USS Pecos (AO–65) was a T3-SE-A1 type fleet oiler constructed by the Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Chester, Pennsylvania. Laid down on 20 April 1942, originally designated as Corsicana (MC hull 325), she was launched on 17 August 1942 and acquired by the U.S. Navy on 29 August 1942. The vessel was commissioned on 5 October 1942. As an oil tanker, Pecos measured approximately 523 feet in length, with a beam of about 69 feet, designed to carry and transfer fuel to warships and support various naval operations during World War II. Initially operating along the Atlantic coast, Pecos soon transited the Panama Canal to support Pacific campaigns. Her early missions included supporting landings at Tarawa, refueling bombardment and transport groups. In early 1943, she was involved in supporting operations in Bora Bora, where she supplied fuel to a variety of smaller craft including subchasers, minesweepers, LCIs, and motor torpedo boats. Throughout her service, Pecos played a vital logistical role, refueling ships at key locations such as Majuro Atoll, Eniwetok, and Manus, and supporting major campaigns such as the Palau invasion and the Leyte Gulf operations. Pecos encountered intense combat conditions, notably on 2 January 1945, when she was attacked by Japanese aircraft while steaming from Leyte Gulf toward Mindoro. Despite near misses and damage, she continued her support missions, including fueling operations during the Lingayen landings and supplying aviation gasoline to Army Air Force units in the Philippines. During a major Japanese air raid in May 1945 near Okinawa, she remained unscathed despite kamikaze attacks on nearby ships. After the Japanese surrender, Pecos was anchored in Sasebo, Japan, fueling occupation forces. She was decommissioned on 14 March 1946, transferred to the Maritime Commission in 1947, and later reacquired by the Navy in 1950, serving under the Military Sea Transportation Service with a merchant crew. She operated until 1975, engaging in various missions including trips to the Caribbean and the Arctic, and assisting vessels like USS Merrimack in distress. The vessel was scrapped in July 1975, having earned seven Battle Stars for her distinguished service in World War II.

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