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KMS Dithmarschen

To engage the enemy in an area of strategic consequence, the Germans had to find a way to reach the Atlantic. The concept of afloat logistics support was exploited to provide a freedom of action on a scale unprecedented in German naval history. It soonproduced a revolutionary design for a fleet support ship that was decades in advance of every other navy in the world. Trials with underway replenishment began in 1928 with thetanker Hansa, chartered from Atlantik Tank Reederei. In spring and fall of both 1934 and 1935, fleet exercises experimented with refueling techniques. During the Spanish Civil War, German ships frequently replenished at sea from auxiliary support ships, achieving fuel transfer rates of 120 tons per hour under operational conditions.

After testing two vessels of an intermediate type, the Germans produced a mature fleet supply ship (trosschiff) - the six-ship Dithmarschen-class. Dithmarschen, a combination oiler and supply vessel, was built by F. Schichau, Danzig, in 1938, for the German Navy. Five were launched between 1937 and 1940; two of them, Altmark (later renamed Uckermark) and Westerwald (later Nordmark), were operational at the start of the war. The sixth unit, Havelland, was launched in 1940 but was never completed.

Dithmarschen, or Ditmarsh (in the oldest form of the name Thiatmaresgaho, Dietmar's Gau), a territory between the Eider, the Elbe and the North Sea, forming the western part of the old duchy of Holstein, and later included in the Prussian province of Schleswig-Holstein. By 1912 it contained about 550 sq. m. with 90,000 inhabitants. The territory consisted to the extent of one half of good pasture land, which is preserved from inroads of the sea by banks and dams, the other half being mostly waste.

They were innovative and effective ships that would play a major part in the subsequent development of replenishment at sea. The Dithmarschens could each carry nearly nine thousand tons of fuel oil and four hundred tons of lubricating oil, as well as ammunition, spare parts, provi-sions, and water. They were equipped with repair shops, hospital facilities, and large boats used to transfer stores. They were also quite well armed, with three 150 mm deck guns, two 37 mm and four 20 mm antiaircraft guns,plus eight ma-chine guns. These extra features reduced the liquid cargo that could be carried but added significantly to the diversity of support that could be provided. The Dithmarschens were the longest and fastest tankers then in service withany navy. This length was necessary to achieve high speed. A coincident benefitof their streamlined hull form was exceptional fuel economy; 12,500 miles at fifteen knots, without expending cargo fuel. All this was necessary to support long-range commerce raiding operations that, as was known from the outset, would be furtive, gauntlet-running enterprises.

Taken over by British authorities at Bremerhaven when World War II ended, Dithmarschen was allocated to the United States Navy 15 January 1946 by the Inter-Allied Reparations Commission. She was placed in service 2 May 1946 as Dithmarschen (IX-301), with Captain A. W. Maddox, USNR, in charge. Departing Bremerhaven 8 May she arrived at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard 19 May for conversion to a naval vessel. The need for a one-stop oiler-replenishment type ship had been illustrated by the war in the Pacific, and Dithmarschen was used for experimental work in this field since she had been developed specifically for this type of duty. On 1 October her name was changed to Conecuh and she was redesignated AO-110, but lack of funds delayed her conversion and she was placed out of service 24 October.

Her classification was changed to AOR-110 on 4 September 1952 and she was converted to a replenishment fleet tanker. Conecuh was commissioned 16 February 1953, Commander M. B. Freeman in command. Following her shakedown in the Virginia Capes, she steamed to Greenock, Scotland to take part in NATO Operation "Mariner" (16 September-20 October). She sailed for a tour of duty with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean (5 March-28 May 1954), then underwent an extensive overhaul at Norfolk (30 June 1954-4 January 1955). She remained at Norfolk except for refueling units at sea, operations in the Caribbean, and off the Florida Keys (25 October-7 November 1955), until decommissioned and transferred to the Maritime Commission for retention in the Maritime Reserve Fleet 3 April 1956. She was stricken from the Navy List on 1 June 1960. Conecuh proved the feasibility of the combination oiler-replenishment ship; experience gained during her operations led to the development of the fast combat support ship (AOE) in the United States Navy.