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The United States Navy Memorial

Navy Memorial Honoring the Men & Women of the Sea Services

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Neosho

Ship Designation: 
AO-23
Date Lost: 
Thursday, May 7, 1942
Battle of the Coral Sea
As the American and Japanese fleets maneuvered in preparation for the Battle of the Coral Sea, Neosho fueled Yorktown (CV-5) and Astoria (CA-34), then retired from the carrier force with a lone escort, Sims (DD-409). ... The following day Japanese aircraft spotted the two ships, and believing them to be a carrier and her escort, launched the first of two attacks which sank Sims and left Neosho, victim of 7 direct hits and a suicide dive by one of the bombers, ablaze aft and in danger of breaking in two. She had shot down at least 3 of the attackers .... Neosho suffered 177 fatal casualties in the attack. ... Superb seamanship and skilled damage control work kept Neosho afloat for the next four days. The sorely stricken ship was first located by an RAAF aircraft, then an American PBY. ... On 11 May, Henley (DD-391) arrived to rescue the 123 survivors and to sink by gunfire, Neosho that had been so valiantly kept alive against impossible odds.

Lost At Sea Log

Number of sailors in this log: 174

Name Service Branchsort ascending
Sea 2c George Steuart USN
Y 3c Eugene Self USN
Sea 2c Gerald Routledger USN
Sea 2c Hal Nielson USN
Sea 2c Bruce Annis USN
CM 3c Dennis Burger USN
Sea 2c Ross Covina USN
OC 2c Fermin Felosofo USN
Lt(jg) John Greathouse USN
Sea 2c Alvia Minor USN
F 2c Henry Irons USN
Sea 1c Donald Stubblefield USN
Sea 2c Frank Scarborough USN
Ens Oscar Peterson USN
F 3c Edward Wolf USN
Sea 2c Floyd Bailey USN
GM 3c Albert Busky USN
Sea 2c Pearlin Cox USN
F 2c Howard Foster USN
F 1c William Hackworth USN

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Prepared by CAPT R.O. Strange USN (Ret.)