21-721: USS Neshanic (AO-71) is a former T3 Kennebec -class oiler constructed for the United States Navy during World War II . She was the only U.S. Navy ship named for the Neshanic River in New Jersey . Neshanic was built as the SS Marquette , ex MC hull 519 under Maritime Commission contract by the Bethlehem Shipyard, Inc. , Sparrows Point, Maryland . The ship was launched with
42-580: A United States Merchant Marine ship, the crew would be a mix of civilian Merchant Marines and US Navy Armed Guards to man the deck guns. The World War II T3-class tankers were considered large for their day, but are small compared to modern oil tankers . Among "supertankers", the ultra large crude carrier is over 300,000 metric tons and the very large crude carrier is over 200,000 metric tons. The attack on Pearl Harbor brought up an urgent need for aircraft carriers . This led to some T3 tankers being converted to escort carriers . USS Suwannee
63-582: The Carolines and off New Guinea , operating out of Seeadler Harbor , Manus , Admiralties , after 20 April. Refueling the fast carriers twice before heading back to Hawaii, she procured another cargo at Pearl Harbor and immediately sailed west again, to Eniwetok. Thence, on 13 June, she proceeded to a fueling area off Saipan . Off Saipan on 18 June, her support force was subjected to almost continuous Japanese air attacks from 1640 to 1830. At 1641, several bombs landed close aboard Neshanic , with no damage to
84-734: The Solomons . She arrived at Nouméa , New Caledonia , delivered part of her cargo, and then continued on to the New Hebrides to discharge the remainder at Espiritu Santo and Efate . From Efate, she returned to the United States, arriving at San Pedro, Los Angeles on 19 June. Thence she commenced a series of supply runs to the Hawaiian and Aleutian Islands . Operating amongst the latter, in August, she provided logistical support to
105-569: The US Navy to denote that the ship is a T3 gasoline tanker. The AO designation denotes that the ship is a T3 fleet oiler , also referred to as a replenishment oiler (AOR). Most of the T3 ships were built for private companies and named by the manufacturer. Some T3 tankers were built for or sold to the US Navy, which were renamed after Native Americans , rivers and lakes. T3 tankers are operated by
126-461: The Vietnam War . The T3 tanker classification is still used today. The T3 tanker has a full load displacement of about 24,830 tons. T3 tankers are about 500 to 600 feet (150 to 180 m) in length and are able to sustain a top speed from 15 to 18 knots (28 to 33 km/h; 17 to 21 mph). The T3 tanker is larger, and usually faster, than a T2 tanker . The hull designation AOG is used by
147-745: The damage control party, while retaliation was gained, to some extent, by the splashing of a " Zeke " and a " Tony " by the gun crews. That night the damaged tanker refueled the vessels which, the next day, went out to meet the enemy in what would be known as the Battle of the Philippine Sea . Neshanic sailed to Eniwetok for repairs and then returned to the Marianas to support the Guam offensive, retiring to Eniwetok again on 26 July. Proceeding from there to San Pedro, she underwent overhaul and returned to
168-610: The maximum size for the new Saint Lawrence Seaway , re-entering service in 1961. She was sold to Pioneer Steamship Co., and renamed SS Pioneer Challenger . She was again resold in 1962 to the Oglebay Norton Corporation , renamed SS Middletown . In 1982, she was converted to a self-unloading bulk carrier by Bay Shipbuilding Company at Sturgeon Bay . In 1986, off Wisconsin, Middletown suffered an explosion in its boiler room caused by methane offgassing from its coal cargo. Several crewmembers were injured. She
189-607: The Admiralties on 24 October to serve as station tanker at Manus until 29 January 1945. On that date she sailed for Ulithi , proceeding from there to Saipan, from which she sortied on 21 February to resupply the forces engaged in fighting in the Iwo Jima area. She returned to Ulithi on 7 March, departing again on the 26th to rendezvous with the forces preparing the way for the Okinawa assault. On 1 and 2 April, she remained in
210-503: The Gulf Oil Corporation, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania. Gulfoil hauled oil until 7 August 1958, when the ship collided with the gasoline tanker S. E. Graham near Newport, Rhode Island. S. E. Graham sank and most of Gulfoil ' s crew died but the heavily damaged Gulfoil was taken to Baltimore. The ship was rebuilt as a straight deck bulk carrier and lengthened from 500 feet (150 m) to 730 feet (220 m),
231-587: The Japanese home islands on the 26th, she remained until 24 October when she got underway for the United States. She arrived at Norfolk, Virginia on 28 November and decommissioned on 19 December. On 8 January 1946, she was struck from the Navy List . On 28 June 1946, was transferred to the custody of the Maritime Commission. Later sold by that agency, she was placed in service as SS Gulfoil by
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#1732783456169252-420: The US Navy, War Shipping Administration and United States Maritime Commission . The T3 tanker can carry from 113,800 to 200,000 barrels (18,090 to 31,800 m ) of oil. Some T3 tankers were used to transport other goods like black oil-crude oil and chemicals . T3s are also called liquid cargo carriers. The T3 tanker has a full load displacement of about 24,830 tons. Each T3 has emergency life rafts on
273-426: The boat deck. The ships have cargo booms and piping to load and unload fuel. During wartime, the T3 ships were armed for protection with deck guns , mainly for anti-aircraft purposes. A typical ship may have one single 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber dual-purpose gun , two 40 mm (1.6 in) guns and three single 20 mm (0.8 in) cannons. T3 ships normally carry 81 to 304 crew members. If operating as
294-712: The fuel needed for the Marshalls' campaign. On 31 January, Marines and Army troops landed on Kwajalein and Majuro atolls , while Eniwetok came under attack by the fast carrier group. On 4 February, the tanker Neshanic arrived at the second named, reported to Task Group 50.17, and fueled ships. Between the 7th and 18th, she completed a replenishment trip to the Ellice Islands and then steamed to Kwajalein where she served as station tanker, at Roi , until departing for Pearl Harbor on 6 March. Back at Majuro on 26 March, she soon departed to refuel ships operating in
315-501: The name Neshanic on 31 October 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Richard C. Culyer. The tanker was acquired by the US Navy and commissioned on 20 February 1943. Following shakedown, Neshanic cleared Hampton Roads in convoy on 20 April 1943, and sailed for Aruba , Netherlands West Indies , whence she steamed, on the 27th, with a full cargo of petroleum products, for the Pacific to join the vital chain supplying American forces fighting in
336-511: The newly established Naval Operating Base, Adak , and the air facilities at Adak, Attu and Shemya , in addition to fueling, at sea and in harbors, ships assigned to the protection of and extension of American and Canadian control in those islands. In October, the tanker returned to duty in the Central Pacific. Sailing from San Pedro on the 2nd, she arrived at Nadi , Fiji Islands , on the 31st to commence harbor fueling operations for
357-469: The refueling area to the southeast of the Ryūkyūs , proceeding, on the 3rd, to Kerama Retto . For the next five months she continued to provide logistical support for Operation Iceberg , returning to Ulithi when necessary for replenishment. At Ulithi when the war ended, on 14 August she conducted one more underway replenishment mission from that base before departing for Tokyo Bay on 21 September. Arriving in
378-433: The tanker. A minute later, however, a 100 lb (45 kg) bomb landed on her cargo deck, aft on the starboard side, amongst drums containing lube oil. The bomb, without piercing the deck and the fuel oil tanks below, set off fires and blew fragments which cut fuel hoses and destroyed fueling station rigs and bridge fittings. The fires, which were brought under immediate control, caused 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree burns to 33 of
399-538: The vessels preparing to rejoin the fighting in the Solomons and those preparing for the invasion of the Gilberts , at Tarawa and Makin , on 20 November. Before returning to San Pedro on 18 December, she completed two underway fueling missions in support of those operations. After a brief respite at San Pedro, Neshanic returned to Pearl Harbor , underwent training exercises, and on 22 January 1944 set out to supply
420-533: Was being towed through the Great Lakes on her way to a Turkish scrapyard as of June 2018. Neshanic (AO-71) was awarded 9 battle stars for her World War II service. T3 tanker The T3 tanker, or T3, are a class of seaworthy large tanker ships produced in the United States and used to transport fuel oil , gasoline or diesel before and during World War II , the Korean War and
441-512: Was sold in 2006, to Liberty Steamship Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Steamship, and renamed SS American Victory . She was still operational on the Great Lakes in 2008, but was subsequently in long-term lay-up. In December 2017 Algoma Central was reported to have purchased her and three others from American Steamship Company. However in May, she has reportedly sold for scrap, and
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