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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Memphis (T-AO-162)

Cumberland Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 11 March 1944, as Esso Memphis, a Maritime Administration type (T2-SE-A1) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1745) at Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.
  • Launched, 17 June 1944
  • Delivered to Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey, 28 June 1944, under a time charter agreement
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 6 October 1955, (trade-in program) for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, N.C.
  • Acquired by the US Navy from the Maritime Commission, 28 November 1956
  • Assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 23 December 1956, as USNS Memphis (T-AO-162) operated under a general agency agreement by Marine Transport Lines, Inc., New York
  • Placed out of service, struck from the Naval Register, and returned to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA., 13 September 1957
  • Converted to a floating power plant at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Newport News, VA. in 1966
  • Transferred to the US Army, 28 May 1966, for service in South Vietnam
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 3 May 1971, to Chin Ho Fa Steel & Iron Co., for $362,200.00 (PD-X-903 dated 1 April 1971)
    Specifications (As Built):
    Displacement 10,200 t.(lt) 22,380 t.(fl)
    Length 523' 6"
    Beam 68'
    Draft 30' 10"
    Speed 15.1 kts.
    Complement unknown
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament none
    Cargo Capacity 15,300 DWT
    Oil 120,400 Bbls
    Gasoline 575,000 Gals
    Fuel Capacity
    NSFO 9,235 Bbls,
    Propulsion
    one General Electric turbo-electric engine
    two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boiler, 450psi 730°
    Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 400Kw 450V A.C.
     two turbo-drive 85Kw 120V D.C.
     two turbo-drive 55Kw 120V D.C.
     one turbo-drive 50Kw 450V A.C.
    single propeller, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Merchant Service Standard Oil of New Jersey
    Memphis 110k SS ESSO Memphis launching, 17 June 1944, at Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.
    Photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages    		 Robert Hurst
    Memphis 47k SS ESSO Memphis moored pierside, date and location unknown.
    Photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages    		 Robert Hurst
    DANFS history for USNS Memphis (T-AO-162) at NavSource.
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Fleet Tankers Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    (ESSO Memphis) MARAD Vessel History Database
    (Memphis) MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back to the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To the Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 16 October 2015