USNS Mission Capistrano

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USNS Mission Capistrano.jpg
USNS Mission Capistrano (AO-112)
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
Namesake Mission San Juan Capistrano
Builder Marinship, Sausalito, California [1]
Yard number43
Laid down29 February 1944
Launched7 May 1944
Acquired14 June 1944
Reclassified(AG-162), 1 July 1960
Stricken1 January 1955
Identification IMO number:  7517466
Fate
  • Sold to Mission Drilling & Exploration Corp, New Orleans, LA, 15 Mar 1973
  • Scrapped, 1980-82
General characteristics
Displacement
  • 5,532 tons (light);
  • 21,880 tons (full)
Length524 ft 0 in (160 m)
Beam68 ft 0 in (21 m)
Draft30 ft 0 in (9 m)
PropulsionTurbo-electric, single screw
Speed16.5 knots (31 km/h)
Complement52 mariners
Armament2 x 5 in (2x1), 8 x 20mm (8x1) (WWII)

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.

Contents

Career

Originally laid down on 29 February 1944 as a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A2) tanker hull (MC hull 1819) under a Maritime Commission contract as SS Mission Capistrano at the Marinship Corporation in Sausalito, California; launched on 7 May 1944; sponsored by Mrs. James E. George; and delivered on 14 June 1944. Chartered to Pacific Tankers Inc., she spent the rest of the War supporting allied forces overseas (during which time she was awarded the National Defense Service Medal), until returned to the Maritime Commission on 20 April 1946 and laid up at the Maritime Commission Reserve Fleet at Mobile, Alabama. Acquired by the Navy on 17 November 1947, she was designated as Mission Capistrano (AO‑112) and transferred to the Naval Transportation Service for duty. She served with this service until 1 October 1949 when the Naval Transportation Service was absorbed into the new Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and laid up at the Beaumont, Texas, Reserve Fleet. [2]

Redesignated USNS Mission Capistrano (T‑AO‑112), she was transferred to the operational control of MSTS on the same date. She continued her service with MSTS until 1 January 1955 when she was placed out of service, struck from the Naval Vessel Register, and transferred to the Maritime Administration and laid up at the Beaumont, Texas Reserve Fleet. Reacquired by the Navy on 5 July 1956, she was transferred to MSTS on the same date and placed in service for further duty with MSTS. She continued her voyages along the world's tanker routes transporting oil to and from the United States until early 1960, when she entered the Todd Pacific Shipyards at New Orleans, Louisiana for conversion to a "Sound Testing Ship." Reclassified USNS Mission Capistrano (AG‑162) on 1 July 1960 she was modified to carry an ultra‑high‑powered sonar transducer array some five stories high and several tons in weight. The transducer could be raised and lowered like a centerboard through the ship's bottom. Upon completion of her conversion, she was placed in service as USNS Mission Capistrano (T-AG-162) (date unknown) and joined "Project Artemis," a project intended to ultimately produce a system that could detect submarines at long range. [2]

Transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the "National Defense Reserve Fleet," Mission Capistrano was sold by the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for commercial purposes in 1972 and converted to a "drill ship." Renamed Mission Exploration by 1975, she was scrapped 5 years later in Brownsville, Texas. [3] [4]

Falcon Lady

Another tanker, constructed in the 1970s and initially named Falcon Lady, was later renamed Mission Capistrano. It is part of the "Ready Reserve Force" fleet located near Beaumont, Texas. Because of the similar name it can be confused with the 1940s Mission Capistrano. [5] [6] [7] [8]

Related Research Articles

USNS <i>Mission San Juan</i> United States ship (1943–1984)

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

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USNS <i>Mission Purisima</i>

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USNS <i>Redstone</i>

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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."

USNS <i>Mission Los Angeles</i>

USNS Mission Los Angeles (T-AO-117) was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler that served in the United States Navy. The ship was originally intended as USS Conecuh (AO-103) for the U.S. Navy but her acquisition was canceled. The ship, a Type T2-SE-A3 tanker, was completed as SS Mission Los Angeles and delivered after the end of World War II. The tanker was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1948 as USS Mission Los Angeles (AO-117), but was transferred to the Military Sea Transport Service upon its creation in 1949. The ship was named for Nuestra Señora Reina de los Angeles Asistencia, she was the only U.S. Naval Vessel to bear the name.

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 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 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 Cruz 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 Cruz (AO-133). Later she transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Santa Cruz (T-AO-133). She was a member of the Mission Buenaventura class and was named for Mission Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, 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.

USNS <i>Maumee</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USNS Maumee (T-AO-149), later T-AOT-149, was a United States Navy Maumee-class oiler, later transport oiler, in non-commissioned service with the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), later Military Sealift Command, from 1956 until probably the mid-1980s.

References

  1. ↑ Shipbuilding History - Marinship.
  2. 1 2 "Mission Capistrano". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships . Retrieved March 31, 2006.
  3. ↑ "AO-112 / T-AO-112 / T-AG-162 Mission Capistrano". Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index. Retrieved July 11, 2007.
  4. ↑ "Mariners "T-2 Tankers"". M. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
  5. ↑ NavSource - T-AO / T-AOT-182 Columbia.
  6. ↑ NVR - Mission Capistrano AOT-5005. (ex-Falcon Lady)
  7. ↑ Mission Class Tanker (ex-Falcon Lady)
  8. ↑ Shipbuilding History - Ingalls.

Bibliography

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