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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USNS Neosho (T-AO-143)
ex
 USS Neosho (AO-143) (1954 - 1978)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Charlie - Victor
 NDCV
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Join Meritorious Unit Award
Second Row - Navy Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon
Third Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (1-Libya) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 1-Dominican Republic)
Fourth Row - Southwest Asia Service Medal - Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon (4) - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Neosho Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 2 September 1952, at Bethlehem Steel Co., Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, MA.
  • Launched, 10 November 1953
  • Commissioned USS Neosho (AO-143), 24 September 1954, CAPT. Norman E. Smith in command
  • Decommissioned, 25 May 1978, and placed in service with MSC as USNS Neosho (T-AO-143)
  • Placed out of service, circa 1991-94
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 16 February 1994
  • Title transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 1 May 1999 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Returned to Navy custody, removed from the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group by towing, for scrapping 2 February 2005
  • Final Disposition scrapped at International Shipbreaking, Brownsville TX., scrapping completed 8 November 2005
    Specifications:
    Displacement 11,600 t.(lt), 38,000 t.(fl)
    Length 655'
    Beam 86'
    Draft 35'
    Speed 20 kts.
    Cargo Capacity 180,000 bbls
    Complement
    Commissioned Status 324
    In service 106 civilian mariners, 21 Navy
    Armament
    two single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    six twin 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    Propulsion
    two geared turbines
    two boilers
    two shafts, 28,000 shaft horsepower
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Neosho (AO-143)
    CVA-39 Lake Champlain 108k USS Neosho (AO-143) refueling USS Lake Champlain (CVA-39), and USS Purdy (DD-734), Mediterranean Sea, 20 October 1955.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-684504, a US Navy photo now in the US National Archives collections.    		 Scott Dyben
    Neosho 77k USS Neosho (AO-143) steaming up the Piscataqua River enroute to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, 26 June 1957.
    US Navy photo from "THE PORTSMOUTH PERISCOPE" of July 12, 1957 (Vol. XVII, No. 1, Page 3).    		 Arnold A. Putnam
    Neosho 92k USS Neosho (AO-143) entering Dry Dock Number 2, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, June 1957.
    US Navy photo from "THE PORTSMOUTH PERISCOPE" of July 12, 1957 (Vol. XVII, No. 1, Page 3).    		 Arnold A. Putnam
    Neosho 116k USS Neosho (AO-143) in Dry Dock Number 2, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, June 1957. Neosho was in the shipyard to have an experimental torpedo tube installed for testing. This type of torpedo tube would later be installed in USS Thresher (SSN-593) and later SSNs.
    US Navy photo from "THE PORTSMOUTH PERISCOPE" of July 12, 1957 (Vol. XVII, No. 1, Page 3).    		 Arnold A. Putnam
    Neosho 54k USS Neosho (AO-143) and USS Lake Champlain (CVA-39) during underway refueling, summer 1955 in the Mediterranean Sea. Manuel A. Cabranes, RD3 USS Lake Champlain, 1955-57.
    Neosho 36k USS Neosho (AO-143) underway, circa 1955, location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		  
    Neosho 141k USS Neosho (AO-143) refueling USS Warrington (DD-843), port, USS Hammerberg (DE-1015), starboard with USS Bearss (DD-654) next in line, circa late 1950s-early 1960s, location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Neosho 108k USS Neosho (AO-143) moored pierside at Naval Station Norfolk VA, August 1964. The foc'sl of USS Vulcan (AR-5) in the foreground ©Richard Leonhardt
    Neosho 29k USS Neosho (AO-143) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		  
    Neosho 83k USS Neosho (AO-143) riding at anchor at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 21 February 1971 ©Richard Leonhardt
    Neosho 73k USS Neosho (AO-143) getting underway with the assistance of Paducah (YTB-758) at Naval Station Norfolk, VA., 13 August 1964. date unknown. Underway in the background is USS Holder (DD-819). ©Richard Leonhardt
    Neosho 56k USS Neosho (AO-143) preparing to refuel USS Stribling (DD-867) while underway in the Mediterranean Sea, summer 1975. Russ Hartley
    Neosho 97k USS Neosho (AO-143) and USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) during underway refueling, date and location unknown.
    DOD photo # [DNSN9006244]    		  
    Neosho 78k USS Neosho (AO-143) and USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) during and underway refueling evolution, date and location unknown.
    DOD photo # [DNSN9006298]    		  
    Neosho 75k USS Neosho (AO-143) breaks away from USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) after completing an underway refueling evolution, date and location unknown.
    DOD photo # [DNSN9006299]    		  
    USNS Neosho (T-AO-143)
    Neosho 88k USNS Neosho (T-AO-143) being moved cold iron from Naval Station Norfolk, VA, to the Naval Fuel Terminal, Craney Island, Portsmouth, VA., date unknown. Photo by Bill Fessenden
    Neosho 51k USNS Neosho (T-AO-143) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, April 1984.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Neosho 194k USNS Neosho (T-AO-143) underway, 1 January 1995, location unknown.
    DefenseImagery photo # DN-SC-85-08549, a US Navy photo now in the collections of Defense Imagery.    		 Robert Hurst
    Additional Ships Patches
    Neosho
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski    		 Neosho
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski

    For more photos and information about USS / USNS Neosho, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
  • U.S. Navy Oilers
  • USS Neosho AO-143
  • Commanding Officers
    • Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 31 January 2013