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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.

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    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

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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 13 July 2007