USNS Mission San Diego (AO-121)
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| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Ordered: | |
| Laid down: | 20 December 1943 |
| Launched: | 14 March 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 30 April 1944 |
| Decommissioned: | n/a |
| 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 San Diego 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 Franciscan mission located in San Diego, California.
Mission San Diego was laid down on 20 December 1943 under a Maritime Commission contract by Marine Ship Corporation, Sausalito, California; launched 14 March 1944; sponsored by Mrs. E. J. Rising; and delivered 30 April 1944. Chartered to Deconhill Shipping Co. upon delivery for operations, she spent the remainder of the War carrying fuel to allied forces overseas in the Pacific (during which time she was awarded the National Defense Service Medal). She was returned to the Maritime Commission on 29 March 1946 and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, Califoria.
Acquired by the Navy 17 October 1947 she was designated Mission San Diego (AO‑121) and placed under the operational control of the Naval Transportation Service. After 1 October 1949 she was transferred to the newly created Military Sea Transportation Service for duty as USNS Mission San Diego (T‑AO‑121). She served with MSTS until 30 December 1954 when she was returned to MARAD and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Olympia, Washington. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 22 June 1955.
Reacquired by the Navy on 3 July 1956 she was placed in service with MSTS, but served only until 16 October 1957 when she was returned to the Maritime Commission and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at James River, Virginia. She was again struck from the Naval Vessel Register that same date. Sold to Hudson Waterways Corporation on 10 November 1966 she was renamed Seatrain Washington and converted into a combination train ferry and container ship. Into 1969, she still served the United States carrying cargo between the east coast of the United States and the Caribbean, and occasionally Vietnam.
The ship's final disposition is unknown.
[edit] References
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
- Mission San Diego. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved on April 2, 2006.
- T-AO-121 Mission San Diego. 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 |
