The USS Armadillo (IX-111) was a notable vessel in the United States Navy, serving primarily as a station tanker during World War II. Originally laid down as the Type T1 tanker Sidney Howard on 24 September 1943 by the California Shipbuilding Corporation in Los Angeles under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull No. 1900), she was launched on 26 October 1943. The ship was sponsored by Mrs. S. Howard and was later renamed Armadillo, becoming the lead ship of her class of tankers, and was designated IX-111. Commissioned at San Pedro, Los Angeles, on 18 November 1943, she underwent final fitting out and shakedown training off the southern California coast. By January 1944, Armadillo was assigned to the Service Force of the US Pacific Fleet, supporting operations across the Pacific. Her early service included transporting personnel and petroleum products between Pearl Harbor and Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, from February through April 1944. She then reported to Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands, where she served as a station tanker through late August, before shifting her base to Ulithi in the Caroline Islands. Her duties included resupplying ships at Ulithi and making trips to Guam, Saipan, and Peleliu. In April 1945, Armadillo moved to Okinawa, arriving on 18 April, to support fleet operations during the critical phases of the Pacific campaign. After the war, she departed Okinawa in February 1946, heading for the East Coast of the United States, arriving in Norfolk, Virginia, on 23 March. She was decommissioned on 29 May 1946 and transferred to the Maritime Commission’s War Shipping Administration, entering the National Defense Reserve Fleet in the James River. Throughout her post-war career, the vessel changed ownership and names multiple times, serving under different commercial operators as Dean H, Chris H., and others, before ultimately being scrapped in the Netherlands in 1972. During her wartime service, USS Armadillo earned one battle star, marking her contribution to the Pacific Theater efforts. Her service highlights her role in logistical support during one of the most extensive naval campaigns in history.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.