7, 1942 as Newton, T2-SE-A1, a Suamico Class Tanker. On December 21, 1942 Newton was delivered to the U.S. Navy. On February 14, 1943 she was commissioned as the U.S.S Saugatuck AO 75.
In 1946 she was renamed the Newton after being taken out of service. Shortly after, in 1948, she was back in service as the U.S.S. Saugatuck and served active duty until she was transfered to the Maritime Administration, National Defense Resere Fleet on May 1, 1999 at the James River Reserve Fleet, Fort Eustis, VA
In July 2006 MARAD listed the Saugatuck under their disposal program. At that time Bay Bridge Enterprises had been awarded on 06-02-2006 a contract for $549,999 to dispose of the Sauguatck. The removal date from the James River Reserver Fleet (JRRF) was listed as 07-18-2006 and final disposal was listed as in process.
The latest information I have on the Saugatuck AO75 is from the January 3, 2008 MARAD National Defence Reserve Fleet Inventory list which states the following on the Saugatuck:
SAUGATUCK | T-AOT75 | 1943 | T2-SE-A1 | Chesapeake, VA | Disposal Historic
I am hoping this relays to us that she was not scrapped, but is going to be preserved for historic purposes.