USS Chiwawa ( AO - 68 ) USS " Chiwawa " ( AO - 68 ) was a T3 - S - A1 constructed for the United States Navy during World War II . She was the only U . S . Navy ship named for the Chiwawa River in Washington . History . " Chiwawa " was launched 25 June 1942 by Bethlehem Steel Co . , Sparrows Point , Maryland , under a Maritime Commission contract as " SS Samoset " ; sponsored by Mrs . H . G . Smith ; acquired by the Navy 24 December 1942 ; commissioned the same day , Commander Harold F . Fultz in command ; and reported to the Atlantic Fleet . The " Chiwawa " was designated a T3 - S - A1 design , where " T " stood for tanker , " 3 " meant longer than , " S " stood for single - screw steam propulsion , and " A1 " meant first design of its kind . Military Service . " Chiwawa " cleared Norfolk , Virginia , 13 February 1943 to load oil at Aruba , and returned to New York 25 February to join a convoy for Casablanca , Morocco , which sailed 4 March . Attacked by a wolf - pack east of the Azores , the convoy lost four ships , but aircraft from Port Lyautey , Morocco , drove the U - boats away , and the remainder of the convoy arrived safely 21 March . " Chiwawa " put out of Casablanca in convoy 11 April for Norfolk , arriving 28 April after a quiet passage . Between 4 May and 17 July she ferried oil on the east coast , loading at Aruba , Netherlands West Indies , and Port Arthur , Texas , and discharging her cargo at Bermuda , Argentia , Newfoundland and Norfolk . She made three convoy crossings , to Scotland , Wales , and Casablanca , between 17 July and 4 December , then resumed operations to Port Arthur and Aruba , except for the period 25 January - 8 March 1944 , when she again crossed to North Africa . After two convoy crossings to the British Isles in May and July 1944 , " Chiwawa " sailed 14 July from Norfolk for Mers el Kebir , Algeria , and Naples , Italy , arriving 5 August . From Naples , " Chiwawa " fueled the ships carrying out the invasion of southern France until she retired to Oran , Algeria , on 2 September . She returned to New York 14 September to resume coastal oil runs until her next convoy to Casablanca in November . A series of runs between Aruba and New York , then to Guantánamo Bay and Bermuda , and later to Argentia occupied " Chiwawa " until 31 May 1945 , when she entered Norfolk Navy Yard for overhaul until 1 July . She cleared Norfolk to load oil at Baytown , Texas , and on 1 August reached Pearl Harbor . Five days later she sailed for Ulithi and Okinawa , where from 30 August to 29 November she served as station tanker , making one voyage in September to fuel the U . S . 7th Fleet at sea . Homeward bound , " Chiwawa " put in at San Francisco , California , and Balboa , arriving at New York 7 January 1946 . She sailed 19 January 1946 from Melville , Rhode Island , for ports in England , Germany , and France , called at Casco Bay and Argentia , and put back to Iceland before her arrival in New York 18 March . " Chiwawa " was decommissioned 6 May 1946 and transferred to the Maritime Commission 23 August 1946 . Civilian Service . She was then rebuilt as a straight decked bulk freighter for Great Lakes service , at American Shipbuilding , Lorain , Ohio , renamed SS " Walter A . Sterling " and launched , 15 July 1961 . She was sold in 1985 to Ford Motor Company , renamed SS " William Clay Ford ( II ) " . In 1989 , she was sold again , this time to Lakes Shipping Co . and renamed SS " Lee A . Tregurtha " . Now owned by Interlake Steamship Co . , the " Tregurtha " had her steam engine room removed in the winter of 2005 - 2006 and replaced with a diesel power plant . As a civilian vessel , the " Lee A . Tregurtha " has a crew of 27 , comprising 9 officers and 18 crew , compared to the " Chiwawa " ' s wartime complement of about 225 officers and enlisted men . Awards and honors . " Chiwawa " received two battle stars for World War II service . She was authorized :