USS Neosho (AO-23)

History
United States
Name	USS Neosho
Namesake	The Neosho River in Kansas and Oklahoma
Builder	Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey
Laid down	22 June 1938
Launched	29 April 1939
Sponsored by	Mrs. Emory S. Land
Commissioned	7 August 1939
Fate	Scuttled, Battle of the Coral Sea, 11 May 1942
General characteristics
Class and type	Cimarron-class fleet oiler
Displacement	7,470 long tons (7,590 t) (standard) 24,830 long tons (25,228 t) (full load)
Length	553 ft (169 m)
Beam	75 ft (23 m)
Draft	32 ft 4 in (9.86 m)
Installed power	30,400 shp (22,700 kW)
Propulsion	2 × geared steam turbines 2 × shafts
Speed	20 kn (23 mph; 37 km/h)
Complement	304
Armament	4 × Single 5 in (127 mm) DP Guns 4 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannons (4x1)
Service record
Operations:	World War II
Awards:	2 battle stars

USS Neosho (AO-23) was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler serving with the United States Navy, the second ship to be named for the Neosho River in Kansas and Oklahoma.

After surviving the attack on Pearl Harbor, Neosho operated in the South Pacific. During the Battle of the Coral Sea she was attacked and set alight, but managed to keep afloat until rendezvousing with an American destroyer on 11 May 1942. The destroyer rescued the crew and sank the vessel.