The USNS Parkersburg (T-AO-163) was originally laid down as the SS Fort Cornwallis on December 30, 1943, by Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. in Chester, Pennsylvania. The vessel was constructed as a Maritime Commission type T2-SE-A1 tanker, a design widely used during World War II for its reliability and capacity. She was launched on April 12, 1944, and sponsored by Mrs. Anne L. Curry. Initially, she was operated under the War Shipping Administration by Spencer Kellogg & Sons, Inc., serving as a United States Maritime Commission ship during the war. Post-war, the vessel changed ownership and names multiple times. On October 17, 1946, she was purchased by the Standard Oil Company of New York and renamed ESSO Parkersburg. She continued commercial service until October 5, 1955, when she was transferred to the United States Maritime Administration and renamed simply Parkersburg. In October 1956, the ship was transferred to the U.S. Navy, and on December 21, 1956, she was assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), entering service as USNS Parkersburg (T-AO-163). Her role was primarily to support naval logistics, serving as a fleet oiler to refuel ships at sea. However, her naval service was relatively brief; she was returned to the Maritime Administration on September 27, 1957, and struck from the Naval Register later that year. Subsequently, she was transferred to the Marine Transportation Line and converted into a chemical carrier, being renamed SS Marine Eagle on December 5, 1957. She was placed under a long-term charter to the Du Pont Chemical Company, serving in the chemical transportation sector. The vessel remained in service until her sale on July 5, 1978, to E. I. duPont de Nemours & Co. She was ultimately scrapped in Taiwan on April 28, 1984. The USNS Parkersburg's history reflects the versatility and changing roles of mid-20th-century maritime vessels, transitioning from wartime tanker to chemical carrier, with periods of naval support service.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.