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Samoset / Chiwawa
See also : More photos of the ex. Samoset
T3-S-A1
Chiwawa Class Fleet Oiler:
Laid down, as Samoset, a Maritime Commission type (T3-S-A1) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission
contract (MC hull 516) at Bethlehem Steel Shipbuilding, Sparrows Point, MD.
Launched, 25 June 1942
Delivered to the Maritime Commission, acquired by the US Navy and commissioned
USS Chiwawa (AO-68), 24 December 1942,
CDR H. Fultz in command
Decommissioned, 6 May 1946
Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 23 August 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
Sold by the Maritime Administration (MARAD) in 1961, rebuilt as a straight decked bulk freighter for Great
Lakes service, at American Shipbuilding, Lorain, OH., renamed Walter A. Sterling
Launched, 15 July 1961
Sold in 1985, to Ford Motor Company, renamed William Clay Ford (2) Sold in 1989, to Lakes Shipping Co.,
renamed Lee A. Tregurtha, still in service on the Great Lakes.
( See photos below )
AO Specifications:
Displacement 5,650 t.(lt) 21,077 t.(fl)
Length 502' 6"
Beam 68'
Draft 31'
Speed 17 kts.
Complement 13 officers 200 enlisted
Armament one 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount, four 3"/50 guns,
four twin 40mm gun mounts, four twin 20mm gun mounts
Cargo Capacity 134,000 barrels
Propulsion geared turbine, single screw. 12,000shp.
Bulk Freighter Specifications:
Length 826'
Draft 39'
Cargo Capacity 29,300 tons
Self-unloading boom 250'
Propulsion steam turbine, single propeller, 7,700 shp
View the Chiwawa (AO-68)
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center web site
The Miramar Ship Index for "CHIWAWA"
IDNo:
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6112908
|
Year:
|
1942
|
Name:
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CHIWAWA
|
Keel:
|
|
Type:
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Tanker
|
Launch Date:
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25.06.1942
|
Flag:
|
USA
|
Date of completion:
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24.12.1942
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DWT:
|
16100
|
Yard No:
|
4378
|
Length overall:
|
152.9
|
Ship Design:
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T3-S-A1
|
LPP:
|
148.6
|
Country of build:
|
USA
|
Beam:
|
20.7
|
Builder:
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Bethlehem
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Material of build:
|
|
Location of yard:
|
Sparrow's Point
|
Number of screws/Mchy/Speed(kn):
|
1ST-15
|
|
|
Subsequent History:
[ Launched as SAMOSET ] -
[ 1961 converted to bulk carrier, 218.3 reg x 23.4 m, 13122 grt ] -
1961 WALTER A.STERLING -
[ 1976 Lg 251.8 m oa, 14671 grt ] -
1985 WILLIAM CLAY FORD - 1989 LEE A.TREGURTHA
Disposal Data:
Still in service.
History:
ON
|
LR/IMO
|
ID
|
Year
|
Name
|
Tons
|
Change
|
Registered Owner
|
|
|
5385625
|
1942
|
SAMOSET
|
10350
|
|
U.S. Govt.
|
AO-68
|
|
5385625
|
1942
|
CHIWAWA
|
10350
|
1942L
|
U.S. Navy
|
251505
|
|
5385625
|
1942
|
CHIWAWA
|
10350
|
1947
|
Cities Service Oil Co.
|
251505
|
5385625
|
5385625
|
1942
|
WALTER A. STERLING
|
13122
|
1961
|
Cleveland-Cliffs SS Co.
|
251505
|
5385625
|
5385625
|
1942
|
WILLIAM CLAY FORD
|
14671
|
1985
|
Rouge Steel Co.
|
251505
|
5385625
|
5385625
|
1942
|
LEE A. TREGURTHA
|
14671
|
1989
|
Lakes Sg Co Inc.
|
Modifications by :
Builder
|
Customer Number
|
Builder Building ID
|
Builder Role
|
Contractual Responsibility
|
Contract Date
|
BETHLEHEM-SPARROWS POINT SHIPYARD
|
275108
|
4378
|
Subcontractor
|
|
|
AMERICAN SHIPBUILDING CO.
|
025503
|
|
Prime Build
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CONV.LGTHD. 227'10" WDND.
7' DPND. 2' NEW MIDB.INST
|
|
SCHLIEKER WERFT WILLY H SCHLIEKER
|
265076
|
|
Subcontractor
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NEW MIDBODY BUILT BY
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01 Jul 1961
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AMERICAN SHIPBUILDING CO.
|
025503
|
|
Subcontractor
|
LENGTHENED 96'BY
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01 Aug 1976
|
AMERICAN SHIPBUILDING CO.
|
025503
|
|
Subcontractor
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CONVERTED TO SELF UNLOADER BY
|
01 Sep 1978
|
USS Chiwawa (AO-68) underway, date and place unknown.
USS Chiwawa (AO-68) underway, October 1944, place unknown.
USS Chiwawa (AO-68) at anchor, off Okinawa, 7 September 1945.
"Samoset" was Built in 1942 and after delivery she went to the U.S. Maritime Administration
Washington, DC., U.S.A., for the US Navy as "USS Chiwawa ( AO-68 )".
Seen here as "Chiwawa", ex. "USS Chiwawa".
"Chiwawa", ex. "USS Chiwawa".
( Photo copyright W. Schell )
ex. USS Chiwawa (AO-68) in commercial service for the Cleveland-Cliffs Steamship Co.,
Cleveland, OH U.S.A., as the Great Lakes bulk freighter Walter A Sterling.
ex. USS Chiwawa (AO-68) in commercial service for the Lakes Shipping Co. as the
Great Lakes bulk freighter Lee A. Tregurtha.
"Lee A. Tregurtha", ex. "William Clay Ford", ex. "Walter A. Sterling", ex. "Samoset", ex. "Chiwawa".
See additional information :
Registry & Rig Information
|
|
Vessel Name:
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Samoset
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Nationality
|
U.S.
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Official Number:
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251505
|
Rig:
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Propeller
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Dimensions & Tonnage
|
|||
Vessel Length:
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483.25
|
Gross Tonnage:
|
10278.00
|
Vessel Width:
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68.25
|
Net Tonnage:
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6270.00
|
Vessel Height
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36.75
|
Hull Material:
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Steel
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Masts:
|
|
Hull Number:
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04378
|
Builder Information
|
|
Place of Built:
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Sparrows Point, MD
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Builder:
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Sparrows Point Bethlehem Shipyard, Inc.
|
Date of Built
|
1942
|
Name Changes
|
|||
Vessel Name:
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Date:
|
Registry
|
Official #
|
STERLING, WALTER A.
|
1961 - 1985
|
U.S.
|
251505
|
FORD, WILLIAM CLAY
|
1985 - 1989
|
U.S.
|
251505
|
TREGURTHA, LEE A.
|
1989
|
U.S.
|
251505
|
Ownership Changes
|
|||
Owner Name
|
Date
|
Registry
|
Official #
|
Socony-Vacuum Oil Co.
New York, NY U.S.
|
1942 - 1942
|
U.S.
|
251505
|
U.S. Maritime Administration
Washington, DC U.S.
|
1942 - 1947
|
U.S.
|
251505
|
Cities Services Oil Co.
New York, NY U.S.
|
1947 - 1960
|
U.S.
|
251505
|
Cleveland-Cliffs Steamship Co.
Cleveland, OH U.S.
|
1960 - 1985
|
U.S.
|
251505
|
Rouge Steel Co.
Detroit, MI U.S.
|
1985
|
U.S.
|
251505
|
ReBuilt History
|
Lengthened and converted to dry bulk carrier by American Ship Builting Co., Lorain, OH, in 1961-1961 (716.42 x 76.5 x 34.33; 13122 gross - 9879 net). Mid-body built by Schlieker-Werft (hull #554), Hamburg, Germany, and towed across Atlantic Ocean by Dutch tug ZEELAND. Dimension change, 1964 (716.42 x 75.16 x 34.33).
|
History
|
Lengthened by Fraser Shipyards, Inc., Superior WI, in summer, 1976 (812.42 x 75.16 x 34.33; 14904 gross - 11661 net). Converted to self-unloader by American Ship Builting Co., Lorain, OH, in winter, 1977-1978. Laid down as SAMOSET. Built as T3-S-A1 tanker; completed under U.S. Maritime Commission contract. As WALTER A. STERLING: Sideswiped by Italian freighter CAPE NOLI in fog near Port Huron Lightship, June 7, 1963; suffered minor damage. Struck a pier near Burlington Northern ore dock, Superior, WI, on October 24, 1973; went to Fraser for plate renewal and bow welding. As WALTER A. STERLING: 04/06/83 Intentionally run aground to prevent sinking after she hit an unidentified obstruction while downbound in the St. Marys River. It was reported that the vessel had taken on eighteen feet of water in her forward compartments and had developed a portside list, she was balanced and partially unloaded of her taconite into the HENRY FORD II. On April 8, she proceeded under her own power to unload at Huron, OH and then to Lorain for repairs.
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