USS Caloosahatchee AO-98 One of Eight JUMBOIZED Tankers   The first two ships of the Ghost Fleet have arrived on the River Tees at the Able UK yard at Graythorp. The above photo is of the first to arrive, the USS Caloosahatchee (AO 98). The Caloosahatchee (named after a river in Florida) was launched 2 June 1945 by Bethlehem-Sparrows Point Shipyard Inc.
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 Caloosahatchee (AO-98) underway in 1959. US Navy photo  Descriptiom is below See in England  A court order
prevents Able UK from beginning dismantling work on the ships. The
project has met with strong opposition from Hartlepool authorities,
local residents and environmental groups. A judge will begin hearing
legal challenges to the dismantling on
8th December, until then the Environment Agency has said it will be
making
regular checks on the vessels to make sure no dismantling takes place.
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Caloosahatchee A
river in Florida.
(AO-98: dp. 7,295; 1. 553'; b. 75'; dr. 32'4"; s. 18 cpl. 304; a. 1 5", 4 3"; cl. Cimarron) Caloosahatchee (AO-98)
was launched 2 June 1945 by Bethlehem-Sparrows
Point Shipyard, Inc., Sparrows Point, MD., under a Maritime Commission
contract; sponsored by Mrs. C. L. Andrews; acquired by the Navy 10
October 1945; commissioned the same day, Commander H. R. Livingston,
USNR, in command; and reported to Commander,Service Force, Atlantic
Fleet.
Caloosahatchee cruised
off the east coast, transporting oil and fueling
ships at sea, and made a voyage to Iceland from Norfolk during her
first two years of operations. On 14 August 1947, she sailed for her
first tour of duty with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, a
deployment that marked almost every year of her operations from that
time into 1960. In this era when the U.S. Navy had perfected at-sea
replenishment to greatly increase mobility, flexibility and efficiency,
Caloosahatchee played a key role in increasing the enormous power for
peace represented by the mighty 6th Fleet. Among other widespread
operations, Caloosahatchee participated in NATO Operation "Mariner" off
Greenock Scotland, from 16 September to 20 October 1953, and provided
summer training for future naval officers in midshipman cruises to
LeHavre, France, in 1964, and to Copenhagen Denmark, in 1966. In fall
1957 and again in summer 1958, the oiler sailed with forces calling at
ports in England, Scotland, France, and Portugal.
Caloosahatchee constant
readiness for emergency deployments or other
challenges to her operational capability was developed and maintained
through training operations along: the east coast, and participation in
such large-scale Atlantic Fleet exercises as Operation "Springboard"
held in the Caribbean, which operations continued through 1960.
Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |
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