About this Unit
USS Mispillion (AO-105) was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler commissioned by the United States Navy in 1945. Designed to provide underway replenishment of fuel and supplies, she served extensively in the Pacific during the closing months of World War II and continued her vital support role during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Over her long career, Mispillion earned several battle stars for her service, demonstrating the importance of logistical support to naval operations. She was decommissioned from the U.S. Navy in 1974, later serving with the Military Sealift Command before her final retirement.
Historical Facts
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Commissioning and Construction: USS Mispillion (AO-105) was laid down on March 2, 1945, at Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Chester, Pennsylvania, and commissioned on February 29, 1946.
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Class and Role: She was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler, designed to refuel ships at sea, playing a critical logistics role for the U.S. Navy.
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Named After: The ship was named for the Mispillion River, located in Delaware, continuing the tradition of naming oilers after rivers.
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Service in the Korean War: USS Mispillion provided essential fueling services to U.S. and allied ships during the Korean War, supporting combat operations from 1950 to 1953.
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Vietnam War Operations: She served extensively in the Vietnam War, enabling sustained naval operations by conducting underway replenishments for Seventh Fleet vessels.
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Operation Crossroads: In 1946, Mispillion took part in the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll, supporting the historic Operation Crossroads as a logistics vessel.
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Longest Serving Fleet Oiler: By the time of her decommissioning, Mispillion was among the longest-serving Cimarron-class oilers, with over 40 years of active service.
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Multiple Overhauls: To extend her service life, Mispillion underwent several overhauls and modernizations, including a "jumboization" in the mid-1960s that lengthened the hull and increased cargo capacity.
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Transfer to Military Sealift Command: In 1974, she was transferred to the Military Sealift Command and redesignated USNS Mispillion (T-AO-105), continuing her mission with a civilian crew.
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Decommissioning and Fate: Mispillion was finally decommissioned in 1994, struck from the Naval Vessel Register, and sold for scrapping, ending nearly five decades of distinguished service.
