US Navy Auxiliary Ships: Chiwawa (AO-68) Class

USS Enoree (AO-69) on 23 March 1943 with four PT boats on deck.
Click on this photograph for links to larger images of this class.

Class:        CHIWAWA (AO-68)
Design        MC T3-S-A1
Displacement (tons):        5,650 light, 22,030 lim.
Dimensions (feet):        501.7' oa, 487.5' wl x 68.0' e x 30.7' lim.
Original Armament:        1-5"/51 4-3"/50 12-20mm (1942: AO-68)
Later armaments:
1-5"/38 4-3"/50 12-20mm (1943: all); 1-5"/38 4-3"/50 2-40mmT 12-20mm (1943-44: all); 1-5"/38 4-3"/50 4-40mmT 12-20mm (1944: AO 68-71); 1-5:/38 4- 3"/50 2-40mmT 12-20mm (1945: AO-69); 1-5"/38 4-3"/50 12-20mm (1947: AO- 72); 1-5:/38 4-3"/50 2-40mmT 4-20mmT (1952: AO-69, 72); 1-5:/38 4-3"/50 4- 40mmT 4-20mmT (1955: AO-69, 72)
Complement        213 (1944)
Speed (kts.):        15.3
Propulsion (HP):        7,000
Machinery:        1 screw, Bethlehem turbine

Construction:

AO	Name	Acq.	Builder	Keel	Launch	Commiss.
68	CHIWAWA	24 Dec 42	Bethlehem Sparrows Pt.	26 Feb 42	25 Jun 42	24 Dec 42
69	ENOREE	23 Jan 43	Bethlehem Sparrows Pt.	8 Apr 42	29 Aug 42	23 Jan 43
70	ESCALANTE	30 Jan 43	Bethlehem Sparrows Pt.	20 May 42	29 Sep 42	30 Jan 43
71	NESHANIC	20 Feb 43	Bethlehem Sparrows Pt.	11 Jun 42	31 Oct 42	20 Feb 43
72	NIOBRARA	13 Mar 43	Bethlehem Sparrows Pt.	29 Jun 42	28 Nov 42	13 Mar 43

Disposition:

AO	Name	Decomm.	Strike	Disposal	Fate	MA Sale
68	CHIWAWA	6 May 46	25 Sep 46	23 Aug 46	MC/D	1 Feb 47
69	ENOREE	22 Oct 57	1 Feb 59	10 Dec 58	MA/R	27 Apr 76
70	ESCALANTE	12 Dec 45	3 Jan 46	27 Jun 46	MC/D	9 Dec 46
71	NESHANIC	19 Dec 45	8 Jan 46	28 Jun 46	MC/D	21 Nov 46
72	NIOBRARA	12 Nov 57	1 Feb 59	10 Dec 58	MA/R	19 Mar 82

Class Notes:
FY 1943. In 1941 the Bethlehem Steel Sparrows Point shipyard laid down three new tankers for Standard Oil of New Jersey, ESSO HARTFORD, ESSO HARRISBURG, and ESSO ANNAPOLIS. These retained the hull size and configuration of the six single-screw national defense feature tankers (see the AO-36) class that had immediately preceded them but received less powerful 7,700 hp steam turbine machinery that produced a speed of 15.5 knots. On 26 Aug 41 the Maritime Commission ordered 13 more tankers to this design, which it designated T3-S-A1, for its emergency shipbuilding program. These ships differed from the T2 tankers being mass produced at other shipyards in that they were slightly smaller and faster and had steam turbine rather than turbo-electric propulsion. The MC eventually ordered 25 T3-S-A1 tankers from Sparrows Point, of which 19 were completed for the MC and two privately. One of the first group of 13, DARTMOUTH, became the fourth ship of the ESSO HARTFORD class when she was allocated to Standard Oil for operation.

By mid-1942 the Navy faced a situation in which the rapid increase in the number of Naval ships being placed in service and contemplated, the vast expanse of operating areas, the wide dispersal of fleet units, and the urgent need for ample fuel supply had outpaced the building and acquisition of tankers for the Navy. In addition the directive creating the Army-Navy Petroleum Board made the Navy responsible for procuring and operating such tankers as are required solely for the movement of cargoes of Army and/or Navy petroleum supplies. The only readily available sources of supply for additional tankers for the Navy were those now building by the MC and a limited number being built for private account. On 30 Jun 42 VCNO recommended that commencing August 1942 the Navy acquire every month for a period of one year two new tankers of the T2-SE-A1 type. CominCh approved this recommendation on 12 Jul 42 but suggested incorporating tankers having a greater speed if possible. On 14 Jul 42 VCNO referred the matter to the Auxiliary Vessels Board with a list of all the tankers scheduled for delivery to the MC during the following year, including 40 T2-SE-A1 ships at Sun and seven of the faster T3-S-A1 vessels building at Bethlehem Sparrows Point. He recommended acquiring all seven of the T3's and making up the balance of 17 ships from the 40 T2's at Sun. On 7 Aug 42 the Auxiliary Vessels Board strongly recommended this course of action, with the exception that it included seven vessels building on private account in its list of 24 hulls to be acquired.

On 26 Aug 42 the MC agreed to a delivery schedule for the first 12 hulls that included five hulls from Sparrows Point (AO 68-72). The Navy asked the MC to deliver all 12 ships to conversion yards in the Baltimore area designated by the Navy. The conversion work, consisting primarily of the installation of fueling-at-sea gear, installation of armament, and an increase in personnel accommodations for Navy crews, was expected to take about 3 weeks. The MC later agreed to perform the conversions of the Bethlehem ships under its Military Program, probably at Bethlehem's Key Harbor yard, .

On 26 Nov 43 CNO authorized the conversion of AO-69 and AO-72 to crane ships -- tankers for use in lifting LCT's on and off of LST's. Each ship was fitted with a tall 160-ton derrick amidships at the Norfolk Navy Yard in about March 1944. The two PASIG class distilling ships (AW 3-4) received similar derricks when they were completed at the end of 1944.

Ship Notes:

AO	Name	MC	Notes
68	CHIWAWA	516	Ex merc. SAMOSET. Completed conversion 1 Jan 43. Merc. CHIWAWA 1947, converted to 730-foot long Great Lakes bulk carrier with new mid-body at Lorain, Ohio, 1960-61 and renamed WALTER A. STERLING 1961. Lengthened another 96 feet 1976. Renamed WILLIAM CLAY FORD 1985 and LEE A. TREGURTHA 1989. Converted to diesel propulsion 2006, still active.
69	ENOREE	517	Ex merc. SACHEM. Completed conversion 26 Jan 43. In USN reserve 1946-50 (decomm. 27 Mar 47, recomm. 18 Oct 50). To MSTS 1 Mar 51. In USN reserve 1955-56 (from MSTS and decomm. 10 Dec 54, to MSTS 15 Nov 56, recomm. 10 Dec 56). To NDRF 13 Nov 57.
70	ESCALANTE	518	Ex merc. SHABONEE. Completed conversion 4 Feb 43. Merc. GEORGE MACDONALD 1947. Sank under tow 29 Jun 60 after explosion 27 Jun 60.
71	NESHANIC	519	Ex merc. MARQUETTE. Completed conversion 23 Feb 43. Merc. GULFOIL 1947, converted to 730-foot long Great Lakes bulk carrier with new mid-body at Baltimore 1960-61. Renamed PIONEER CHALLENGE 1961 and MIDDLETOWN 1962. Renamed AMERICAN VICTORY 2006, converted to diesel propulsion, and still active.
72	NIOBRARA	520	Ex merc. CITADEL. Completed conversion 15 Mar 43. In USN reserve 1946-51 (decomm. 24 Sep 46, recomm. 5 Feb 51) and 1954-56 (decomm. 30 Nov 54, to MSTS 17 Nov 56, recomm. 14 Dec 56). To NDRF 5 Dec 57. To buyer 22 Mar 82.