| .. USS NEOSHO AO-143 .. Neosho - a river in Kansas then Oklahoma .. Neosho Class .. History "A" "B" 1975 .. Port Of Call MAP .. Neosho Ship Photos Sparkman Photos |
 |
..................................................................................................................... 
 Videos: Deck Tour Engine Room Pier Side |
.. ..View Ribbon Descriptions USS Neosho 1863-1873 History A Ironclad River Monitor USS Neosho AO-23 Web Site History Photos USS Neosho AO-48 .............. History Photos |
|||||||
|
Other
History:
1958, September, NEOSHO participated in "Operation Argus" where US Navy Task Force 88 conducted three High-Altitude Nuclear Explosions. TG
88.3 - Mobile Logistics Group, consisted of: - USS Neosho (AO-143),
equipped with USAF MSQ-1 radar and communication vans, - USS Salamonie
(AO-26), - assigned destroyers; - the commanding officer of the Neosho
was the Group Commander;
Many tests were conducted across the next month in preparation for another Mediterranean Cruise beginning on September 8. The first exercise would be a North Atlantic Nato Exercise "Peace Keeper" and then on to a six month deployment with the U.S. Sixth Fleet. Ships leaving with her were the USS Sampson (DDG 10), USS Johnston (DD 821), USS Mc Card (DD 822) and the USS Semmes (DDG 18). USS Stickell (DD 888) and USS Waldron (DD 699) joined the formation on the 10th of September and Commander Second Fleet, embarked in the USS Newport News (CA 148) assumed duties as SOPA. USS Neosho (AO 143) provided fuel services. The
cruise had been perfect until 16-17 September when the Atlantic reared
it's ugly head sending one of it's infamous storms down the formation.
The storm scattered the formation and opened a hole in Cone's main
decks allowing water to pour into the after living compartment on every
roll the ship took. The hole was patched early morning of 17 September,
the day when "Peace Keeper" began. Finally the storm subsided and Cone
returned to the exercise area on 19 September after having been driven
far to the south. 1962,
2 October; USS Ashland (LSD-1) Set Refueling and Replenishment Detail.
Received 260,526 gallons of NSFO from USS NEOSHO
(AO-143). HEITKEMPER, W.L., BM1, received an
avulsion on right hand and puncture of the right eyelid; not due to own
misconduct. 1230 Sighted Punta Del Sabinal Light bearing
012, range 13 miles.
1962, (24 October-22November): participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis (all received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal): 1965, 29 August, Gemini 5 made retrofire on revolution 120 (one revolution early due to a threatening tropical storm near the landing area) at 7:27:42 a.m. EST on . Splashdown occurred at 7:55:13 in the western Atlantic at 29.73 N, 69.75 W after a total mission time of 190:55:14. Splashdown was 169 km short of the target due to a ground-based computer program error. The crew arrived onboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Lake Champlain at 9:26 and the spacecraft was recovered at 11:50. USS Neosho AO-143 was there in support of the task force. 1973, 29 May USS NEWPORT NEWS steamed south for LANTREDEX 3-73 and port visits in Roosevelt Roads and San Juan, Puerto Rico and New York City. Damage control drills and General Quarters were held during the transit and USS NEWPORT NEWS refueled from USS NEOSHO (AO 143) on the 31st. 1977, 10 June; USS America CV-66 sailed from Hampton Roads for a five-week South Atlantic deployment as a unit of TG 20.4. Other ships in company included USS South Carolina (CGN-37), USS Claude V. Ricketts (DLG-5), USS Dupont (DD- 941 ), and USS Neosho (AO-143). 1981, 1
June;USS NITRO is badly damaged by a fire in the machinery room while
en route to Athens, Greece. NITRO is taken under tow the next day by
USNS NEOSHO (T-AO 143) for Souda Bay. 60 nautical miles northeast of
Souda Bay, Greece 1985, 8 July; Arthur Radford - DD-968, Stopping for fuel at Mina Raysut, Oman, on 8 July 1985, Arthur W. Radford transited the Strait of Bab el Mandeb in company with Antrim on 10 July, and the two warships conducted freedom of navigation operations off the coast of the Democratic People's Republic of Yemen on the 11th. The destroyer transited the Suez Canal on the 14th, and replenished from the oiler USNS Neosho (T-AO-143) that same day. Fueling from USNS Truckee (T-AO-144) the following day, Arthur W. Radford conducted a port visit to Benidorm, Spain, from 20 to 23 July before reaching Rota on the 24th. Proceeding thence with Antrim, Barney, and Charles F. Adams, the destroyer sailed for Norfolk on 24 July. After visiting Ponta Delgada, in the Azores, and Bermuda, en route, Arthur W. Radford reached her on 5 August 1985. 1988, 29 November; USS WISCONSIN left for operations around Puerto Rico conducting her first underway replenishment in more than 30 years. Refuels USS ANTRIM (FFG20) being rearmed from USS NITRO (AE 23) and being refueled from USNS NEOSHO (AO 143)
|
||||||||
 |
||||||||
| 1990,
Several crew members of
the Communications Division
take excellent videos of the areas noted in the map above. On June 1st
Neosho was
heading out of the Mid when they were greeted with the fun swimming Dolphins. Neosho
was heading to Rota where she and her sister ships, Truckee
and Mississinewa make port many times. Location "1", June 1, Strats of Gibraltar, shows dolphins, signals from the bridge, a helicopter landing plus some of the crew driving east to Gibralter. Location "2", August 8, Eisenhower CVN-69 convoy passing through Bitter Lake. Ships include: Scott DDG-995, John L. Hall FFG-32, Suribachi AE-21, Tinconderoga CG-47 and of course Neosho AO-143 Location "3", August 14, Djibouti harbor plus a link to the "Largest Crack on Earth" Location "4", August 18,19 USS Dwight D. Eisenhower CVN-69 page, UNREP with Suribachi at night, plane flights, signal flags and helicopter. Location "5", August 24, Port of Suez, the southern end of Suez Canal. Location "6", September 4, Neosho made port at Sarroch Oil Refinery on the Italian Island of Sardonia. September 11, They also had an incidfent where their a launch lost power. Sited RoRo ship type Cape I Class. Location "7", September 18, Neosho enters port of Cartagena, Spain, Here she receives some needed new paint, etc. The city has history of the Roman occupation and WWII Forts. October 8, she prepares to head back east into the mediterranean. Location "8", October 22, Muster of Signalmen, UNREP with USS Rigel AF-58, UNREP with USS Thomas C. Hunt DE-1092, UNREP with USS Biddle CG-34 and on October 25, a tour of the ship, including the captains quarters where he demonstrates his steam powered tractor that he made. Location "9", November 2, site volcano Etna, UNREP with USS Yellowstone AD-4, November 4, view USS John F. Kennedy CVN-67 aircraft landings and head home. . 2005, Neosho is sold for $1.00 to International Shipbreaking Limited, Brownsville, TX Original CUSTOMS PAPERS .. Some Officer
Information
..Capt. Slade Deville Cutter, Commander USS Neosho (AO-143) Cdr. Charles Z. Hanus USN, Executive Officer USS NEOSHO (AO-143). CAPT Donald R. McKenzie Jr. CAPT Donald R. McKenzie Jr., SC, USN, completed 27 years of active service and retired on June 1, 1998, after serving at the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center, Norfolk, Va. He received his bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and his master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School. His previous duty stations include Defense Contract Management Area Operations, Boston, Mass.; Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.; Naval Supply Center, Jacksonville, Fla.; USS Dale (CG 19); Naval Air Systems Command, Arlington, Va.; USS Neosho (AO 143); and USS Enterprise (CVN 65). |
||||||||
|
Neosho River
source is in Kansas and flows
Into Oklahoma. There is also a town of Neosho in Missouri.  Photos were
taken at the Neosho River
bridge in Twin Bridges State Park while attending 2003 reunion in Neosho, MO |
  |
Go to Neosho Class Page