A river in Indiana. (AO–9: dp. 16,800; l. 417110”; b. 60’; dr.
26’2”; s. 11 k.; Cpl. 168; a. 2 5”, 4 40mm.; cl. Patoka). Patoka
(AO–9) was laid down 17 December 1918 by the Newport News Ship
Building and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va.; launched 26 July
1919; acquired by the Navy from USSB 3 September 1919; and
commissioned 13 October 1919, Comdr. E. F. Robinson in command.
Assigned to NOTS, Patoka departed Norfolk 4 November 1919 for
Port Arthur, Tex., where she loaded fuel oil and sailed for
Scotland, arriving on the Clyde 6 December. She returned to Port
Arthur for more oil and got under way 9 January 1920 for the
Adriatic Sea, arriving Spalato, 12 February. Returning to the
United States in April Patoka went back to the Near East,
arriving at Constantinople in June. After duty in the Adriatic
and Mediterranean she returned to the United States, and served
on both the east and west coasts until 1924 when she was
selected as a tender for rigid airship Shenandoah. A mooring
mast some 125 feet above the water