Cimarron class oiler (1939)

For other ships classes of the same name, see Cimarron class oiler.

300px USS Cimarron (AO-22), lead ship of the class in February 1942
Class overview
Operators:	United States Navy
Built:	1938–1945
In commission:	1939–1992
Completed:	30, later 4 converted to escort carriers
Lost:	1
General characteristics
Type:	Fleet replenishment oiler
Displacement:	7,470 long tons (7,590 t) light 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)
Propulsion:	Geared turbines, twin screws, 30,400 shp (22,669 kW)
Speed:	18 knots (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Capacity:	146,000 barrels
Complement:	304
Armament:	• 4 × 5"/38 caliber guns • 4 × twin 40 mm gun mounts • 4 × twin 20 mm gun mounts

The Cimarron class oilers were an underway replenishment class of oil tankers which were first built in 1939. Four of the ships were converted into escort carriers in 1942. These ships were of the United States Maritime Administration Type T3-S2-A1.

Ships

• USS Cimarron (AO-22); launched & commissioned 1939, decommissioned 1968
• USS Neosho (AO-23); launched & commissioned 1939, sunk during the Battle of the Coral Sea, 1942
• USS Platte (AO-24); launched & commissioned 1939, scrapped 1971
• USS Sabine (AO-25); launched & commissioned 1940, struck 1976, sold 1983
• USS Salamonie (AO-26); launched 1940, commissioned 1941, struck 1969, scrapped 1970
• USS Kaskaskia (AO-27); launched 1939, commissioned 1940, decommissioned 1969, sold for scrap 1970
• USS Chemung (AO-30); launched 1939, commissioned 1941, decommissioned 1970, struck 1971, scrapped
• USS Guadalupe (AO-32); launched 1940, commissioned 1941, decommissioned 1974, struck & scrapped 1975
• USS Ashtabula (AO-51); launched 1943, commissioned 1943, decommissioned 1991, sunk as target 2000
• USS Cacapon (AO-52); launched 1941, commissioned 1943, decommissioned 1973, sold for scrapping
• USS Caliente (AO-53); launched & commissioned 1943, struck 1973, sold 1974
• USS Chikaskia (AO-54); launched 1942, commissioned 1943, decommissioned 1969, struck 1976, sold 1982
• USS Elokomin (AO-55); launched & commissioned 1943, scrapped in 1970
• USS Marias (AO-57); launched 1943, commissioned 1944, struck 1992, sold for scrapping 1995
• USS Manatee (AO-58); launched & commissioned 1944, decommissioned, struck & sold for scrapping 1973
• USS Chipola (AO-63); launched & commissioned 1944, struck 1973, sold 1974
• USS Tolovana (AO-64); launched & commissioned 1945, decommissioned, struck & sold for scrapping 1975
• USS Allagash (AO-97); launched & commissioned 1945, decommissioned 1970, sold for scrapping
• USS Caloosahatchee (AO-98); launched & commissioned 1945, decommissioned 1990, NDRF
• USS Canisteo (AO-99); launched & commissioned 1945, decommissioned 1989, sold for scrapping
• USS Chukawan (AO-100); launched 1945, commissioned 1946, decommissioned 1972, sold for scrapping

Converted to Sangamon-class escort carriers in 1942:

• USS Sangamon (CVE-26) Originally AO-28; launched 1939, commissioned 1940, decommissioned 1945, sold for commercial service 1948
• USS Suwannee (CVE-27) Originally AO-33; launched 1939, commissioned 1941, decommissioned 1947, sold for scrap 1961
• USS Chenango (CVE-28) Originally AO-31; launched 1939, commissioned 1941, decommissioned 1946, sold 1960
• USS Santee (CVE-29) Originally AO-29; launched 1939, commissioned 1940, decommissioned 1946, struck 1959, scrapped 1960

There is some controversy about the five MARAD Type T3-S2-A3 oilers being a class of their own, the Mispillion-class. This is further complicated by the fact that these five ships were jumboized in the 1960s, together with USS Ashtabula (AO-51), USS Caloosahatchee (AO-98), and USS Canisteo (AO-99), for some then comprising the Ashtabula-class - sometimes with or without the Mispillions.

• USS Mispillion (AO-105); launched & commissioned 1945, decommissioned 1991, NDRF
• USS Navasota (AO-106); launched 1945, commissioned 1946, decommissioned 1991, sold for scrapping
• USS Passumpsic (AO-107); launched 1945, commissioned 1946, decommissioned 1991, sold for scrapping
• USS Pawcatuck (AO-108); launched 1945, commissioned 1946, decommissioned 1991, sold for scrapping
• USS Waccamaw (AO-109); launched 1945, commissioned 1946, decommissioned 1991, sold for scrapping

Importance

US Navy captains who had flight status ("wings") were eligible to command aircraft carriers. For lack of carriers, however, the Navy assigned these officers to oilers which had a similar draft.^{[citation needed]}

References

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

• Wildenberg, Thomas (1996). Gray Steel and Black Oil: Fast Tankers and Replenishment at Sea in the U.S. Navy, 1912-1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/GSBO/index.html. Retrieved 2009-04-28. 
• The T2, T2-A and T3-S2-A1 Type Maritime Commission Tankers 1939 - 1945