USS Mississinewa (AO-59)

History
United States
Name	USS Mississinewa
Namesake	Mississinewa River in Indiana
Builder	Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard
Laid down	5 October 1943
Launched	28 March 1944
Commissioned	19 May 1944
Honors and awards	4 battle stars (WWII)
Fate	Sunk by Japanese Kaiten manned torpedo on 20 November 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Cimarron-class fleet replenishment oiler
Type	T3-S2-A1 tanker
Displacement	25,425 long tons (25,833 t)
Length	553 ft (169 m)
Beam	75 ft (23 m)
Draft	32 ft (9.8 m)
Installed power	30,400 shp (22,700 kW)
Propulsion	2 × geared steam turbines 2 × shafts
Speed	18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Capacity	146,000 barrels (23,200 m3)
Complement	21 officers and 278 enlisted
Armament	2 × 5 in (130 mm)/38 cal dual-purpose gun (1x2) 4 × 3-inch/50-caliber guns 4 × 40 mm anti-aircraft guns 4 × 20 mm anti-aircraft cannons

USS Mississinewa (AO-59) was the first of two United States Navy ships of the name. She was a T3-S2-A1 auxiliary oiler of the US Navy, laid down on 5 October 1943 by the Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard, Inc., Sparrows Point, Maryland; launched on 28 March 1944; sponsored by Miss Margaret Pence; and commissioned on 18 May 1944. Mississinewa was commanded by Captain Philip G. Beck. The ship is named for the Mississinewa River of eastern Indiana.