Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.


NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Lost to enemy action, 20 November 1944

USS Mississinewa (AO-59)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Quebec - Foxtrot
NZQF
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4) - World War II Victory Medal

Personal Awards

Purple Heart (20 November 1944 - KIA 63. WIA 96)

Cimarron Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 5 October 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A1) tanker hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 725) at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD.
  • Launched, 28 March 1944
  • Commissioned USS Mississinewa (AO-59), 18 May 1944, CAPT. Philip George Beck, USNR, in command
  • Lost due to enemy action, 20 November 1944 at Ulithi anchorage, Caroline Islands, sunk by Kaiten manned torpedo, one of five launched from Imperial Japanese Navy submarines I-36 and I-47
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 26 November 1944
  • USS Mississinewa earned four battle stars for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,236 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl)
    Length 553'
    Beam 75'
    Draft 32'
    Speed 18.3 kts. (trial)
    Complement
    Officers - 22
    Enlisted - 291
    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
    NSFO - 123,700 Bbls
    Gasoline - 788,000 Gals
    Fuel Capacity 15,000 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Bethlehem Steel geared turbines
    four Foster and Wheeler K-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    double Falk Main Reduction Gear
    Ship's Service Generators
    two turbo-drive 400Kw 230V A.C.
    one Diesel-drive 150Kw 230V A.C.
    twin propellers, 13,500shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Mississinewa 130k USS Mississinewa (AO-59) anchored, Hampton Roads, Virginia, 25 May 1944. She is painted in camouflage scheme Measure 32, Design 3AO.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command NH 97279.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Mississinewa 59k USS Mississinewa (AO-59) under way, circa May 1944, location unknown. She is painted in camouflage scheme Measure 32, Design 3AO. US Naval History and Heritage Command NH 97280. US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Mississinewa 146k USS Sargent Bay (CVE-83) approaches USS Mississinewa (AO-59) at the start of her refueling operations on the morning of 24 September1944. Mississinewa refueled two Escort carriers and three destroyers of Task Unit 32.7.2 that day, transferring the equivalent of almost 25,000 barrels (1,037,820 gallons) of "Navy Special Fuel Oil" and nearly 105,000 gallons of Aviation fuel to the five ships over nine hours.
    US National Archives Photo # 8-G-290549, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, NARA College Park, MD.
    Tracy White
    Mississinewa 127k USS Mississinewa (AO-59)'s aft hose approaches USS Sargent Bay (CVE-83) as the ships set up for the transfer of fuel. Two saddles hold the hose up at the high point to safely stretch it between the two ships.
    US National Archives Photo # 80-G-290550, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, NARA College Park, MD.
    Tracy White
    Mississinewa 182k USS Mississinewa (AO-59)'s steams alongside USS Independence (CVL-22) on 11 October 1944 during a replenishment at sea. Independence received the equivalent of 4,857 barrels of fuel from Mississinewa that day. On this day Mississinewa refueled nine ships over the course of 12 hours, transferring the equivalent of 40,264 barrels of fuel oil to one battleship, two carriers, two cruisers, and four destroyers.
    US National Archives Photo # 80-G-290028, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives, NARA College Park, MD.
    Tracy White
    Mississinewa
    US National Archives Photo #
    80-G-290030
    188k USS Mississinewa (AO-59)'s steams alongside USS Independence (CVL-22) on 11 October 1944 during a replenishment at sea. The turbulence from the nearness of the ships causes them to roll and pull towards each other and amplifies the waves pushing one up to Mississinewa's bridge level, towering over a sailor standing on the main deck.
    US National Archives Photo #'s 80-G-290030, and 80-G-290031 US Navy photos now in the collections of the US National Archives, NARA College Park, MD.
    Tracy White
    Mississinewa
    US National Archives Photo #
    80-G-290031
    196k
    Mississinewa 65k USS Mississinewa (AO-59) burning and sinking at Ulithi Atoll 20 November 1944, after being hit by a Japanese "Kaiten" human torpedo. The aircraft carrier USS Langley (CVL-27) is anchored in the foreground.
    US National Archives photo 80-G-270753, A US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    US Naval Historical Center
    Pamanset 572k USS Mississinewa (AO-59) at Ulithi atoll, 20 November 1944. The oiler in the photo is USS Pamanset (AO-85).
    US Navy photo.
    Tommy Trampp
    Mississinewa 88k USS Mississinewa (AO-59) burning and sinking at Ulithi Atoll 20 November 1944. The capsized ship's bottom can be seen at the base of the flames, with bow or stern toward the left
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-K-5510 a US Navy photo, now in the collections of the US National Archives.
    Robert Hurst
    Mississinewa 219k USS Mississinewa (AO-59) burning and sinking at Ulithi Atoll 20 November 1944.
    US Navy photo
    Robert Hurst
    Mississinewa 94k USS Mississinewa (AO-59) sinking in Ulithi anchorage after being hit by a Japanese Kaiten human torpedo, 20 November 1944. Photographed by SK1 Simon ("Sid") Harris, from USS Munsee (ATF 107). The original photograph was received from USS Ajax (AR-6) in 1987.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo #: NH 97981
    Robert Hurst

    USS Mississinewa (AO-59)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Fleet Tankers Association
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Mississinewa AO-59
    Action Report, 26 November 1944
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 5 January 2018