for a large release of the tanker's cargo fuel made a recovery attempt necessary. In February 2003, a US Navy salvage team led an expedition to recover as much oil as possible. Divers used "hot taps" to drill into the oil tanks and removed all accessible oil, nearly , rendering the wreck safer. The recovered oil was barged back to Singapore, where it was sold for $0.50/gallon to help cover the $11 million salvage costs. The ship was featured on the television shows The Sea Hunters, Deep Sea Detectives, and Dogfights. Notes References Mair, Michael Oil, Fire and Fate: The Sinking of the USS Mississinewa AO-59 in WWII by Japan's Secret Weapon 2008. SMJ Publishing, Platteville, Wisconsin. External links NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive U.S.S. Mississinewa, AO-59 Web Site "The AO-59 Memorial" . On 20 November 1944, at Ulithi Atoll, the Mississinewa was sunk Report of the initial wreck dives in April 2001 on Bentprop.org Report of U.S. Navy survey dive expedition in August 2001 Report of U.S. Navy oil recovery dives in February 2003 Cimarron-class oilers (1939) Ships built in Sparrows Point, Maryland 1944 ships World War II auxiliary ships of the United States World War II tankers of the United States World War II shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean Ships sunk by Japanese submarines Maritime incidents in November 1944