USS Caloosahatchee (AO-98)
The USS Caloosahatchee (AO-98) website.
This is the website for former USS Caloosahatchee (AO-98) sailors to share memories, keep in touch with each other and keep up with Caloos events.
SERVICE TO THE FLEET WITH PRIDE
SHIP'S CHARACTERISTICS
Displacement, Full Load..............35,000 tons
Length..................................644 feet
Beam.....................................75 feet
Draft..................................37.5 feet
Speed...................................18 knots
Propeller......................................2
Rudders........................................2
Engines........................................2
Boilers........................................4
Shaft Horsepower..........................13,000
Armament..............2-3"/50 cal. single mounts
4-50 cal. machine gun mounts
Replenishment Stations........................11
Complement...........................22 Officers
335 Enlisted
Liquid Cargo Capacity.............8,000,000 gals
Ordnance Cargo Capacity.................400 tons
Provision Cargo Capacity................525 tons
(Support for 3,000 men for 30 days)
Welcome to the USS Caloosahatchee (AO-98) Home Page
I looked for an "Official" Webpage for the USS Caloosahatchee (AO-98) and didn't find one. While I found many other pages that mentioned the Caloos, I didn't find anything we could call our own. So I started one. My intention was to create a website for former USS Caloosahatchee sailors to keep in touch with each other.
Since building this site, I discovered that there is a USS Caloosahatchee reunion group and I have been posting the reunion newsletters ever since (see below). There are regular reunions, and Caloos had 45 years of regular service, so that's a lot of sailors. It would be great to see a real growth in activity.
Also since building this site, I have been in touch with sailors that I served with on the Caloos, including visiting one half-way across the country while I was traveling. I hope you are able to enjoy this site as well.
Please note that I do not maintain a contact list for former crew members, and I can't help you locate a former crew member. However, there is a BBS forum set up for communication (see below). If you are looking for someone, register and post a message and maybe someone will see it and can help.
If you have any suggestions, or would like to share pictures or information, please let me know.
Jim Martino
(Aboard Caloos 1988-1989)
E-mail me
Reunion Information:
The 2013 reunion is October 11-14, 2013, in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
See the Winter 2013 Reunion News Letter, Click here.
For more information, e-mail the Reunion Association: searsreddog@aol.com.
History:
USS Caloosahatchee (AO-98) was launched 2 June 1945 by Bethlehem-Sparrows Point Shipyard, Inc., Sparrows Point, Md., 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.
(This one is more complete than the one you see referenced at all the other Websites.)
Commanding Officers: List.
Pictures:
In addition to the pictures I have taken myself and have otherwise scanned myself, I have collected a few that I downloaded from various websites. I do not mean to infringe on anyone elses work, but when I saved them from the web, I wasn't planning to make this website. I have not credited the source of some of these photographs, but I have included as many links to the original pages below as I could find.
I am also seeking contributions of pictures from anyone that has pictures that they would like to share. You may e-mail them to me at: webmaster@usscaloosahatchee.org
The Caloosahatchee BBS
A BBS is a "Bulletin Board Service". Some people refer to it as a forum. This is a place where you can post messages for all to see. Carry on conversations and catch up with old frends, or make new ones.
Due to overwhelming attack from outsiders (spam) I am changing the membership process for the BBS.
Normally we get 1 or 2 new members a month, but now I have been hit with about 20 or 30 a day. Unfortunately these aren't people that really have anything good to share with us. Most of them seem to be promoting gambling websites or porn websites.
In order to help identify the good from the bad:
- No more handles, you must use your first and last name.
- I have changed the BBS settings to require that final activation of a new account must be done by me. This will unfortunately cause a delay of activation, so please be patient with me.
- Also, when you create an account, please send me an e-mail to let me know who you are, and your connection with Caloosahatchee.
- I am deleting over 100 new accounts for every 1 new account that is actually legitimate. If I delete your account that I mis-identified, please coordinate with me by e-mail. E-mail the Webmaster
LINKS:
Caught in someone else's frames? Click here --> www.usscaloosahatchee.org
<--to break free.
Have you found a link that should be listed here? E-mail me and let me know.
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