USNS Abiqua

Abiqua (MC hull 548) was laid down on 18 June 1943 by the Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company, Mobile, Alabama.; launched on 22 September 1943; sponsored by Mrs. George Bliss Jones; and delivered to the Cities Service Company for operation on 31 October 1943.

History
United States
Builder:	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company, Mobile, Alabama
Laid down:	18 June 1943
Launched:	31 October 1943
Sponsored by:	Mrs. George Bliss Jones
In service:	21 December 1956
Out of service:	30 September 1967
Identification:	IMO number: 5001334
Fate:	cut into four sections, and joined to form SS Windsor, SS Bear Paw and the tank barge Tex-Mar XIX
General characteristics
Class and type:	Suamico-class fleet oiler
Displacement:	10,536 t.
Length:	504 ft (154 m)
Beam:	68 ft 2 in (20.78 m)
Draft:	39 ft 2 in (11.94 m)
Propulsion:	turbo-electric, single screw. 8,000hp.
Speed:	15.5 kts.
Capacity:	140,000 barrels
Armament:	none

Abiqua was among the ships transferred by the Maritime Administration to the Navy in response to the Suez crisis of 1956. She was accepted by the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) on 21 December 1956 but operated for MSTS by a civilian crew under contract with a commercial firm listed as Matra-lines, but not further identified.

As the crisis subsided, Abiqua was returned to the Maritime Administration and struck from the Navy list on 30 September 1957. Following her deactivation, Abiqua returned to the Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Co., Mobile, Ala. The afterpart of Abiqua was joined to the forepart of SS Windsor (formerly Bear Paw) to form a dry cargo ship which retained the name Abiqua. The old forepart of Abiqua was joined to the afterpart of Windsor to form a storage vessel which was renamed Bear Paw. The bow and midbody from Abiqua were towed to the Bethlehem Steel Co., at Beaumont, Tex., and converted into a tank barge, which was renamed Tide Mar XIX.