USS Schuylkill ( AO - 76 ) USS " Schuylkill " ( AO - 76 ) , originally named the SS " Louisburg " , was a Type T2 - SE - A1 " Suamico " - class fleet oiler of the United States Navy . The ship was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract ( MC hull 306 ) on 24 September 1943 by the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co . of Chester , Pennsylvania and launched on 16 February 1943 , sponsored by Mrs . H . Fisher . Delivered on 27 February 1943 , converted to Navy use , and commissioned at Baltimore , Maryland , on 9 April 1943 , Capt . Fred A . Hardesty in command . Service history . World War II , 1943 – 1945 . After shakedown operations off the east coast , " Schuylkill " departed Norfolk on 20 May 1943 , picked up her first cargo of fuel at Baytown , Texas , and arrived at the Panama Canal on 1 June . Leaving Balboa on 4 June , " Schuylkill " sailed for Seattle , and thence proceeded to San Pedro , to load oil for the Aleutian Islands . " Schuylkill " got underway on 27 June and arrived via Unimak Pass at Dutch Harbor , Unalaska , on 5 July . She completed her first fueling at sea en route , when she replenished USCG " Haida " in the Gulf of Alaska . " Schuylkill " departed Aleutian waters on 20 July and , from 1 to 10 September , fueled ships of a task group preparing to attack the Gilbert Islands . She operated in support of the Gilbert Islands campaign from 15 November until 14 December and of the Marshall Islands campaign from 4 to 25 February 1944 . From 17 to 22 May , " Schuylkill " operated with a task group which made strikes on Marcus Island and Wake Island . Next , the oiler participated in the conquest of the Marianas , fueling ships fighting for that strategic island group from 15 to 27 June , from 2 to 25 July , and from 3 to 12 August , before turning to the western Carolines . At 0434 on 10 September , while maneuvering in a hazy half - light , " Schuylkill " ' s bow struck her sister ship on her quarter . " Schuylkill " received a large V - shaped hole on her starboard side . She immediately pumped about of fresh water from the fore peak tank and transferred cargo oil from forward to after tanks to raise her bow . Unable to proceed until her bulkheads were shored up , the oiler fueled five ships while stopped . After temporary repair , she was able to get underway at 4 knots ; and , as the fueling of more vessels raised the hole further above her water line , she doubled her speed . In all , " Schuylkill " delivered of fuel oil on that day , earning a " well done " from the task group commander . " Schuylkill " carried out her scheduled fuel replenishment duty until relief tankers arrived three days later . Then , her task done , she and " Millicoma " , with destroyer escorts , and , steamed toward the Admiralties . She arrived at Manus on 15 September for repairs . From 4 to 25 October and from 12 to 21 November , " Schuylkill " supported the 3rd Fleet during attacks on northern Luzon and Formosa . She operated in the Lingayen Gulf during the Luzon landings from 28 December 1944 to 28 January 1945 , and participated in the Iwo Jima campaign from 16 February to 3 March . On 29 April , " Schuylkill " got underway from Ulithi toward the California coast . Steaming singly , she zigzagged her way across the Pacific and arrived at San Pedro on the morning of 17 May for an overhaul , repairs , and alterations . On 13 July , during post - repair sea trials , the replenisher oiler suffered an engine breakdown and was towed back to the harbor for repairs which were completed on 23 July . " Schuylkill " departed San Pedro on 25 July , picked up cargo oil at Pearl Harbor on 1 August , got underway for the western Carolines on the 3d and arrived at Ulithi on the 15th . Five days later , " Schuylkill " got underway as part of a unit of the 3rd Fleet and entered Tokyo Bay on 10 September . On the 16th , she got underway for the Marshalls , arriving at Eniwetok on 23 September . " Schuylkill " remained there , replenishing ships with fuel oil , diesel , and aviation gasoline until 1 November when she headed for the west coast . She arrived at San Francisco on 13 November . 1946 – 1986 . " Schuylkill " was decommissioned on 14 February 1946 and turned over to the Maritime Commission on 27 April . Reacquired by the Navy on 30 January 1948 and assigned to the Military Sea Transport Service on 1 October 1949 , the replenisher oiler served in waters ranging from the northern Pacific to the Persian Gulf , and from Baltimore to Bremerhaven . She saw active service in the western Pacific during the Korean War , making several voyages to Pusan . After hostilities ended , " Schuylkill " remained in the Pacific except for transiting the Panama Canal in June 1955 for service in the Gulf of Mexico until 22 October . She then departed for San Diego . " Schuylkill " continued her service to the nation by her participation in the Arctic resupply operations in 1957 . The replenisher oiler also served off Vietnam , and along both coasts of the United States . In 1974 , " Schuylkill " was anchored at Savannah , Georgia , continuing her support of Naval forces worldwide . " Schuylkill " was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 31 March 1986 , and was disposed of by Maritime Administration ( MARAD ) sale on 4 March 1988 . Awards . " Schuylkill " received seven battle star s for World War II service .