Naval History and Heritage Command

A river in New York and a tributary or the Hudson River, named for the great marsh lying along its banks. The word is an Indian term meaning "drowned lands."

Sacandaga (No. 3877) was built in 1918 by Cramp Shipbuilding Co., Philadelphia, Pa. In December 1918, she was scheduled to be acquired by the Naval Overseas Transportation Service for service as a collier but was never taken over.

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(Gasoline tanker AOG?40: displacement 2,270; length 220'6"; beam 37'; draft 13'1"; speed 10 knots; complement 62; armament 1 3", 2 40 millimeter; class Sequatchie; Maritime Commission standard type T1-M-A2)

Sacandaga (AOG-40) was laid down on 4 August 1944 as MC hull 1803, by the East Coast Shipyard, Inc., Bayonne, N.J.; launched on 24 September 1944; sponsored by Mrs. B. S. Chappelear; and commissioned on 9 November 1944, Lt. Edwin W. Heister, USNR, in command.

After shakedown, Sacandaga departed the east coast in January 1945 and proceeded, via the Panama Canal, to the west coast. She arrived at San Diego on 3 February and then moved on to Okinawa, stopping briefly at Pearl Harbor, Johnston Island, Eniwetok, and Ulithi. Arriving at Okinawa on 16 May, she commenced operations under Commander, Service Squadron (ComServRon) 10 supplying aviation fuel to units afloat and ashore. Sacandaga operated in the Ryukyus, principally at Okinawa and Kerama Retto, until 9 October when, caught in a typhoon, she went aground at Baten Ko, Okinawa. Damaged beyond repair, Sacandaga was abandoned. She was decommissioned on 23 November and struck from the Navy list on 5 December. On 25 January 1946, she was declared a hazard to navigation and destroyed by demolition charges.

Sacandaga earned 1 battle star during World War II.