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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

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


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Charlie - Victor
 NDCV
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Misspell (P)apa - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Joint 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, at Bayonne, N,J. and placed in service with MSC as USNS Neosho (T-AO-143)
  • Placed out of service, 12 August 1992 at Naval Station Norfolk, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 16 February 1994
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD)for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Title transferred to the MARAD, 9 May 1999
  • Sold for scrapping, 9 February 2005, to International Shipbreaking LTD. (ESCO), Brownsville, TX.
  • Removed from the National Defense Reserve Fleet, 4 March 2005, for towing by M/V Hatteras to Brownsville
  • Arrived Brownsville, 1 April 2005
  • Final Disposition scrapping by International Shipbreaking started, 11April 2005, completed 8 November 2007
    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
    Michael Mohl Michael Mohl Michael Mohl
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Neosho (AO-143)
    Neosho
    091914331    		 42k
    Namesake
    Neosho - The Neosho River is a tributary of the Arkansas River in eastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma. (Wikipedia)    		 Tommy Trampp
    Neosho
    091914341
    Neosho-151457    		 641k Neosho (AO-143), 29 December 1952, under construction on the builders way, Slip No 8, Bethlehem Steel Co., Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, MA.
    View from starboard bow looking aft. National Archives Identifier: 7574213 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-151457
    View from starboard midship looking aft. National Archives Identifier: 7574214 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-151458    		 Michael Mohl
    Neosho
    091914342
    Neosho-151458    		 529k
    Neosho
    091914343
    Neosho-151460    		 643k Neosho (AO-143), 30 June 1953, under construction on the builders way, Slip No 7, Bethlehem Steel Co., Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, MA.
    View looking down on stern. National Archives Identifier: 7574216 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-151460
    View from starboard midship looking aft. National Archives Identifier: 7574215 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-151459     		Michael Mohl
    Neosho
    091914344
    Neosho-151459    		 516k
    Neosho
    091914332    		 305k Neosho (AO-143) launching, 10 November 1953, Bethlehem Steel Co., Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, MA. Launch party dignitaries and guests. Left to right: Mr. S. Wakeman; Mrs. S. Wakeman; Mrs John S. Phillips, sponsor; Miss Nora Dwyer; RADM John S. Phillips, USN Ret.; CAPT. J.L. Bird, USN
    US National Archives Identifier 7574201 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-145131    		 Michael Mohl
    Neosho
    091914333    		 224k Neosho (AO-143) launching, 10 November 1953, Bethlehem Steel Co., Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, MA. Launch party dignitaries and guests. Left to right: CAPT.Howell C. Fish, USN; CAPT. W.A. Dolan Jr., USN; CAPT. J.L. Bird, USN; RADM John S. PHillips, USN, Ret.
    US National Archives Identifier: 7574202 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-145132    		 Michael Mohl
    Neosho
    091914348
    Neosho-145125    		 531k Neosho (AO-143) launching, 10 November 1953, Bethlehem Steel Co., Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, MA.
    Port bow looking aft National Archives Identifier: 7574195 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-145125
    Starboard bow looking aft National Archives Identifier: 7574196 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-145126
    Port stern looking forward National Archives Identifier: 7574197 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-145127    		 Michael Mohl
    Neosho
    091914349
    145126    		 494k
    Neosho
    091914350
    145127    		 424k
    Neosho
    091914325
    Neosho-145128    		 158k Neosho (AO-143) launching, 10 November 1953, Bethlehem Steel Co., Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, MA.
    National Archives Identifier: 7574198 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-145128 and
    National Archives Identifier: 7574199 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-145129    		 Dale Hargrave
    Neosho
    091914324
    145129    		 122k
    Neosho
    091914346    		 577k Neosho (AO-143) 30 December 1953, View from starboard stern looking forward, Wet Basin, Bethlehem Steel Co., Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, MA.
    National Archives Identifier: 7574217 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-151461
    Neosho
    091914347    		 563k Neosho (AO-143) 6 July 1954, View from port bow looking aft, Wet Basin, Bethlehem Steel Co., Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, MA.
    National Archives Identifier: 7574218 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-151462
    Neosho
    091914334    		 207k Neosho (AO-143) launching, 10 November 1953, Bethlehem Steel Co., Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, MA.
    National Archives Identifier: 7574200 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-145130
    Neosho
    091914335
    Neosho-147390    		 291k Neosho (AO-143) underway during builders trials in Boston Harbor, 1 September 1954.
    National Archives Identifier: 7574203 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-147390
    National Archives Identifier: 7574204 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-147391
    National Archives Identifier: 7574205 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-147392
    National Archives Identifier: 7574207 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-147394
    National Archives Identifier: 7574208 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-147396
    National Archives Identifier: 7574212 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-148053     		Michael Mohl
    Neosho
    091914336
    Neosho-147391    		 278k
    Neosho
    091914337
    Neosho-147392    		 278k
    Neosho
    091914338
    Neosho-147394    		 328k
    Neosho
    091914339
    Neosho-147396    		 182k
    Neosho 29k USS Neosho (AO-143) Commissioning Program (front cover only) Ron Reeves
    Neosho
    091914340
    Neosho-148053    		 304k Overhead view of USS Neosho (AO-143) underway, 1 May 1955.
    National Archives Identifier: 7574209 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-148049 National Archives Identifier: 7574210 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-148051 National Archives Identifier: 7574211 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-148052 National Archives Identifier: 7574212 Local Identifier: 19-NN-AO-143 Neosho-148053     		Michael Mohl
    Neosho
    091914351
    Neosho-148053    		 262k
    Neosho
    091914352
    Neosho-148053    		 310k
    Neosho
    091914353
    Neosho-148053    		 316k
    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) under way, 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
    AO-143"
    NS0262ah    		 474k USS Neosho (AO-143) refuels USS Independence (CVA-62) and USS Dyess (DDR-880), during Atlantic fleet operations, Sunday, 9 July 1961.
    US National Archives and Records Administration, photo # USN 1075733    		 Robert Hurst
    Neosho 108k USS Neosho (AO-143) moored pierside at Naval Station Norfolk VA, August 1964. The foc'sle of USS Vulcan (AR-5) in the foreground ©Richard Leonhardt
    Neosho 29k USS Neosho (AO-143) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		  
    Neosho 90k USS Neosho (AO-143) under way, circa 1966, location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    Neosho 73k USS Neosho (AO-143) getting under way 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 91k USS Neosho (AO-143) under way in 1968, location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Robert Hurst
    Neosho 136k USS Neosho (AO-143) out bound to sea from Norfolk, VA., in 1970. Mike Smolinski
    Neosho 298k
    Neosho
    091914354    		 113k USS Neosho (AO-143) conducts an underway replenishment with the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2) in the Mediterranean Sea, circa 1972.
    U.S. Navy photo from USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2) 1972-1973 cruise book    		 Robert Hurst
    Neosho 83k USS Neosho (AO-143) riding at anchor at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 21 February 1971 ©Richard Leonhardt
    CVA-59 Forrestal
    NS0259ee    		 279k USS Neosho (AO-143) refuels USS Forrestal (CVA-59), with assigned Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17, was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea from 22 September 1972 to 6 July 1973.


    Photo from the 1972–73 Cruise Book.

    		 Robert Hurst
    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]    		  
    Neosho 339k USS Neosho (AO-143) plaque Tommy Trampp
    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 25k USNS Neosho (T-AO-143) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Neosho 275k USNS Neosho (T-AO-143) underway while outbound to sea from Hampton Roads, VA. in the 1983.
    US National Archives Identifier (NAID) 6392655    		 Robert Hurst
    Neosho 200k USNS Neosho (T-AO-143) steams alongside USS Coral Sea (CV-43) in preparation for an underway replenishment. The guided missile frigate USS Boone (FFG-28) is in the background. 16 February 1989.
    US DefenseImagery photo VIRIN: DN-SC-93-00770., by PH2 Michael Skeens    		 Robert Hurst
    Neosho 222k USNS Neosho (T-AO-143) underway, 28 February 1990, off the Atlantic coast of the United States. Photo by US Navy Patrol Squadron (VP-66) on an active duty training mission.
    US DefenseImagery photo # VIRIN: DN-SN-90-05091, a US Navy photo now in the collections of US Defense Imagery    		 Robert Hurst
    Pensacola 202k USS Pensacola (LSD-38) conducts an underway replenishment with the Military Sealift Command fleet oiler USNS Neosho (T-AO-143) in the North Atlantic, 2 March 1992. A UH-1N Huey helicopter assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau (LHA-4) is in flight over Neosho. The amphibious task force was en route to the Baltic to participate in Exercise Teamwork '92.
    US National Archives and Records Administration Identifier (NAID) 6491292 a US Navy photo by PHC Robert K. Hemmerly.    		 Robert Hurst
    Neosho 194k USNS Neosho (T-AO-143) under way, 1 January 1995, location unknown.
    DefenseImagery photo # DN-SC-85-08549, a US Navy photo now in the collections of US Defense Imagery.    		 Robert Hurst
    Caloosahatchee 434k Aerial view of Unit 7 of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 28 January 1999. From bottom to top;
    unidentified,
    Santa Cruz
    Vulcan (AR-5),
    Redstone (T-AGM-20),
    2 unidentified APs,
    GEN. N.M. Walter (T-AP-125),
    GEN. Wm. O. Darby (IX-510),
    Waccamaw (T-AO-109),
    Canisteo (AO-99),
    Caloosahatchee (AO-98),
    Mississinewa (T-AO-144),
    Pawcatuck (T-AO-108)
    Truckee (T-AO-147),
    Neosho (T-AO-143),
    Benjamin Isherwood (T-AO-191) and
    Henry Eckford (T-AO-192). These two oilers were both lay-berthed incomplete.    		  
    Additional Ships Patches
    Neosho
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski    		 Neosho
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski    		 Neosho
    Contributed by Don McGrogan BMCS USN (Ret.)

    For more photos and information about USS / USNS Neosho, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • MARAD Vessel History Database
  • Postal Covers related to the ship
    • Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Smith, Norman Ernest24 September 1954 - December 1954
    02CAPT. Coxe Jr., Alexander BaconDecember 1954 - 1955
    03CAPT. Adams Jr., Allen Bond1955 - January 1957
    04CAPT. Bowen Jr., Harold Gardiner, USN (USNA 1933) :VADMJanuary 1957 - 3 January 1958
    05CAPT. Carlson, Edward Bernhard, USN3 January 1958 - 1959
    06CAPT. Whitaker, Reuben Thornton1959 - 1959
    07CAPT. Cutter, Slade Deville1959 - 1960
    08CAPT. Robinson, Kenneth George1960 - 1961
    09CAPT. Seim, Harvey Bryant1961 - 1962
    10CAPT. Hall, Cary Hardison, USN (USNA 1940)1962 - 23 August 1963
    11CAPT. Nicholson Jr., Archibald Thomas, USN (USNA 1940)23 August 1963 - 1964
    12CAPT. Tully Jr., Joseph Merit1964 - August 1965
    13CAPT. Jackson, Erwin ShawAugust 1965 - September 1966
    14CAPT. Crawford, John Holt, USNSeptember 1966 - 1967
    15CAPT. Greene, Joseph Michael, USN (USNA 1946)1967 - 25 April 1969
    16CAPT. Small, William Newell, USN (USNA 1948-B) :ADM25 April 1969 - 1970
    17CAPT. Davis, Theodore Francis, USN (USNA 1947)1970 - 29 September 1971
    18CAPT. Lesperance, Albert Phillip, USN29 September 1971 - 1973
    19CAPT. Branch, Alvin Deon, USN (USNA 1951)1973 - November 1976
    20CAPT. Tate, Charles GordonNovember 1976 - 25 May 1978
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves. Photos courtesy Bill Gonyo
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Fleet Tankers Association
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    Last Updated 12 August 2022