Kanawha IV (AOG-31)
1944-
A river in southwest West Virginia formed by the confluence of the New and Gauley Rivers at Gauley Bridge, W.Va. The Kanawha empties into the Ohio River at Point Pleasant, W. Va.
IV
The fourth Kanawha (AOG-31) was laid down 30 August 1944 by the East Coast Shipyard, Inc., Bayonne, N.J., under a Maritime Commission contract; launched 18 October 1944; sponsored by Mrs. May T. Norton; transferred to the Navy 13 November; and commissioned 23 November 1944, Lt. C. J. Byrne, USCGR, in command.
Following shakedown in Chesapeake Bay, Kanawha cleared Norfolk 15 January 1945 to load oil at Aruba, Netherlands West Indies, and arrived San Pedro 13 February. She arrived Pearl Harbor 20 March and departed 6 April with a cargo of lube oil, arriving Eniwetok 2 weeks later. Kanawha continued fueling services in the Marshalls and Marianas until she departed Ulithi 7 June with a cargo of lube oil for the Philippines and arrived Leyte 11 June. The tanker operated in the Philippines for the rest of the war and began similar duties at Okinawa 6 October. Kanawha sailed for America 14 November and arrived Mare Island 14 December via Pearl Harbor. She decommissioned 23 March 1946 and was transferred to the WSA August 1946. She entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, Calif., 4 September. She was sold for scrapping 2 March 1964.
