Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

T-AO-157 Paoli

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa=Middle East Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Suamico Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down in November 1944, as a Maritime Administration type (T-2-SE-A1) tanker hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1734) at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA.
  • Delivered to the Maritime Commission in 1945 for operation by War Emergency Tankers, New York City, 11 November 1944, at Chester, PA.
  • Transferred to Sieling & Jarvis, 5 January 1946, at Newport News, VA.
  • Sold to Cities Service Oil Co., 14 January 1947, for $1,797,871.78
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 23 March 1955, at Beaumont, TX. for lay up
  • Acquired by the US Navy from the Maritime Administration in 1956
  • Accepted and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 2 December 1956
  • Placed in service as USNS Paoli (T-AO-157), 15 October 1956, operated by Marine Transport Lines Inc.
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and struck from the Naval Register, 2 October 1957
  • Transferred to Marine Navigation Sulphur Carriers Inc., 2 February 1966
  • Converted into a molten sulphur carrier at Baltimore, MD, renamed SS Marine Floridian
  • Renamed SS Belofin Floridian in 1997
  • Final Disposition, sold to Indian breakers for scrapping in 1997
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,782 t.(lt) 21,880 t.(fl)
    Length 523' 6"
    Beam 68'
    Draft 30'
    Speed 15.5 kts.
    Complement unknown
    Armament none
    Cargo Capacity 140,000 barrels
    Propulsion turbo-electric, single screw. 8,000hp.
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USNS Paoli (T-AO-157)
    Paoli 62k Paoli (T-AO-157) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    ©UK World Ship Society.    		 Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Commercial Service
    Paoli 64k ex-Paoli (T-AO-157) as Marine Transport Line's sulphur carrier SS Marine Floridian moored pierside at Port Arthur, TX. October 1984. Note the new foreship and the removed bridge. Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Paoli 75k SS Marine Floridian moored pierside at Port Arthur, TX. October 1984. Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    View the Paoli (T-AO-157)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    U.S. Navy Oilers
    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 13 July 2007