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.
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 — , , and — were decommissioned at the end of the war. The remaining two — and — were in and out of commission until late 1957. Chiwawa (now Lee A. Tregurtha) is still in commercial service on the Great Lakes. Neshanic sailed under various names—the last being the American Victory—through 2008 before being scrapped in 2018. Enoreeussenoree.org, USS Enoree AO/TAO-69 and Niobrara were both eventually scrapped while Escalante, then known as George MacDonald, sank in 1960. Auke Visser's, T3 Tanker types
Ships of the class + Construction data Name Original name Commissioned Final decommission Fate AO-68 Samoset 24 December 1942 6 May 1946 converted to laker, 1961; still in service AO-69 Sachem 23 January 1943 22 October 1957 scrapped, 1982 AO-70 Shabonee 30 January 1943 12 December 1945 sunk, 1960 AO-71 Marquette 13 March 1943 19 December 1945 converted to laker; Scrapped in Turkey, December 2018 AO-72 Citadel 20 February 1943 12 November 1957 Scrapped after 1982
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