Philadelphia is where USS KAWISHIWI AO- 146 Started her service Her Sea trials were Straight off the Delaware-New Jersey Coast. In November 1955 She set sail for the West Coast Stopping briefly in Norfolk. Then on to the PANAMA CANAL

USS KAWISHIWI AO-146 was built in the New York Ship Building Yards in Camden New Jersey She was towed down the Delaware and moored at the first pier past the Camden Ferry dock

USS KAWISHIWI AO-146 was down street marked with it’s name This photo was taken in1955, remember walking past those two hospital ships upon entering the gate?

Captain Joseph P. Swain Assumed Command of U.S.S. KAWISHIWI (AO-146) She was the fourth of the Neosho class Fleet Oilers. She is 655 feet in length with a beam of 86 feet. She has equipment and devices specifically designed for the rapid transfer of petroleum products and cargo to the forces afloat operating at high speed or in bad weather. She is equipped to carry a cargo of 130,600 barrels of fuel oil, 48,700 barrels of aviation fuel and 8,000 barrels of diesel oil.

Across the river is New Jersey, where workers parked their cars and rode the ferry right to the Naval Ship Yard This tanker burdened with oil, was the first seen by most on Kawishiwian’s,. In August, Kawishiwi was almost sitting on the pier from high water caused from Hurricanes Connie and Diane, Everything you could imagine was floating down the river,even chicken coops.

Kawishiwi’s First long voyage. Via the Atlantic, Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean End Part 1 of 6 10 SLIDES WERE LEFT OUT