USS Hassayampa (AO-145)

• Commissioning and Naming: USS Hassayampa (AO-145) was a Neosho-class fleet oiler, commissioned on April 19, 1955. She was named after the Hassayampa River in Arizona. • Early Service: Hassayampa spent much of her early career supplying fuel to U.S. Navy ships in the Pacific, rapidly becoming a critical asset during the Cold War. • Cuban Missile Crisis: The ship played a key support role during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, helping sustain the naval quarantine of Cuba. • Vietnam War Contributions: From 1965 to 1975, Hassayampa was heavily involved in providing underway replenishment to U.S. and allied vessels during the Vietnam War, often operating in the dangerous waters of the Tonkin Gulf. • Apollo Recovery Missions: Hassayampa participated in the recovery operations for several Apollo missions, including Apollo 7, Apollo 8, Apollo 10, Apollo 11, and Apollo 12, supplying and supporting the recovery fleet. • Collision Incident: In July 1966, Hassayampa was involved in a collision with the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany (CV-34) during a refueling operation, but both ships were able to continue their missions. • Longest Replenishment-at-Sea: In May 1964, Hassayampa set a record by conducting a continuous underway replenishment for over 16 hours with USS Constellation (CV-64), supplying over 2 million gallons of fuel. • Friendly Mascot: The crew adopted a goat as a mascot, named "Hassy," who became a beloved member of the ship and a symbol of good luck. • Deactivation and Fate: Hassayampa was finally decommissioned on December 20, 1991, after 36 years of distinguished service, and was scrapped in 2005. • Honors and Awards: For her service, Hassayampa received 13 battle stars for Vietnam service and numerous commendations, marking her as one of the most decorated oilers in U.S. Navy history.