Rincon (T-AOG-77)—originally slated for use by the British under the terms of the Lend-Lease Program— was laid down under a United States Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2640) as Tarland on 24 February 1945 by the Todd-Houston Shipbuilding Corporation of Houston, Texas.

She was handed over to the U.S. Navy at Yokohama on 1 July 1950 and designated T-AOG-77, a United States Naval Ship, and assigned to MSTS, Far East Rincon immediately commenced shuttling fuel to the Japanese ports whence troops and supplies were being sent to the fighting front in Korea.

In September, the ship was assigned Sasebo–Pusan shuttle runs as facilities at the latter port were expanded to meet the needs of U.N. forces being lifted into the embattled peninsula.

She then returned to Sasebo, whence into 1974 she carried gasoline and other fuels to American and Allied forces in the western Pacific, particularly those in Vietnam.

Leased to South Korea on 21 February 1982, the gasoline tanker served as ROKS So Yang (AOG-55) until returned to U.S. custody in the late 1990s as the Cheonji class came into service.