USNS Mission San Gabriel

Last updated
Mission San Gabriel T-AO-124.jpg
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameMission San Gabriel
Builder Marinship Corporation, Sausalito, California
Laid down31 January 1944
Launched17 April 1944
Acquired27 May 1944
Stricken20 December 1957
Identification IMO number:  6621208
FateScrapped December 1983
General characteristics
Class and type Mission Buenaventura-class oiler
Displacement
  • 5,532 long tons (5,621 t) light
  • 21,880 long tons (22,231 t) full
Length523 ft 6 in (159.56 m)
Beam68 ft (21 m)
Draft30 ft (9.1 m)
PropulsionTurbo-electric, single screw, 6,000 hp (4.47 MW)
Speed16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Complement52
ArmamentNone

SS Mission San Gabriel 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 Gabriel (AO-124). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Gabriel (T-AO-124). She was a member of the Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

Career

Originally laid down as SS Mission San Gabriel on 31 January 1944 as a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A2) tanker hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1817) by Marine Ship Corporation, Sausalito, California; launched on 17 April 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Ralph Meyers: and delivered on 27 May 1944.

Chartered to Deconhill Shipping Company, on 28 May 1944, for the remainder of the war, she supplied oil to U.S. and Allied Forces in the Pacific. Returned to the Maritime Commission in early February 1946, she was transferred to the Reserve Fleet and laid up on 28 February 1946. Acquired by the Navy on 14 October 1947, she was transferred to the Naval Transportation Service on the same day for service as Mission San Gabriel (AO‑124) and was operated, under charter, by Pacific Tankers, Inc. Upon the founding of the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) on 1 October 1949, she was absorbed into this service and continued operations until 28 December 1949, when she was returned to the Navy and laid up at San Diego as part of the U.S. Navy Pacific Reserve Fleet.

With the commencement of the Korean War, the Mission San Gabriel was taken out of mothballs and placed in service with MSTS on 18 July 1950 as USNS Mission San Gabriel (T‑AO‑124). She helped support U.S. forces in Korea until 31 March 1954, when she was taken out of service and mothballed at the San Diego group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet.

Once again, the faithful tanker’s service was needed and on 8 October 1956, she was taken out of mothballs and placed in service for duty with MSTS. Her service with MSTS was short this time, and on 20 December 1957, she was taken out of service and transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay for berthing. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on the same date.

In early 1966 Mission San Gabriel’s call to duty came again. Sold to the Hudson Waterways Corporation on 24 June 1966 she was converted into a container ship by Savannah Machine and Foundry and renamed SS Seatrain Delaware, IMO 6621208, on 21 November 1966. In early 1967, she departed the yards and began her new career carrying containerized cargo for Seatrain Lines between the east and west coasts of the United States and to Puerto Rico. On 30 June 1972 the ship was chartered to Tyler Tanker Corp, and in 1973 she was returned to the Reserve Fleet (James River). She was renamed Delaware on 8 August 1978, and on 16 October 1983 the ship was sold for scrapping in Spain.

Related Research Articles

USNS <i>Mission San Juan</i>

SS Mission San Juan 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 Juan. Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Juan. She was a member of the Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission San Juan Bautista in San Juan Bautista, California.

USNS <i>Mission Capistrano</i>

SS Mission Capistrano 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 Capistrano (AO-112). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Capistrano (T-AO-112). She was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for San Juan Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano, California.

USNS <i>Mission Buenaventura</i> U.S. Navy tanker ship

SS Mission Buenaventura 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 Buenaventura (AO-111). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Buenaventura (T-AO-111). The lead ship in her class of fleet oilers, she was named for Mission San Buenaventura located in Ventura, California.

USNS <i>Mission Dolores</i>

SS Mission Dolores was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II, named for Mission San Francisco de Asís in San Juan Capistrano, California, one of two named for the Franciscan mission located in San Francisco, California.

SS Mission Loreto 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 Loreto (AO-116). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Loreto (T-AO-116). She was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó, located in Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico, considered the "Head and Mother of all the California Missions."

SS Mission San Antonio 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 Antonio (AO-119). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Antonio (T-AO-119). She was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission San Antonio de Padua located near Jolon, California.

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>Mission San Fernando</i>

SS Mission San Fernando 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 Fernando (AO-122). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Fernando (T-AO-122). She was a member of the Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission San Fernando Rey de España in Los Angeles. She was later renamed USNS Muscle Shoals (T-AGM-19), and, later, USNS Vanguard (T-AG-194).

SS Mission San Jose 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 Jose. Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Jose. She was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission San José, located in Fremont, California.

USNS <i>Mission Santa Ana</i>

USNS Mission Santa Ana (T-AO-137) was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler that served in the United States Navy. The ship was originally intended as USS Concho (AO-102) for the U.S. Navy but her acquisition was canceled. The ship, a Type T2-SE-A3 tanker, was completed as SS Mission Santa Ana and delivered after the end of World War II. The tanker was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1948 as USS Mission Santa Ana (AO-137), but was transferred to the Military Sea Transport Service upon its creation in 1949. The ship was named for the Santa Ana Estancia, she was the only U.S. Naval Vessel to bear the name.

USNS <i>Mission San Luis Obispo</i>

SS Mission San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo (AO-127). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Luis Obispo (T-AO-127). A Mission Buenaventura-class oiler, she was named for Mission San Luís Obispo de Tolosa in San Luis Obispo, California.

SS Mission San Luis Rey 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 Luis Rey (AO-128). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Luis Rey (T-AO-128). She was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, located in Oceanside, California.

SS Mission San Miguel 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 Miguel (AO-129). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Miguel (T-AO-129). She was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission San Miguel Arcángel, located in San Miguel, California.

USNS <i>Mission San Rafael</i>

SS Mission San Rafael 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 Rafael (AO-130). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Rafael (T-AO-130). She was a member of the Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission San Rafael Arcángel, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

SS Mission Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara (AO-131). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Santa Barbara (T-AO-131). She was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara, California.

SS Mission Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara (AO-132). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Santa Clara (T-AO-132). She was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission Santa Clara de Asís in Santa Clara, California.

USNS <i>Mission Solano</i>

SS Mission Solano 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 Solano (AO-135). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Solano (T-AO-135). A Mission Buenaventura-class oiler, she was named for Mission San Francisco Solano, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

SS Mission Soledad 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 Soledad (AO-136). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Soledad (T-AO-136). She was a member of the Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, located in Soledad, California.

SS Mission San Carlos 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 Carlos (AO-120). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Carlos (T-AO-120). She was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was one of two U.S. Navy vessels named for Mission San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo, located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, the other being Mission Carmel.

USS <i>Pamanset</i> (AO-85) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Pamanset (AO-85) was a Escambia-class replenishment oiler acquired by the United States Navy for use during World War II. She had the dangerous but necessary task of providing fuel to vessels in combat and non-combat areas.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .