SHIPS OF THE U.S. MERCHANT MARINE 



THE tanker illustrated, the S.S. Phoenix, is one of the largest in the 

 world. Along with its three sister ships, the S.S. Nashbul\, S.S. Am- 

 tan\ and the S.S. Hampton Roads, it makes up a quartet of the largest 

 tankers afloat. Each of these giant vessels displaces 24,000 tons, and can 

 carry 225,000 barrels of oil at a speed of 17 knots. The Amtan\ is given 

 credit in most quarters as having carried the all-time record load of oil 

 ever carried. 



These tankers, the nucleus of the largest independent American petro- 

 leum transport fleet, belong to the National Bulk Carriers, Inc. of New 

 York. The fleet consists of twenty fast modern ships which carry oil from 

 the oil ports in Texas, Venezuela and the Persian Gulf to all parts of the 

 world. 



This fleet did splendid service during the last war. It not only carried 

 precious oil and petroleum products to our troops in Europe and the 

 Pacific, but also carried as deck cargo great quantities of fighting equip- 

 ment, such as planes, P T boats, landing craft, tanks and trucks. 



Three of the tankers of the National Bulk Carriers, Inc. were lost 

 through enemy action. Most of the vessels of this line have been built by 

 a small but highly efficient shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia, known as the 

 Welding Shipyards, Inc., wher-e supertankers even bigger than the 

 S.S. Phoenix are now under construction. These vessels will probably dis- 

 place around 30,000 tons, and will be capable of speeds up to 18 knots. 



The American-flag tanker fleet operated by all the great oil cornpanies 

 performed heroic contributions to the naval war. A special fleet of fifty 

 tankers capable of providing mobile storage for 4,000,000 barrels of fuel 

 and gasoline in the Pacific areas was one of the key parts of Admiral 

 Chester W. Nimitz's famed "secret weapon." This "secret weapon" was 

 the fueling and supplying of naval ships while at sea. By this means the 

 Navy was able to remain constantly in action against the Japs. 



The mobile storage plan began operation about two years before V-J 

 Day, and the number of tankers in this service steadily grew as the prog- 



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