USS Ponchatoula (AOG-38) was a Mettawee-class gasoline tanker acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of transporting gasoline to warships in the fleet, and to remote Navy stations. Ponchatoula was laid down under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1801) by the East Coast Shipyards, Inc., Bayonne, New Jersey, 7 June 1944; launched 30 July 1944; sponsored by Miss Cynthia Tenety; delivered to the Navy 30 September 1944; and commissioned 6 October 1944, Lt. W. G. Peyton in command.