USS Canisteo (AO-99)

• Name Origin: USS Canisteo (AO-99) was named after the Canisteo River in New York, following the US Navy tradition of naming oilers after rivers with Native American names. • Launched in 1945: The ship was launched on July 6, 1945, by Bethlehem Steel Company in Sparrows Point, Maryland, towards the end of World War II. • Service as a Fleet Oiler: As a Cimarron-class oiler, the Canisteo played a vital role in refueling ships at sea, enabling US naval operations worldwide. • Operation Crossroads: In 1946, USS Canisteo supported the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll, providing logistical support to the assembled fleet. • Korean War Service: During the Korean War, Canisteo supplied fuel to US Navy combat ships operating in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, ensuring their operational readiness. • Modernization: In the 1960s, Canisteo underwent significant upgrades, including the installation of the "Jumboization" process, which involved inserting a new midsection to increase fuel capacity. • Cuban Missile Crisis: USS Canisteo was part of the naval blockade during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, supplying fuel to ships enforcing the quarantine. • Service Longevity: The ship served for more than four decades, from 1945 until her decommissioning in 1989, marking her as one of the longest-serving oilers of her class. • Reserve Fleet and Scrapping: After decommissioning, Canisteo was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet before being scrapped in 2010. • Ghost Ship Rumors: While awaiting scrapping, the Canisteo, along with other reserve ships, became the subject of local rumors and urban legends about "ghost ships" in the James River Reserve Fleet.