From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

A small tree-climbing mammal of North America, active largely at night.

(IX - 127: dp. 15,425; l. 441'6"; b. 56'11"; dr. 28'4"; s. 11 k.; cpl. 101; a. 1 5", 1 3", 8 20mm.; cl. Armadillo; T. Z-ET1-S-C3)

The second Raccoon (IX-127), a liberty ship named J. C. W. Becham (MCE Hull No. 1931) by the Maritime Commission and renamed Raccoon by the Navy 27 October 1943, was laid down 7 November 1943 by the Delta Shipbuilding Co., New Orleans, La.; launched 23 December 1943; sponsored by Mrs. J. C. W. Becham; accepted from WSA under bareboat basis 31 January 1944; and commissioned 1 February 1944, Lt. Michael E. Vallario, USNR, in command.

After shakedown off the Gulf Coast, this mobile station tanker loaded a cargo of fuel oil at Corpus Christi, Tex.; steamed through the Panama Canal; and joined the 3d Fleet at Espiritu Santo 5 April. She took on a deck cargo of lube oil drums which she discharged at Purvis Bay. Returning to Espiritu Santo, she then proceeded to Efate, New Hebrides fueling Battleship Division 3 and Destroyer Division 90. Arriving at Purvis Bay 20 July, the ship assumed fueling station ship duties and made several side trips to the Russell Islands.

On 14 September Raccoon proceeded to Samoa to load fuel oil, returning to Espiritu Santo and Purvis Bay for station duty. With the exception of a short trip to Bougainville, she remained at Purvis Bay until 6 February 1945, when she proceeded to the Russell Islands to fuel a task force of APA's and AKA's. Departing 21 March, Raccoon proceeded to Iwo Jima to fuel DD's and DE's on patrol screen. She arrived at Saipan 14 June for harbor fueling duty which lasted through the end of the war and into April 1946. She then sailed from the Marianas, transited the Panama Canal and arrived Norfolk 3 June. Raccoon decommissioned 10 July, was redelivered to WSA the next day, and was struck from the Navy list 31 July 1946.

Transcribed by Yves HUBERT (hubertypc@aol.com)