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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Blue Jacket (T-AF-51)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Sierra - Papa - Kilo NSPK

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

National Defense Service Medal (1)

Alstede Class Stores Ship:

Laid down, 23 October 1941, as SS Flying Scud a Maritime Commission type (C2-S-B1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 183) at Moore Drydock Co., Oakland, CA.

Launched, 14 February 1942

Delivered to her operators, United Fruit Co., 25 March 1943

Returned to the Maritime Commission for charter to Pacific Far East Lines, 9 September 1946

Returned to the Maritime Commission for charter to Black Diamond SS Corp., 9 July 1947

Returned to the Maritime Commission for charter to the War Department at New York, 1 October 1948 and Commissioned USAT Blue Jacket

Acquired by the US Navy from the US Army Transportation Service, 1 March 1950

Assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and placed in service as USNS Blue Jacket (T-AF-51)

Placed out of service, 19 August 1970 and transferred, temporary custody, to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, VA.

Transferred, 1 September 1971, permanent custody to MARAD

Struck from the Naval Register, 19 October 1971

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 1 March 1973, to Andy International, Inc., Houston, TX. (PD-X-954 dated 24 January 1973) for $75,666.66

Specifications:
Displacement 6,239 t.(lt) 13,893 t.(fl)
Length 459' 2"
Beam 63'
Draft 25' 9"
Speed 15.5 kts.
Complement 55
Largest Boom Capacity 50 t.
Cargo Capacity 7,800DWT
Fuel Capacity NSFO 18,575 Bbls
Propulsion

one Westinghouse cross compound steam turbine

two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers, 525psi 750°

double Westinghouse Main Reduction Gears

two turbo-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

single propeller, 6,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
Merchant Service United Fruit Co. Pacific Far East Lines
	69k	Pacific Far East Lines SS Flying Scud working cargo, date and location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
USNS Blue Jacket (T-AF-51)
09065121	103k	*Namesake* Blue Jacket (c. 1743 – 1810) was a war chief of the Shawnee people, known for his militant defense of Shawnee lands in the Ohio Country. Perhaps the pre-eminent American Indian leader in the Northwest Indian War, in which a pantribal confederacy fought several battles with the nascent United States, he was an important predecessor of the famous Shawnee leader Tecumseh. Photo from the Gemi website.	Tommy Trampp
09065122	437k	*USNS Blue Jacket* (T-AF-51)** berthed at the Cold Storage Unit in Bremerhaven, Germany in May 1963.	Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	83k	*USNS Blue Jacket* (T-AF-51) arriving at Bremerhaven, Germany immediately after she had collided in thick fog with a German coaster in the River Weser estuary off Bremerhaven in March 1964. There was heavy loss of lives aboard the German coaster. Note scratches on Blue Jacket**'s bow and lost starboard anchor.	Gerhard L. Mueller-Debus
	179k	*USNS Blue Jacket* (T-AF-51)** moored at Bremerhaven, Germany after she had collided in thick fog with a German coaster in the River Weser estuary, off Bremerhaven (Germany) in March 1964.	Gerhard L. Mueller-Debus
	212k	*USNS Blue Jacket* (T-AF-51)** being maneuvered by tugs after being aground at Cheatham Annex, VA., 9 March 1965. US National Archives, Photo # USN 1111477-D, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.	Mike Green
	505k	*USNS Blue Jacket* (T-AF-51)** moored pierside at Bremerhaven, Germany, March 1970, while unloading frozen goods at a cold storage facility for distribution to the US Armed Forces in Germany.	Photo by Gerhard L. Mueller-Debus
	201k	*USNS Blue Jacket* (T-AF-51)** under way, date and location unknown. Photo courtesy Skyfotos	Robert Hurst
	177k	*USNS Blue Jacket* (T-AF-51)** moored pierside, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
	69k	*USNS Blue Jacket* (T-AF-51)** under way, date and location unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.