USNS Mission Loreto (AO-116)
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| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Ordered: | |
| Laid down: | 27 April 1944 |
| Launched: | 28 June 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 22 July 1944 |
| Decommissioned: | 13 July 1959 |
| Fate: | Unknown |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 5,532 tons light; 21,880 tons full |
| Length: | 524 ft (160 m) |
| Beam: | 68 ft (21 m) |
| Draft: | 30 ft (9 m) |
| Speed: | 16.5 knots (31 km/h) |
| Complement: | 52 mariners |
| Armament: | None |
The USNS Mission Loreto was one of twenty-seven Mission Buenaventura Class fleet oilers built during World War II for service in the United States Navy, named for the Jesuit mission located in Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico, considered "Head and Mother of all the California Missions."
Mission Loreto was laid down on 27 April 1944 under a Maritime Commission contract by Marine Ship Corporation, Sausalito, California ; launched 28 June 1944; sponsored by Mrs. S. D. Bechtel; and delivered 22 July 1944. Operated, under charter, by Los Angeles Tanker Operators Inc., she spent the remainder of the War transporting fuel to our allied in the western Pacific, during which time she was awarded the National Defense Service Medal. She continued in these duties until 26 April 1946 when she was returned to the Maritime Commission and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Mobile, Alabama.
Acquired by the Navy 20 November 1947 she was placed in service with Naval Transportation Service on the same date as Mission Loreto (AO-116). On 1 October 1949 she was still performing these duties, but was under control of the new Military Sea Transportation Service and was designated USNS Mission Loreto (T-AO-116). She continued in these duties until 25 August 1955 when she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register and transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Beaumont, Texas.
Reacquired by the Navy 25 June 1956 she was placed in service with MSTS on the same date and served until 13 July 1959 when she was once again returned to the Maritime Administration and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, California. Into 1969, Mission Loreto was still berthed at Suisun Bay.
The ship's final disposition in unknown.
[edit] References
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
- Mission Loreto. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved on April 2, 2006.
- AO-116 Mission Loreto. Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index. Retrieved on April 2, 2006.
[edit] See also
| Mission-class tankers |
|---|
|
Mission Buenaventura · Mission Capistrano · Mission Carmel · Mission De Pala · Mission Dolores · Mission Loreto · Mission Los Angeles · Mission Purisima · Mission San Antonio · Mission San Carlos · Mission San Diego · Mission San Fernando · Mission San Francisco · Mission San Gabriel · Mission San Jose · Mission San Juan · Mission San Luis Obispo · Mission San Luis Rey · Mission San Miguel · Mission San Rafael · Mission Santa Barbara · Mission Santa Clara · Mission Santa Cruz · Mission Santa Ynez · Mission Solano · Mission Soledad · Mission Santa Ana |
| Converted to distilling ships Mission San Xavier • Mission San Lorenzo |
| List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy |
