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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Neosho (AO-48)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Uniform - Bravo - Xray NUBX

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (13) - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)

Kennebec Class Fleet Oiler

Laid down, February 1942, for the Socony Vacuum Co. as SS Catawba, a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A1) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 145) at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD.

Launched, 23 December 1941

Renamed Neosho 18 July 1942

Acquired by the Navy, 4 August 1942

Converted Naval service at Bethlehem Steel Co., Union Iron Works, San Francisco, CA.

Commissioned USS Neosho (AO-48), 16 September 1942, CDR. Frank L. Worden in command

During World War II USS Neosho (AO-48) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theaters and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Aleutians operation Attu occupation, 15 to 17 May and 27 to 28 May 1943	Leyte operations Luzon attacks, 18 to 19 October and 20 to 23 November 1944
Gilbert Islands operation, 26 November to 7 December 1943	Luzon operations Formosa attacks, 15 and 21 January 1945 China Coast attacks 22 January 1945
Marshall Islands operations Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 29 January to 8 February 1944	Iwo Jima operation Attack and occupation of Iwo Jima, 16 February to 2 March 1945
Asia-Pacific Raids-1944 Palau, Yap, Ulithi, Woleai raid, 30 March to 1 April 1944 Truk, Satawan, Ponape raid, 29 April to 1 May 1944	Hollandia operation Aitape, Humboldt Bay-Tanahmerah Bay, 21 to 24 April 1945
Marianas operation Capture and occupation of Saipan, 11 June to 10 August 1944 2nd Bonins raid, 24 June 1944 Capture and occupation of Guam, 12 July to 15 August 1944	Okinawa Gunto operation Attack and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 23 to 30 June 1945
Tinian capture and occupation, 29 June to 10 August 1944	3rd Fleet operations against Japan, 17 July to 4 August 1945
Western Caroline Islands operation Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944 Assault of Philippine Islands, 9 to 14 September 1944

Decommissioned, 13 December 1945

Struck from the Naval Register, 3 January 1946

USS Neosho earned 13 battle stars for World War II service

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 30 June 1946, at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.

Merchant Service

Sold by the Maritime Commission, 23 June 1947, renamed SS Tascalusa returned to the Socony Vacuum Oil Co.

Sold, foreign (Panama) June 1958

Sold, in 1963 renamed SS Ascalusa

Final Disposition, scrapped at Hamburg, Germany, February, 1964

Specifications:
Displacement 5,580 t.(lt) 21,580 t.(fl)
Length 501' 5"
Beam 68'
Draft 30' 9"
Speed 16.5 kts.

Complement

Officers 24

Enlisted 230

Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.

Armament

one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount

four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

four twin 20mm AA gun mounts

Cargo Capacity 14,750 DWT

Oil 109,600 Bbls

Gasoline 689,000 Gals

Fuel Capacity

NSFO 9,860 Bbls

Propulsion

one Westinghouse turbine

two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 450psi 742°

double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears
Ship's Service Generators
two turbo-drive 300Kw 240V D.C.
one turbo-drive 59Kw 240V D.C.

single propeller, 12,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
091904806	164k	*Namesake* Neosho - The Neosho River is a tributary of the Arkansas River in eastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma. Its tributaries also drain portions of Missouri and Arkansas. The river is about 463 miles. Via the Arkansas, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed. Its name is an Osage word meaning "clear water." The lower section is also known as the Grand River. (Wikipedia) Photo - Neosho River at Neosho Falls, (USGC) Map - Neosho River watershed, ©Kmusser.	Tommy Trampp
091904804 (BS 120965)	165k	*USS Neosho* (AO-48)** at anchor, date and location unknown. Her camouflage scheme is MS32/6AO. US National Archives Bureau of Shipping, Catalog No.s BS 120965 and BS 120764.	Mike Green
091904805 (BS 120764)	152k		Mike Green
	117k	*USS Neosho* (AO-48) "Seamanship -- Grind & Hard Work - Bering Sea May '43". USS Neosho (AO-48) refueling USS Balch (DD-363) -- on the opposite side -- and USS Wichita (CA-45) during operations in the Bering Sea in May 1943. Photographed from Wichita*. The quoted title is that penned on the original print by VADM. Giffen. Collection of Vice Admiral Robert C. Giffen. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 94643*.	Robert Hurst
	48k	*USS Neosho* (AO-48)** under way, date and location unknown.	Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
	36k	*USS Neosho* (AO-48)** under way, date and location unknown.	Robert Hurst

USS Neosho (AO-48)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	CDR. Worden, Frank Lyman	16 September 1942 - 25 August 1943
02	CDR. McMillan, Douthey Gear, USN (USNA 1926)	25 August 1943 - 2 July 1944
03	LCDR. Parkinson, Francis Paul	2 July 1944 - 13 December 1945


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Fleet Tankers Association
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
MARAD Vessel History Database

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 19 March 2021