USNS Mission Santa Ynez (T-AO-134)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


USNS Mission Santa Ynez

Career USN Jack
Ordered:
Laid down: 9 September 1943
Launched: 19 December 1943
Commissioned: 13 March 1944
Decommissioned: n/a
Fate: Entered the Maritime Administration's Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet on March 6 1975. Currently on the verge of being scrapped, she is the last T-2 tanker extant.
General characteristics
Displacement: 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 Santa Ynez is 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 Solvang, California.

Mission Santa Ynez was laid down 9 September 1943 under a Maritime Commission contract by Marinship Corporation, Sausalito, California; launched 19 December 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Ralph K. Davies; and delivered 13 March 1944. Chartered to Pacific Tankers, Inc., for operations, she spent the remainder of the War carrying fuel to our forces overseas. She remained in this capacity until 28 March 1946 when she was returned to the Maritime Commission and laid up in the Maritime reserve Fleet at James River, Virginia.

Acquired by the Navy 22 October 1947 she was placed in service with the Naval Transportation Service as Mission Santa Ynez (AO-134). Taken over by the newly created Military Sea Transportation Service 1 October 1949 she was redesignated USNS Mission Santa Ynez (T-AO-134). Chartered to Mathiasens Tanker Industries, Inc., for operations, she still serves MSTS, the only ship of her class to serve MSTS continuously, since its establishment.

During her active duty, she was awarded the National Defense Service Medal (twice), the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactively).

[edit] References

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

Property Management and Archive Record System Website

[edit] See also