7,470 t.(lt) 25,450 t.(fl) as built 16,500 t. (lt) 36,500 t.(fl) Jumboized
Length
553ft (169m) as built 664ft (202m) Jumboized
Beam
75ft (23m)
Draught
32ft (9.8m)
Propulsion
steam turbines, four boilers, two shafts, 13,500shp (10,100kW) , twin screws, 30,400hp (22,700kW).
Speed
18 knots
Capacity
Liquid 8,000,000 gallons, Ordnance cargo cap. 400 tons, Provision cargo cap. 525 tons (Support for 3,000 men for 30 days)
Complement
22 officers, 335 enlisted
Crew
12 officers, ~300 enlisted
Armament
one single 5in (130mm)/38 dual-purpose gun mount; four single 3in (76mm)/50 dual-purpose gun mounts; four twin 40 mm AA gun mounts; four twin 20 mm AA gun mounts
Caloosahatchee cruised off the East Coast of the United States, transporting oil and fueling ships at sea, and made a voyage to Iceland from Norfolk, Virginia, during her first two years of operations. On 14 August 1947, she sailed for her first tour of duty with the United States Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean, a deployment that marked almost every year of her operations from that time into 1960.
Caloosahatchee fueling Leyte and Samuel B. Roberts in 1948.
In this era when the U.S. Navy had perfected at-sea replenishment to greatly increase mobility, flexibility and efficiency, Caloosahatchee played a key role in increasing the enormous power for peace represented by the mighty United States Sixth Fleet.[1]
Among other widespread operations, Caloosahatchee participated in NATOOperation Mariner off Greenock, Scotland, from 16 September to 20 October 1953, and provided summer training for future naval officers in midshipman cruises to Le Havre, France, in 1954, and to Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1956. In fall 1957 and again in summer 1958, the oiler sailed with forces calling at ports in England, Scotland, France, and Portugal.[1]
Caloosahatchee's constant readiness for emergency deployments or other challenges to her operational capability was developed and maintained through training operations along the east coast, and participation in such large-scale Atlantic Fleet exercises as Operation Springboard held in the Caribbean, which operations continued through 1960.[1]
Between 1966 and 1968 Caloosahatchee, along with her sister ships Ashtabula and Canisteo, underwent "jumboization". A 27 m (400-foot) midsection, built entirely new from the keel up, was inserted and welded between her original bow and stern. This replaced the old 310-foot midsection and increased the vessel's liquid cargo capacity by over one-third. Her new configuration closely resembled that of a more modern type of ship, the replenishment oiler. Caloosahatchee was recommissioned on 27 September 1969 and assigned to Service Squadron 2 (SERVRON 2), homeported in Newport, Rhode Island (USA).[citation needed]
Caloosahatchee being undocked after her lengthening, 1968.
In 1974 Caloosahatchee was transferred to the Bethlehem shipyard for a seven-month overhaul. While approaching dock facilities, the ship struck a dockside chock and bent the starboard shaft. The ship spent seven months effecting repairs to the starboard shaft. In addition, twin screws were transported by truck to replace the existing worn out screws.[citation needed]
By February 1975, Caloosahatchee changed homeport to Norfolk, Virginia, and was transferred to Service Squadron 4. She deployed to the Mediterranean Sea via the North Atlantic, North Sea, and Baltic Sea. On the way Caloosahatchee was temporarily assigned to 2nd Fleet for operations off the coast of Norway, eventually transiting the Arctic Circle. During the Mediterranean cruise, Caloosahatchee visited, Palma, Majorca, Rota, Spain, Brest, France, Liverpool, Loch Striven and Loch Ewe, United Kingdom and eventually Naples, Italy for approximately one and one half months.[citation needed]
While in the Mediterranean in 1975, Caloosahatchee was involved in a collision with USSInchon to port and USSHermitage to starboard. The ship suffered a gash to the port side along with the loss of the port anchor. A shoring party effected repairs. Caloosahatchee proceeded to Genoa, Italy, to effect repairs to ensure seaworthiness. Due to Navy stand down orders, Caloosahatchee proceeded to Naples, Italy, to finish repairs. The ship spent approximately one and one half months in Naples for repairs.[citation needed]
In 1977, Caloosahatchee collided after a refueling with USSRich (DD-820) off Puerto Rico due to a steering casualty onboard Rich. Rich was eventually determined to be damaged beyond economical repair and scrapped. [3]
In 1978, Caloosahatchee underwent an eight-month major extended regular overhaul in Brooklyn, New York City. Following overhaul and after refresher training in August 1979, Caloosahatchee departed a month later with Commander United States Second Fleet for Northern Europe and NATO exercises to be conducted in the North Atlantic, North Sea, and the Baltic Sea where the oiler replenished 116 ships. In 1980, Caloosahatchee participated in various exercises, which involved two deployments to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and a five-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. Over 170 replenishments were completed in 1980, a new record for the ship. In the following year, the oiler deployed to the Caribbean and for six months to the Mediterranean Sea.[citation needed]
During 1988, Caloosahatchee made her last deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, where she recorded 191 underway replenishments. In 1989, she participated in exercise UNITAS XXX and crossed the equator.[4]
Caloosahatchee and three other decommissioned Navy ships, Canisteo, Canopus and Compass Island all arrived at Able UK under the same contract and came to be known as the "Hartlepool Four".[5] Local protests and legal challenges, alleging unacceptable amounts of toxic substances contained on and in the vessels, delayed scrapping until Able UK secured the appropriate waste management licensing in August 2008.[6] Scrapping of Caloosahatchee commenced in November 2009 and was complete by April 2010.[citation needed]
Military awards and honors
Caloosahatchee's crew were authorized the following medals:
USS Essex (CV/CVA/CVS-9) was an aircraft carrier and the lead ship of the 24-ship Essex class built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name. Commissioned in December 1942, Essex participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning the Presidential Unit Citation and 13 battle stars. Decommissioned shortly after the war, she was modernized and recommissioned in the early 1950s as an attack carrier (CVA), eventually becoming an antisubmarine aircraft carrier (CVS). In her second career, she served mainly in the Atlantic, playing a role in the Cuban Missile Crisis. She also participated in the Korean War, earning four battle stars and the Navy Unit Commendation. She was the primary recovery carrier for the Apollo 7 space mission.
USS Spruance (DD-963) was the lead ship of the United States Navy's Spruance class of destroyers and was named after Admiral Raymond A. Spruance. Spruance was built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi, and launched by Mrs. Raymond A. Spruance. Spruance served in the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, assigned to Destroyer Squadron 24 and operating out of Naval Station Mayport, Florida. Spruance was decommissioned on 23 March 2005 and then was sunk as a target on 8 December 2006.
USS Nicholas (FFG-47), an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Major Samuel Nicholas, the first commanding officer of the United States Marines. A third-generation guided missile frigate of the Oliver Hazard Perry class, she was laid down as Bath Iron Works hull number 388 on 27 September 1982 and launched 23 April 1983. Sponsor at her commissioning there on 10 March 1984 was the same Mrs. Edward B. Tryon who sponsored DD 449 in 1942.
USS Inchon (LPH/MCS-12) was an Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy in service from 1970 to 2002. Following a major fire, she was laid up and sunk as a target in 2004.
The second USS Seattle (AOE-3), a Sacramento-class fast combat support ship, was laid down on 1 October 1965, at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington; launched on 2 March 1968; sponsored by Mrs. William M. Allen, chairman of the board of the Children's Orthopedic Hospital Association, Seattle; and commissioned on 5 April 1969.
USS Detroit (AOE-4) was the fourth and last Sacramento-class fast combat support ship built for the United States Navy. She was laid down on 29 November 1966 by Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington; launched 21 June 1969; and commissioned on 28 March 1970. She is the fifth United States Navy ship named after Detroit, Michigan, the largest city in the state of Michigan, and the river of the same name.
USS Myles C. Fox (DD/DDR-829) was a Gearing-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II and the years following. She was named for Myles C. Fox, a USMC lieutenant who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for actions during World War II.
USS Sylvania (AFS-2), a Mars-class combat stores ship, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named Sylvania.
USS Conecuh (AOR-110) was a fleet replenishment tanker, originally built by F. Schichau, Danzig, in 1938 as a combination oiler and supply vessel or "Troßschiff" for the Kriegsmarine and christened as Dithmarschen. Taken over by British authorities at Bremerhaven when World War II ended, Dithmarschen was allocated to the United States Navy on 15 January 1946 by the Inter-Allied Reparations Commission.
USS Neches (AO-47) was a Kennebec-class oiler in the United States Navy during World War II and the Vietnam War. She was the second U.S. Navy ship named for the Neches River in eastern Texas.
USS Vreeland (FF-1068) was a Knox-class frigate of the United States Navy. The ship was named for Rear Admiral Charles E. Vreeland (1852–1916).
USS Waccamaw (AO-109) was a Cimarron-class replenishment oiler in the United States Navy. She was named after Waccamaw River. The original capacity was 146,000 barrels (23,200 m3).
USS Savannah (AOR-4), was a Wichita-class replenishment oiler of the United States Navy. The fifth Savannah was laid down on 22 January 1969 by the General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division at Quincy, Massachusetts, launched on 23 April 1970, sponsored by Mrs. Ralph L. Shifley, wife of Vice Admiral R. L. Shifley, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, and commissioned on 5 December 1970.
USS Marias (AO-57) was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served her country primarily in the Pacific Ocean Theatre of Operations, and provided petroleum products where needed to combat ships. For performing this dangerous task, she was awarded eight battle stars during World War II, and one campaign star during the Vietnam War for her bravery in combat areas.
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USS Neosho (AO-143) was the lead ship of her class of fleet oilers of the United States Navy, in service from 1954 to the early 1990s.
USS San Diego (AFS-6) was a Mars-class combat stores ship acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1968. She served the U.S. Atlantic Fleet until decommissioned in 1993. She then was redesignated as a United States Naval Ship, assigned to the Military Sealift Command, and served in a non-commissioned status with a mostly civilian crew as USNS San Diego (T-AFS-6) until 1997.
The second USS Antares (AK-258) was a United States Navy Greenville Victory-class cargo ship in commission from 1952 to 1959. She was converted into a general stores issue ship (AKS-33) in 1959–1960 and remained in commission as such until 1964. She saw extensive service during the Cold War. Prior to her U.S. Navy career, she had operated as the merchant ship SS Nampa Victory during the latter stages of World War II and in the years immediately after the war.
USS Hassayampa was a Neosho-class fleet replenishment oiler in service with the United States Navy, and the United States Merchant Marine from 1955 to 1991. A veteran of the Vietnam and First Gulf War, she served for 36 years before being laid up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet in California. Her keel was laid on 13 July 1953.
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