USS Sara Thompson ( AO - 8 ) USS " Sara Thompson " ( SP - 3148 / AO - 8 ) was a tanker in the United States Navy . She was purchased at the start of World War I by the U . S . Navy and served as a tanker supporting American troops in Europe . Post - war she operated in the Pacific Ocean , supporting Navy operations in the Guam , China , and the Philippines . Because of her age and deteriorating condition , she spent her final days in the US Navy as a receiving hulk in the Philippines . Built in England as " Gut Heil " . " Sara Thompson " was built during 1888 by William Armstrong , Mitchell and Co . , Newcastle , England , as the German merchant tanker " Gut Heil " , and was sold to a United States firm in 1912 , retaining her original name . Accidentally lost on the Mississippi River during 1914 , " Gut Heil " was raised during 1917 and repaired . Acquired by the U . S . Navy . She was purchased on 8 August 1918 for United States Naval service from J . W . Thompson of New York , and renamed " Sara Thompson " on 7 September 1918 at the request of her former owner . " Sara Thompson " was commissioned on 17 September 1918 at New Orleans , Louisiana with Lt . Cmdr . Frederick S . Hayes , USNRF , in command . World War I service . Assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service ( NOTS ) , " Sara Thompson " transported fuel oil from Baton Rouge , Louisiana , Port Arthur , Texas , and Hoboken , New Jersey , to Boston , Massachusetts and Bermuda into February 1919 . Arriving on 4 March 1919 at Ponta Delgada , San Miguel , Azores , she was detached from NOTS on the same day and assigned to the Train , Atlantic Fleet . " Sara Thompson " remained at Ponta Delgada as station tanker until 7 September 1919 when she sailed for the Philippine Islands . Calling at Gibraltar , Suez , and Colombo , the tanker arrived in Manila Bay on 9 November 1919 for permanent assignment as fuel storage ship at the Cavite Navy Yard . Post - war service . " Sara Thompson " steamed to Apra Harbor , Guam , during April 1920 to refuel units of Destroyer Division 13 , before returning to Cavite on 7 May 1920 . She was classified AO - 8 as an oiler on 17 July 1920 . She steamed northward to Chefoo , China , twice during 1920 , operating with ships of the U . S . Asiatic Fleet before returning to Manila Bay on 12 October . " Sara Thompson " continued local operations with Cavite - based destroyer forces into November 1921 . Inspection of her deteriorating engines led to " Sara Thompson " being placed in reduced commission " in ordinary " on 8 December 1921 for duty only as a floating storage vessel for fuel and diesel oil . Service as a receiving hulk . She remained in service into the 1930s , being designated the Receiving ship at Cavite on 6 January 1930 with her commanding officer also commanding the Receiving Station ashore . Final decommissioning . " Sara Thompson " was decommissioned on 21 July 1933 and struck from the Navy list on 12 December 1933 . Her hulk was sold on 9 August 1934 to Alberto Barrette of Manila . Renamed Sarangani . Used by US Navy as a Bunker ship ( storage hulk ) World War II . Scuttled in 1942 to prevent capture by the Japanese . Renamed Sanraku Maru 6 May 1942 . 30 September 1942 refloated . Repairs completed December 1942 . Registered with the Imperial Japanese Navy as an Auxiliary Oiler on 1 January 1943 . Conversion to an Oiler began 19 January 1943 . Finished 3 February 1943 . Operated by Osaka Shosen Kaisho . Sunk by ( ) near Cape Lovieanne , Borneo in the Celebes Sea 15 June 1943 .