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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Canisteo (AO-99)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Juliet - Victor - Juliet
 NJVJ
Voice Call Sign "Gaiety X-ray"
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Antarctic Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 1-Dominican Republic) - Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation (2)
Cimmeron Class Fleet Oiler / Jumboized:
  • Laid down, 11 November 1945, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A3) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2561) at Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD.
  • Launched, 6 July 1945
  • Commissioned USS Canisteo (AO-99), 3 December 1945, LCDR. E. L. Denton, USNR, in command
  • Decommissioned, 2 October 1989
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 31 August 1992
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping to Able UK, Hartlepool, Teeside, England, and removed from the Reserve Fleet, October 2003 under tow to the United Kingdom
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,236 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl)
    Length 553'
    Beam 75'
    Draft 32'
    Speed 18.3 kts.
    Complement
    Officers 22
    Enlisted 282
    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 16,500 DWT
    Oil 123,700 Bbls
    Gasoline 788,000 Gals
    Fuel Capacity NSFO 15,000Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Bethlehem Steel Shipbuilding steam turbines
    two Foster and Wheele K-type boilers, 450psi 750°
    double Falk Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
    one Diesel-drive 150Kw 250V A.C.
    two Turbo-drive 400Kw 230V A.C.
    two propellers, 13,500shp
    Jumboized Specifications:
    Displacement 10,847 t.(lt) 34,750 t.(fl)
    Length 644"
    Draft 34' 9"
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Canisteo 77k USS Canisteo (AO-99) underway with USS Mount Olympus (AGC-8) approaching for refueling at sea during the US Navy Antarctic Expedition, in 1946, "Operation Highjump."
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, issue dated February 1947    		 David Merrill
    USS Canisteo (AO-99) Web Site
    Canisteo 92k USS Canisteo (AO-99) underway, circa 1955.
    US Navy photo    		 David Merrill
    USS Canisteo (AO-99) Web Site
    Canisteo 69k USS Canisteo (AO-99) underway, circa 1960s.
    US Navy photo    		 David Merrill
    USS Canisteo (AO-99) Web Site
    Canisteo 52k USS Canisteo (AO-99) refueling USS Newport News (CA-148) during NATO exercise Riptide in July 1961.
    US Naval Institute Proceedings photo    		 George Klos
    USS Newport News 1960-62 2nd Div.
    Canisteo 52k USS Canisteo (AO-99) underway, circa 1963.
    US Navy photo    		 David Merrill
    USS Canisteo (AO-99) Web Site
    Canisteo 58k USS Canisteo (AO-99) at Naval Station Norfolk in July 1964. ©Richard Leonhardt
    Canisteo 79k USS Canisteo (AO-99) underway, circa 1970.
    US Navy photo    		 David Merrill
    USS Canisteo (AO-99) Web Site
    Canisteo 1055k USS Canisteo (AO-99) underway off Guantanamo Bay, Cuba 14 January 1975.
    Navy Photographic Center photo # NPC #1161501 by PH2 Walter R. Edwards, USN.    		 DCC(SS/SW) David Johnston, USN
    Canisteo 73k USS Canisteo (AO-99) underway, in the Mediterranean Sea in May 1976. ©Richard Leonhardt
    Canisteo 73k USS Canisteo (AO-99) commemorative pin from the mid-1980s. Matias Höhne
    Caloosahatchee 45k "The Hartlepool Four" left to right;
    ex-USS Caloosahatchee (AO-98)
    ex-USS Canisteo (AO-99),
    ex-USS Canopus (AS-34), and
    ex-USS Compass Island (E-AG-153) awaiting the beginning of the end at Able UK, Hartlepool, Teeside, England, 4 March 2006. Scrapping is on hold due to environmental concerns.    		 Photo by David Nixon
    View the USS Canisteo (AO-99)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Canisteo (AO-99)
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 18 December 2009