Ponchatoula (AO 148) - Naval Cruise Book

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-...-.. E20 ..,.1..' , Ship's History USS PONCHATOULA QAO-148i was commissioned 12 January 1956 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. As with all United States oilers, she is named after a river, the Ponchatoula river, which flows through Tongipahoa Parish in Louisiana. ln September 1956, PONCHATOULA rescued the foundering SS Venus off the coast of Japan by taking the ship in tow and clearing an oncoming typhoon. ln early 1958, the ship's homeport was changed from Long Beach, California, to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. PONCHATOULA has since participated in the Ouemoy-lVlatsu Crisis, operated in support of the Operation Dominic nuclear tests in the Christmas Islands, supported Seventh Fleet units off the coast of Vietnam, served as a space recovery ship for projects Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space shots, participated in RHVIPAC Exercises of 1972, 75, 76 and 77. PONCHATOULA has deployed to the Western Pacific six times since her first visit to WestPac in 1967. From January to July 1974 PONCHATOULA underwent a multi-million dollar overhaul in Guam, Marianas Islands, prior to participating in RIIVIPAC 75. From May 1976 to January 1977, PONCHATOULA underwent a four and a half million dollar repair period in Honolulu, Hawaii, designed to incorporate numerous class improvements to her various systems. PONCHATOULA departed Pearl Harbor lvlay 26, 1977 on her latest deployment to WestPac. During the early part of the deployment, PONCHATOULA was awarded Departmental Excellence awards for Engineering and Deck departments. ax Q3 Q, l l l .

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Origin Of Name Oilers of the United States Navy are named after rivers. The Ponchatoula River flows through the southwestern part of the Tongipahoa Parish, Louisiana, and enters the Tickfaw several miles southeast of Springfield in Livingston Parish. The name Ponchatoula signifies Singing Hair . The Choctaw Indians gave this fanciful name to the stream because of the abundance of Spanish moss on the trees in its vicinity, the Indians, thinking that the moss sang in the wind, named the river Ponchitoawa which was subsequently corrupted by the white settlers to Ponchatoula . Our Mission PONCHATOULA'S overall mission and motto, is to provide service to the fleet. To accomplish this task, she was designed, manned and built specifically to conduct replenishment operations during wartime, to move independently, to defend herself, and to be capable of controlling the activities of an entire task group or force. Certain specified mission requirements have been established which make it possible to measure the degree to which PONCHATOULA is ready to carry out her missions, each is a function of the level of training, dedication and experience of the personnel serving in her. Some of these mission requirements and the ratings necessary to perform the mission include: the ability to steam to certain specifications lBT!lVlMl, to be able to repair damage QHTJ, to operate in company with other ships lOS!SM!QlVll, to communicate and control the activities of others QRMXSIVIXOSJ, to be able to transfer fuel, mail, supplies and freight to others QBMD, to be able to engage air and surface targets QGMJ, and not the least among these, the ability to provide administrative support services for the rest of the crew lMS!SHXSK!ET!YN!PN!PC!lC!EM!DK!JO!etc.l The satisfactory performance of PONCHATOULA's mission means that other ships can remain on the battle line longer thereby perform their missions more effectively. PONCHATOULA' s mission is to keep the rest of the fleet going, and in the effort, enhance the capabilities of the entire fleet. Ship's Plaque The PONCHATOULA plaque was designed shortly after commissioning the ship. lt symbolizes what the ship stands for and the ideals she fosters. The meaning of the various parts of the emblem are as follows: Hi The white chevron is symbolic of the higher concepts to which the ship aspires. Q23 The sky blue fields through which the chevron points upward is symbolic of the heavens which contain the guides of these ideals. l3l The moon and stars are aids from the heavens to help in safe navigation on each cruise. Q43 The symbol found in the UPPER LEFT hand corner is the symbol of the goddess Venus, and commemorates PONCHATOULA's timely rescue of the Panamanian ship SS Venus. As ever, she stands ready to perform even the most demanding operations. i1f ZLi1,,f, f f 3' . 77 - I. I i f V 5? m fl I XV! ,X I f , ,XM ' V51 41 ' 4 ' 0 -, , , , A ' . 24535,f'ffj1,Z,T':,y4Z-f' ' ,, '