USN
Cimarron Class
Fleet Oilier

October 11, 1939

December 7, 1941

Displacement
553' | 75' | 32' 4"

Tons
7,470

Crew
304 Crew List

Armament
5" Gun Mount
4 x twin 40mm
4 x 20mm

Ship History
Commissioned August 7, 1939. This ship had a fuel capacity of 146,000 barrels.

Wartime History
Went through preliminary conversion at Philadelphia Naval Yard in October 1939. Known as "The Fat Lady" by her crew. Sent to the Pacific.

Pearl Harbor Attack
Neosho was unloading aviation fuel at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The ship was strafed and several bombs fell near the ship during the attack. She departed Pearl the day after the attack.

Battle of the Coral Sea
Severely damaged on May 7, 1942, during the Battle of the Coral Sea by Japanese dive bombers. Gunners shot down one Val, its pilot dove his plane for the deck, starting a flash fire which spread across the starboard side. The Neosho suffered seven direct hits and drifted until May 11.

Scuttling of Neosho
USS Henley DD-391 reached the stricken Neosho four days later, and rescued 109 survivors of the Neosho, and 14 survivors of USS Sims. 21 men had died. Neosho was unsalvageable, and was sunk by gunfire from the Henley at 14:28 on May 11, 1942.

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