USS Caloosahatchee ( AO - 98 ) USS Caloosahatchee ( AO - 98 ) was an " Cimarron " - class fleet oiler constructed for the U . S . Navy for use in World War II but commissioned too late for service in that conflict . However , she had a lengthy career during the Cold War that followed . She was the only U . S . Navy ship to bear the name " Caloosahatchee " , after the Caloosahatchee River in southwest Florida . " Caloosahatchee " ( AO - 98 ) was launched 2 June 1945 by Bethlehem Steel - Sparrows Point Shipyard , Inc . , Sparrows Point , Maryland , 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 . Cold War operations . " Caloosahatchee " cruised off the U . S . East Coast , transporting oil and fueling ships at sea , and made a voyage to Iceland from Norfolk , Virginia , during her first two years of operations . On 14 August 1947 , she sailed for her first tour of duty with the U . S . 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 U . S . 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 . Between 1966 and 1968 " Caloosahatchee " , along with her sister ships " Ashtabula " and " Canisteo " , underwent " jumboization " . A 400 - foot midsection , built entirely new from the keel up , was inserted and welded between her original bow and stern . This replaced the old 310 - foot midsection and increased the vessel ' s liquid cargo capacity by over one - third . Her new configuration closely resembled that of a more modern type of ship , the replenishment oiler . Decommissioning and Disposal . " Caloosahatchee " decommissioned 28 February 1990 , and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register , 18 July 1994 . She was transferred to the Maritime Administration , 18 December 1998 , for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet , James River , Fort Eustis , Virginia . " Caloosahatchee " was sold for scrapping to Able UK , Hartlepool , Teesside , England , and removed from the Reserve Fleet under tow , arriving in the United Kingdom on 12 November 2003 . " Caloosahatchee " and three other decommissioned Navy ships , " Canisteo " , " Canopus " and " Compass Island " all arrived at Able UK under the same contract and came to be known as the " Hartlepool Four " . Local protests and legal challenges , alleging unacceptable amounts of toxic substances contained on and in the vessels , delayed scrapping until Able UK secured the appropriate waste management licensing in August , 2008 . Scrapping of " Caloosahatchee " finally commenced in November , 2009 and was complete by April , 2010 . Military awards and honors . Caloosahatchee ’ s crew were authorized the following medals :