USS Marias ( AO - 57 ) USS " Marias " ( AO - 57 ) was a acquired by the U . S . Navy during World War II . She served her country primarily in the Pacific Ocean Theatre of Operations , and provided petroleum products where needed to combat ships . For performing this dangerous task , she was awarded eight battle star s during World War II , and one campaign star during the Vietnam War for her bravery in combat areas . " Marias " , built under Maritime Commission contract by Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard , Inc . , Sparrows Point , Maryland , was launched 21 December 1943 ; sponsored by Mrs . Henry Williams ; and acquired and commissioned 12 February 1944 , Comdr . Jens G . Olsen in command . World War II Pacific Theatre operations . " Marias " completed her shakedown cruise in Chesapeake Bay 8 March and ten days later was underway to Aruba , Netherlands West Indies . She loaded fuel oil and proceeded on to the Pacific . By 18 April she was anchored in Majuro Atoll , where she remained for six weeks , fueling the ships participating in strikes against the Marianas and the Carolines . Supporting the Saipan invasion . On 3 June , the tanker sailed to Eniwetok to refuel fighting ships . Returning to Majuro on the 12th , she loaded for the upcoming Saipan assault , On the fueling station by the 21st , she remained through 3 July , servicing the ships covering the Saipan operation , including those returning from victory in the carrier Battle of the Philippine Sea . Supporting Guam and Tinian invasions . After replenishing at Eniwetok , she sailed back to the Marianas to support the invasions of Guam and Tinian . On 20 August she proceeded from Eniwetok in convoy to Manus , to refuel ships moving against the Japanese in the Philippines , Volcano , Bonin , and Palau Islands . In mid October , she began to operate in support of the U . S . 3rd Fleet , providing the fuel for their strikes on the Visayan Islands and the ensuing Battle for Leyte Gulf . Supporting the invasion of the Philippines . At the end of October , " Marias " commenced operations at her new base , Ulithi . Two weeks later , as the campaign in the Philippines moved north , " Marias " loaded her tanks and sailed for those islands to fuel the ships conducting strikes on Luzon . During the next 2½ months she remained in Philippine waters refueling , returning periodically to Ulithi for replenishment . Supporting Iwo Jima operations . " Marias " next fueled the ships of the U . S . 5th Fleet as they bombarded Iwo Jima and conducted raids on the Japanese homeland . On 24 February 1945 , five days after the landings at Iwo Jima , the tanker returned to Ulithi to prepare for the Okinawa campaign . She arrived at the fueling area off Okinawa 16 March for the pre - invasion air and sea bombardment . For the next three months she serviced the ships engaged in the bitterly fought operation making fast run to Ulithi for replenishment . On 3 July the veteran tanker departed Ulithi for her last wartime operation . Nine days later she took up station in the fueling area east of Honshū fueling the fleet as it struck at the enemy ' s home islands delivering the final blows of the war . End - of - war activity . Following the signing of the surrender terms , " Marias " entered Tokyo Bay , remaining there , with the exception of a voyage to Ulithi for fuel , until departing for the United States 27 October 1945 . Return to Stateside for upkeep . " Marias " arrived San Pedro , California , 10 November , underwent yard overhaul and departed again for the western Pacific 5 February 1946 . There she supported American occupational forces in the Far East until June 1947 . During this period she served as a station tanker for two month periods at Taku , Hong Kong , and Shanghai and , operating out of Yokosuka , Japan , made five runs to the Persian Gulf in addition to regular fueling assignments . On 1 June , " Marias " sailed for San Pedro , California , for another overhaul , followed by two round the world cruises , completing the second in April 1948 . For the next four years , with one interruption - a cruise to Bahrein , 27 July to 9 October 1950 - the ship delivered fuel from the U . S . West Coast to Pearl Harbor and Alaskan ports . Middle East operations . On 19 November 1952 , " Marias " departed San Francisco , California , for her first deployment with the U . S . 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean . The following years brought further six month deployments as a " white oiler " , a supplier of aircraft fuel to the oilers that serviced the fleet . On 9 May 1955 , she was assigned indefinitely to the Mediterranean , home ported at Barcelona , Spain , and for the ensuing years operated as part of Service Force , 6th Fleet . Reassigned to the East Coast in July 1960 , " Marias " was home ported at Norfolk , Virginia , and attached to the U . S . 2nd Fleet as a fleet oiler . Since that time she has operated primarily with ASW forces in the western Atlantic and into 1969 has periodically deployed to serve the 6th fleet ( 1962 , 1964 , 1965 , and 1968 ) . Cuban Crisis operations . Her 1962 deployment was followed by a Caribbean cruise to support the ships enforcing the quarantine policy during the Cuban missile crisis of October to November of that year . Other activities during this period included participation in exercises such as " Sea Orbit 1964 " ; Operation Steel Pike , the largest peacetime amphibious landing in history ( fall 1964 ) ; and Operation Springboard ( 1965 and 1967 ) . These exercises ensured her capability to perform her vital services whenever and wherever called for . Operating for MSC . She was decommissioned from the Navy and placed in service with the Military Sealift Command ( MSC ) as USNS " Marias " ( T - AO - 57 ) in 1973 . As of the mid - 1970s , she served as a fleet oiler in the Red Sea , and in 1976 " Marias " was refueling ships in the Mediterranean . Her home port during these operations was Mayport , Florida . In the summer of 1976 " Marias " returned to the U . S . and underwent a thorough hull cleaning and refurbishing in Baltimore , Maryland . After completion of that yard period , she spent the next several months in the North Atlantic , taking part in a large multi - national fleet exercise , refueling ships of various NATO countries during the course of the exercise . During that period of time , " Marias " was replenished several times , and took part in an experimental replenishment from a commercial tanker . " Marias " returned to her home port , for the first time in many years , in December 1976 . Fate . " Marias " was transferred on 22 November 1982 to the James River Reserve Fleet . She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 12 December 1992 and sold to the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service on 18 September 1995 for scrapping . Awards . " Marias " received eight battle stars for World War II service .