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Photo # NH 98832:  USS Ponchatoula underway off the coast of Oahu, 26 March 1970

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Ponchatoula (AO-148, later T-AO-148), 1956-1999

USS Ponchatoula, a 38,000-ton (full load displacement) Neosho class oiler built at Camden, New Jersey, was commissioned in January 1956. Transferred to the Pacific Fleet shortly afterwards, she regularly deployed to the Far East to provide logistics support to the Seventh Fleet. While in the western Pacific Ponchatoula took part in the 1958 crisis with China over the islands of Quemoy and Matsu and played an important role in sustaining a high tempo of operations during the long conflict in Vietnam. She also participated in several manned spacecraft recovery missions between 1962 and 1968.

During the 1970s Ponchatoula's area of operations expanded into the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf, reflecting growing U.S. Navy activity in that part of the Globe. In September 1980 the ship was transferred to the Military Sealift Command, becoming USNS Ponchatoula (T-AO-148) and beginning operation with a mainly civilian crew. Based at Subic Bay for most of the next decade, she continued her underway replenishment work, helping maintain the Navy's mobility and striking power in an often troubled region. USNS Ponchatoula was inactivated in February 1992 and laid up at Suisun Bay, California. Though stricken from the Naval Vessel Register at the end of August 1992, she remained in Navy custody until transferred to the Maritime Administration for disposal in May 1999.

This page features, or provides links to, all the views we have related to USS Ponchatoula (AO-148, later T-AO-148).

For more images concerning this ship, see:

  • USS Ponchatoula (AO-148, later T-AO-148) -- Part II.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 42637

    USS Ponchatoula
    (AO-148)

    At anchor on 24 February 1956.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Centerh.

    Online Image: 62KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 99054

    USS Ponchatoula
    (AO-148)

    Underway at sea, circa 1956-1959.
    This image was received by the Naval Photographic Center in December 1959, but may well have been taken some years earlier.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 97KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 99055

    USS Ponchatoula
    (AO-148)

    Seen from USS Ranger (CVA-61) as she refuels both Ranger and USS Coontz (DLG-9) on 21 September 1961.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 101KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 99056

    USS Ponchatoula
    (AO-148)

    Seen from USS Yorktown (CVS-10) as she refuels a destroyer (Fletcher class, ex-DDE) off her starboard side, 25 January 1965.
    Photographed by PH2 J.D. Waino.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 99KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98832

    USS Ponchatoula (AO-148)


    Underway off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, 26 March 1970.
    Photographed by PH1 E.L. Goligoski.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 147KB; 740 x 615 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 99057

    USS Ponchatoula
    (AO-148)

    Underway in the Pacific Ocean, circa 1970.
    This image was received by the Naval Photographic Center in April 1970.
    Taken by PHCS Fautheree.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 162KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 99058

    USS Ponchatoula
    (AO-148)

    Refueling USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) while underway in the Pacific Ocean during Operation "RimPac 75", 7 April 1975.
    A Canadian Navy frigate and HMCS Provider are in the left background, with a U.S. Navy Knox class escort ship following them. The Australian and New Zealand navies also took part in this operation.
    Taken by PH1 W.J. Galligan.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 480 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 99059

    USNS Ponchatoula
    (T-AO-148)

    Comes alongside USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) to conduct underway replenishment, during operations in the Philippine Sea, 3 December 1991.
    Taken by PHAN Gary Denman.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 83KB; 740 x 535 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 99060

    USNS Ponchatoula
    (T-AO-148)

    Underway in the Philippine Sea, 3 December 1991.
    Taken by PHAN Gary Denman.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 97KB; 740 x 525 pixels

     

    For more images concerning this ship, see:

  • USS Ponchatoula (AO-148, later T-AO-148) -- Part II.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 30 December 2003