SS Pacific Tracker

Last updated
Beaver State.jpg
SS Beaver State (T-ACS-10)
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
Name
  • SS Mormacdraco (1964 - 1983)
  • SS American Draco (1983 - 1997)
  • SS Beaver State (1997 - 2006)
  • SS Pacific Tracker (2009 - present)
Builder Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi
Laid down13 April 1964
Launched14 January 1965
Acquired2 April 1987
Out of service28 July 2006
Identification
NotesLaunched as SS Mormacdraco
General characteristics
Class and type Keystone State-class crane ship
Displacement27,900 tons
Length665 ft 8 in (202.90 m)
Beam75 ft 0 in (22.86 m)
Draft31 ft 6 in (9.60 m)
Propulsiontwo boilers, two steam turbines, single propeller, 13,851 shaft horsepower (10,329 kW)
Speed20.4 kn (23.5 mph; 37.8 km/h)
Capacity45,750 square feet (4,250 m2) of Cargo
ComplementFull Operational Status: 89 civilian mariners Reduced Operational Status: 10 civilian mariners

SS Pacific Tracker is a United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) missile range instrumentation ship that monitors tests conducted by the Missile Defense Agency. It was formerly a crane ship named SS Beaver State (T-ACS-10) was named for the state of Oregon, which is also known as the Beaver State. As of 30 September, 2023, Pacific Tracker was listed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Pacific division assigned to Portland, OR. [1]

Contents

History

Pacific Tracker in background 2012 Aboard the vessel (6809929338).jpg
Pacific Tracker in background 2012

Beaver State was laid down on 13 April 1964, as the break-bulk freighter, SS Mormacdraco, ON 299008, IMO 6507921, a Maritime Administration type (C4-S-60a) hull, under MARAD contract (MA 144). Built by Ingalls Shipbuilding Inc., Pascagoula, MS, hull no. 487, she was launched on 14 January 1965 and delivered to MARAD 28 May 1965, for service with Moore-McCormack Lines. In 1976 the ship was lengthened and converted to a partial container ship by Todd Ship Yard, Galveston, TX. She was sold to United States Lines in 1983 and renamed SS American Draco, 13 September. US Lines ceased operations in 1986 and the ship was turned over to the MARAD on 2 April 1987 and placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF). The ship was selected for conversion to a MARAD type (C6-S-MA60b) crane ship, but conversion was canceled, 12 January 1990. Conversion resumed in 1992, but was not completed by National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, CA until 4 May 1997, when she was placed in service as SS Beaver State (T-ACS-10) and assigned to the Ready Reserve Force (RRF), under operation control of the Military Sealift Command (MSC). Beaver State was berthed at Bremerton, WA. and assigned to Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron Three and was maintained in a five-day readiness status. She was removed from MSC control and withdrawn from the RRF by reassignment to the NDRF on 28 July 2006.

She was converted for the Missile Defense Agency at Cascade General Shipyards, Portland, OR. to an X-Band Transportable Radar Ship, designated (XTR-1) and renamed SS Pacific Tracker, 1 April 2009. [2]

Related Research Articles

SS <i>Gopher State</i> Crane ship

SS Gopher State (T-ACS-4) is a crane ship in ready reserve for the United States Navy. The ship was named for the state of Minnesota, which is also known as the Gopher State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Defense Reserve Fleet</span> United States Maritime Administration reserve fleet

The National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) consists of ships of the United States, mostly merchant vessels, that have been mothballed but can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping during national military emergencies, or non-military emergencies such as commercial shipping crises.

SS <i>Flickertail State</i> Crane ship in ready reserve for the United States Navy

SS Flickertail State (T-ACS-5) is a crane ship in ready reserve for the United States Navy. She is stationed at Newport News, Virginia and is in ready reserve under the Military Sealift Command (MSC). The ship was named for the state of North Dakota, which is also known as the Flickertail State.

<i>Gopher State</i>-class crane ship Class of auxiliary vessels in the United States Navy

The Gopher State-class crane ships of the United States Navy are a class of auxiliary vessels. The lead ship of the class is named in honor of the state of Minnesota. Original United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) designation for the ship is C5-S-73b.

SS <i>Cornhusker State</i> Crane ship in ready reserve for the United States Navy

SS Cornhusker State (T-ACS-6) is a crane ship in ready reserve for the United States Navy. She is stationed in Newport News, Virginia under operation control of the Military Sealift Command (MSC). The ship was named for the state of Nebraska, which is also known as the Cornhusker State.

USNS <i>Mission San Diego</i>

SS Mission San Diego was a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. After the war she was acquired by the United States Navy as USS Mission San Diego (AO-121). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Diego (T-AO-121). She was a member of the Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for the Mission San Diego de Alcalá.

USNS <i>Comet</i>

USNS Comet (T-AK-269), later T-LSV-7, later T-AKR-7, later SS Comet, is a vehicle landing ship built for the United States Navy. The lone ship of her class, she is named for the comet, and is the fourth U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USNS <i>Sea Lift</i>

USNS Sea Lift (T-LSV-9) was a roll on/roll off (Ro/Ro) cargo ship built for the United States Navy's Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), currently the Military Sealift Command (MSC). She became the first ship of Ro/Ro-type to deliver cargo to Vietnam during the war in Indochina.

SS <i>Curtiss</i> Marine aviation logistics support ship

SS Curtiss (T-AVB-4) is one of two Wright-class aviation logistics support ship converted for the Military Sealift Command by Todd Shipyards in 1987.

SS <i>Cape Mohican</i> (T-AKR-5065)

The SS Cape Mohican (T-AKR-5065) is a steam turbine powered heavy-lift Seabee barge carrier, one of two ships of her type in the Military Sealift Command's Ready Reserve Force.

SS <i>Grand Canyon State</i> US Navy reserve crane ship

SS Grand Canyon State (T-ACS-3) is a crane ship in ready reserve for the United States Navy. The ship was named for the state of Arizona, which is also known as the Grand Canyon State.

SS <i>Keystone State</i> (T-ACS-1) Crane ship in Ready Reserve for the United States Navy

SS Keystone State (T-ACS-1) is a crane ship in ready reserve for the United States Navy. The ship was named for the state of Pennsylvania, which is also known as the Keystone State.

SS <i>Gem State</i> Crane ship in Ready Reserve for the United States Navy

SS Gem State (T-ACS-2) is a crane ship in Ready Reserve for the United States Navy. The ship was named for the state of Idaho, which is also known as the Gem State.

SS <i>Equality State</i> Crane ship of the United States Navy

SS Equality State (T-ACS-8) was a crane ship of the United States Navy. The ship was named for the state of Wyoming, which is also known as the Equality State. She was scrapped in June 2019.

SS <i>Diamond State</i> Crane ship in the National Defense Reserve Fleet for the United States Navy

SS Diamond State (T-ACS-7) is a crane ship in the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NRDF) for the United States Navy. The ship was named for the state of Delaware, which is also known as the "Diamond State". The ship was initially a bulk freighter named SS Japan Mail when launched in 1961 and entered service in 1962 with the American Mail Line. In 1971, the ship was lengthened and renamed SS President Truman. In 1987, the vessel was taken over by MARAD and converted to a crane ship and in 1989, renamed Diamond State.

SS <i>Green Mountain State</i> Crane ship in ready reserve for the United States Navy

SS Green Mountain State (T-ACS-9) is a crane ship in ready reserve for the United States Navy. The ship was named for the state of Vermont, which is also known as the Green Mountain State.

SS <i>Cape May</i> (T-AKR-5063)

SS Cape May (T-AKR-5063) is a steam turbine powered heavy-lift Seabee barge carrier, one of two ships of her type in the Military Sealift Command's Ready Reserve Force.

The Type C7 ship(Lancer Class) is a United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) designation for a cargo ship and the first US purpose-built container ship. The vessels were constructed in US shipyards and entered service starting in 1968. As US-built ships they were Jones Act qualified for shipments between US domestic ports. Under the Jones Act, domestic US maritime trade is restricted to US-built and flagged vessels of US owners and manned by predominantly US-citizen crews. The last active Lancer container-configured ship was scrapped in 2019. Lancers of the vehicle Roll-on/Roll-off (RO/RO) configuration remain held in the Ready Reserve Force, National Defense Reserve Fleet and the US Navy Military Sealift Command. All are steam powered.

Type C6 ship

The Type C6 ship is a United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) designation for a container ship developed during the transition years from moving goods by breakbulk cargo to containerization. The Type C4 ships Mariner class, arranged with its house/engine-room in the center of the vessel with cargo hatches at 4 forward and 2 aft, was very successful. Eleven of these Mariner ships were converted into Type C6 container ships, and eight vessels were new built. As of September 2023 only three C6 ships, the converted C4s, are extant. All three are crane ships in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.

Type C5 ship

The Type C5 ship is a United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) designation for World War II breakbulk cargo and later a container ship for containerization shipments. The first type C5-class ship was a class of ships constructed and produced in the United States during World War II. The World War II C5-class ship was dry bulk cargo ship built by Bethlehem Steel in Sparrows Point, Maryland. Bethlehem Steel built eight ships in this bulk cargo class and four orders were canceled. The C5-class ship has a 24,250 DWT and was 560 feet (170 m) long. The C5 was mainly used as iron ore carriers. The C5 was needed to replace other ships that sank during World War II. First in her class was SS Venore, USMC #1982, delivered on 20 July 1945. The Type C5-class ship designed to fill the need to move iron ore from Santa Cruz, Chile, to Sparrows Point, Maryland, through the Panama Canal, a round-trip of 8,700 nautical miles . Post World War II, four ships were given C5 class type C5-S-78a, these were roll-on/roll-off container ship built by Ingalls Shipbuilding, Inc. of Pascagoula, Mississippi and operated by the Moore-McCormack Lines. The C5-S-78a had a deadweight tonnage of 16,000 tons.

References

  1. MARAD. "National Defense Reserve Fleet Inventory September 2023" (PDF). Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  2. Silverstone, Paul (2011). The Navy of the Nuclear Age, 1947-2007. Routledge. p. 237. ISBN   978-1135864668.