Official No:                              242850

Pennant Number:                          

Laid down:                             

Builder:                                    Alabama Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Co, Mobile Alabama

Launched:                               29 November 1942

Into Service:                            WW2

Out of service:                         WW2

Fate:                                          1 October 1960 arrived Trieste  to be broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  One of a group of additional American – flagged ships which served as Escort Oilers during WW2

Career Data:

29 November 1942 launched at Alabama Drydocking & Shipbuilding Co., Mobile, Alabama as Yard No: 530 named BIRCH COULIE for US WSA

31 March 1943 completed

12 April 1943 sailed Houston independently to Hampton Roads

21 April 1943 sailed Hampton Roads independently to Curacao arriving 27 April 1943

28 April 1943 sailed Curacao independently to Hampton Roads arriving 3 May 1943

8 May 1943 sailed Hampton Roads independently to Aruba arriving 13 May 1943

17 May 1943 sailed Aruba in unescorted convoy OT5/1 to Casablanca arriving 30 May 1943

6 June 1943 sailed Casablance in unescorted convoy TO5/2 to Curacao arriving 17 June 1943

19 June 1943 sailed Curacao in unescorted convoy TO5/A to New York arriving 25 June 1943

30 June 1943 sailed New York independently to Curacao arriving 6 July 1943

11 July 1943 sailed Curacao in escorted convoy CU3 to the River Clyde arriving on 23 July 1943

WW2 fitted as and served as an Escort Oiler – name unchanged

30 July 1943 sailed the River Clyde in escorted convoy UC3A to Curacao arriving on 10 August 1943. During this convoy acted as the Escort Oiler

12 August 1943 sailed Curacao independently to Cristobal arriving 14 August 1943

18 August 1943 sailed Cristolbal independently arriving 20 August 1943

26 August 1943 sailed Curacao in escorted convoy CU4 to the River Clyde arriving 8 September 1943. During this convoy, together with the tanker Esso Rochester, acted as Escort Oilers

14 September 1943 sailed the River Clyde in escorted convoy UC4 to Curacao arriving on 27 September 1943.

1 October 1943 sailed Curacao independently to New York arriving 6 October 1943

13 October 1943 sailed New York in escorted convoy CU5 to the River Clyde arriving 23 October 1943. During this convoy, together with the tanker Esso Rochester, acted as Escort Oilers

29 October 1943 sailed the River Clyde joining escorted convoy UC5 from Liverpool to New York arriving 8 November 1943. During this convoy, together with the tanker Esso Rochester, acted as Escort Oilers

27 November 1943 sailed New York independently to Curacao arriving 3 December 1943

3 January 1944 sailed Curacao independently to Cristolbal arriving 5 January 1944

6 January 1944 transitted the Panama Canal

7 January 1944 sailed Balboa independently to Sydney NSW arriving 31 January 1944

2 February 1944 sailed Sydney NSW independently to Balboa arriving 25 February 1944

26 February 1944 transitted the Panama Canal and sailed Cristobal independently to Aruba arriving 28 February 1944

29 February 1944 sailed Aruba independently to Cristobal arriving 2 March 1944

8 March 1944 having transitted the Panama Canal sailed Balboa independently to Milne Bay, Dutch New Guinea arriving 4 April 1944 

8 April 1944 at Milne Bay, Dutch New Guinea with USS NASHVILLE (CL43) moored alongside being refuelled – supplied 85,810 gallons of FFO

22 April 1944 sailed Milne Bay, Dutch New Guinea independently to Balboa arriving 16 May 1944

17 May 1944 having transitted the Panama Canal sailed Cristobal independently to Cartagena, Columbia arriving the next day

24 May 1944 sailed Cartagena, Columbia independently to New York arriving 31 May 1944

17 June 1944 sailed New York independently to Curacao arriving 23 June 1944

24 June 1944 sailed Curacao independently to Cristobal arriving 26 June 1944

27 June 1944 having transitted the Panama Canal sailed Balboa independently to Milne Bay, Dutch New Guinea arriving 24 July 1944

25 July 1944 sailed Langemak Bay, Dutch New Guinea independently

2 August 1944 at Humbolt Bay, Dutch New Guinea with USS STEVENSON (DD645) alongside being refuelled

3 August 1944 USS STEVENSON having been refuelled cast off

9 August 1944 sailed Langemak Bay, Dutch New Guniea independently to Melbourne arriving 16 August 1944

19 August 1944 sailed Melbourne independently to Abadan arriving 9 September 1944

11 September 1944 sailed Abadan independently to Brisbane arriving 6 October 1944

7 October 1944 sailed Brisbane independently for Hollandia

19 October 1944 sailed Hollandia independently for Balboa arriving 14 November 1944 

15 November 1944 having transitted the Panama Canal sailed Cristobal independently to Curacao arriving 17 November 1944

18 November 1944 sailed Curacao independently to Cristobal arriving 20 November 1944

29 November 1944 having transitted the Panama Canal sailed Balboa independently to Langemak Bay arriving 24 December 1944

25 December 1944 sailed Langemak Bay independently to Hollandia arriving the next day

28 December 1944 with units of the US Navy conducted gunnery exercises

6 January 1945 at San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf with USS Monssen (DD798) and USS Robert Brazier (DE345) alongside being refuelled

24 January 1945 arrived at Manus Naval Base, Admiralty Islands

25 January 1945 sailed Manus Naval Base, Admiralty Islands

30 April 1945 at Manus Naval Base, Admiralty Islands 

1948 purchased by Indpendent Tankerships Inc (American Independent Oil Co, Managers), Wilmington- name unchanged

1955 purchased by Keystone Shipping Co., Philadelphia – name unchanged

1957 purchased by Panexito Cia Naviera SA (National Shipping & Trading Corp, Managers), Monrovia and renamed MEMORY

1 October 1960 arrived Trieste for demolition by Sidemar