Chiwawa-class oiler

USS Niobrara AO-72
Class overview
Name	Chiwawa
Builders	Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard Sparrows Point, Maryland
In commission	24 December 1942 - 12 November 1957
Completed	5
Active	2 in commercial service as lake freighters
Lost	1
General characteristics
Class and type	Chiwawa class oiler
Type	MARAD T3-S-A1
Tonnage	16,543 DWT
Displacement	21,077 tons
Length	501 ft 7.75 in (152.9 m)
Beam	68 ft (20.7 m)
Draft	29 ft 10.5 in (9.1 m)
Depth	37 ft (11.3 m)
Installed power	7,000 shp (5,200 kW)
Propulsion	geared steam turbine single screw
Speed	15.3 knots (28.3 km/h)
Range	14,500 nmi (26,900 km; 16,700 mi)
Capacity	133,800 bbl (~18,250 t)
Complement	214–247
Sensors and processing systems	1 × SC radar
Armament	1 × 5"/38 caliber gun mounts 4 × 3"/50 caliber gun mounts 8 × 40 mm AA gun mounts 8 × 20 mm AA gun mounts 2 × depth charge projectors

The Chiwawa-class oilers were United States Navy T3 Tanker oilers of the T3-S-A1 design built during World War II at Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard of Sparrows Point, Maryland. The class consisted of five ships, all of which survived the war.

All of the ships of the class initially were to be built for private companies, but the outset of World War II, the ships were transferred to the United States Maritime Commission and given new names. Later, when allocated to the U.S. Navy, they were renamed again.^[1]

Often the Chiwawa class is seen as part of the Kennebec class. In some cases the Kennebec class is divided into three classes, the Kennebec class (AO-36 to AO-40, AO-48), the Mattaponi class (AO-41 to AO-44, AO-47) and the Chiwawa class. The first two classes were of the T2 and T2-A designs whereas the Chiwawas were of the T3-S-A1 design, mainly differing in having only a 7,000 shp engine and a top speed of 15.3 knots.

Three of the ships — Chiwawa (AO-68), Escalante (AO-70), and Neshanic (AO-71) — were decommissioned at the end of the war. The remaining two — Enoree (AO-69) and Niobrara (AO-72) — were in and out of commission until late 1957. Chiwawa (now Lee A. Tregurtha) is still in commercial service on the Great Lakes.^[1] Neshanic sailed under various names—the last being the American Victory—through 2008 before being scrapped in 2018.^[2] Enoree^[3][4] and Niobrara^[5] were both eventually scrapped while Escalante, then known as George MacDonald, sank in 1960.^{[1] [6]}

Ships of the class

Construction data

Name	Hull no.	Original name	Commissioned	Final decommission	Fate
Chiwawa	AO-68	Samoset	24 December 1942	6 May 1946	converted to laker, 1961; still in service
Enoree	AO-69	Sachem	23 January 1943	22 October 1957	scrapped, 1982
Escalante	AO-70	Shabonee	30 January 1943	12 December 1945	sunk, 1960
Neshanic	AO-71	Marquette	13 March 1943	19 December 1945	converted to laker; Scrapped in Turkey, December 2018
Niobrara	AO-72	Citadel	20 February 1943	12 November 1957	Scrapped after 1982

References

1. Wharton, George. "Great Lakes Fleet Page Vessel Feature -- Lee A. Tregurtha". Great Lakes and Seaway Shipping. Archived from the original on 2007-10-17. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
2. Aho, Jody L. "American Victory, Middletown, Pioneer Challenger, Gulfoil, USS Neshanic (AO-71), Marquette". Boatnerd. Boatnerd. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
3. Priolo, Gary P. (2005). "AO-69 Enoree". NavSource Online. NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
4. ussenoree.org, USS Enoree AO/TAO-69
5. Priolo, Gary P. (2007-06-29). "AO-72 Niobrara". NavSource Online. NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
6. Auke Visser's, T3 Tanker types

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

• Wildenberg, Thomas (1996). Gray Steel and Black Oil: Fast Tankers and Replenishment at Sea in the U.S. Navy, 1912-1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. Retrieved 2009-04-28.