U.S.S. CALOOSAHATCHEE

USS CALOOSAHATCHEE (AO-98)

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 Le Havre France in 1954 and to Copenhagen Denmark in 1956. In fall 1957 and again in summer 1958 the oiler sailed with forces calling at ports in England Scotland France and Portugal.

Caloosahatchee 's 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.

[Note: The above USS CALOOSAHATCHEE (AO-98) history may or may not contain text provided by crew members of the USS CALOOSAHATCHEE (AO-98) or by other non-crew members and text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]