USNS Mission San Rafael (T-AO-130)

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USNS Mission San Rafael (T-AO-130) underway with a deck cargo of oil drums, date and location unknown.
Career USN Jack
Laid down: 25 September 1943
Launched: 31 December 1943
Delivered: 22 March 1944
Fate: Unknown
Struck: 22 June 1955
General characteristics
Displacement: 5,532 tons (light),
21,880 tons (full)
Length: 524 ft 0 in (160 m)
Beam: 68 ft 0 in (21 m)
Draft: 30 ft 0 in (9 m)
Speed: 16.5 knots (31 km/h)
Complement: 52 mariners
Propulsion: Turbo-electric, single screw
Armament: None

The USNS Mission San Rafael (AO-130) was the twentieth of twenty-seven Mission Buenaventura Class fleet oilers built during World War II for service in the United States Navy. Named for the Mission San Rafael Arcángel, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

Originally laid down as SS Mission San Rafael on 25 September 1943 as a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A2) tanker hull under a Maritime Commission contract by the Marine Ship Corporation, Sausalito, California; launched 31 December 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Edith S. Waterman; and delivered 22 March 1944. Chartered to Los Angeles Tanker Operators, Inc. for operations on the same date, she spent the remainder of the War carrying fuel to U.S. forces in the western Pacific (during which time she was awarded the National Defense Service Medal). She remained in this capacity until 25 April 1946 when she was transferred to the Maritime Commission and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Olympia, Washington. Acquired by the Navy 21 October 1947 she was chartered to Union Oil Company for operations and placed under the operational control of the Naval Transportation Service as Mission San Rafael (AO-130). Transferred to the control of the newly created Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) on 1 October 1949 she was redesignated USNS Mission San Rafael (T-AO-130). She remained with MSTS until 2 February 1955 when she was returned to MARAD and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Olympia. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 22 June 1955.

Reacquired by the Navy 20 June 1956 she was once again placed in service with MSTS and was operated, under charter, by Marine Transport Lines. She served until 20 August 1959 when she was returned to MARAD and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, California. Reacquired by the Navy on 31 May 1960 she was placed in service with MSTS and operated, under charter, by Marine Transport Lines. Into 1969, she was still serving with MSTS, carrying fuel to U.S. forces stationed overseas.

The ship's final disposition is unknown.

[edit] References

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

[edit] See also

v • d • e
Mission Buenaventura-class fleet oiler

Converted to distilling ships:
List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy