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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Mission San Miguel (T-AO-129)
ex
 Mission San Miguel (AO-129) (1947 - 1949)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Romeo - Yankee
 NHRY
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - National Defense Service Medal
Bottom Row - Korean Service Medal - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Mission Buenaventura Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 11 August 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A2) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC 1273) at Marinship, Sausalito, CA;
  • Launched, 31 October 1943
  • Delivered to the WSA, 19 February 1944 for charter to Pacific Tankers, Inc.
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 20 May 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Mobile, AL.
  • Acquired by Navy, 4 November 1947, and assigned to the Naval Transportation Service (NTS) as Mission San Miguel (AO-129) to be operated under a charter by American Pacific Steamship Co.
  • Operational control transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service, 1 October 1949
  • Redesignated USNS Mission San Miguel (T-AO-129)
  • Placed out of service, 22 March 1950
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego, CA.
  • Placed in service, 24 July 1950 under Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) control as Mission San Miguel (T-AO-129)
  • Placed out of service, 28 May 1954, and laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego
  • Reactived and assigned to MSTS, 1 November 1956
  • Ran aground, 8 October 1957, on Maro Reef, Hawaiian Islands
  • Final Disposition, declared unfit for further naval service or salvage
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 20 December 1957
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,532 t.(lt) 21,880 t.(fl)
    Length 523' 6"
    Beam 68'
    Draft 30' 10"
    Speed 15.1 kts (trial)
    Complement
    52 CivMar
    17 US Navy Armed Guard
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    four twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity 15,300DWT
    Oil 120,400 Bbls
    Gasoline 575,000 Gals
    Fuel Capacity NSFO 9,235 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric turbo-electric engine
    two Babcock and Wilcox D-type boilers, 600psi 825°

    Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 400Kw 450V A.C.
     two turbo-drive 85Kw 120V D.C.
     two turbo-drive 55Kw 120V D.C.
     one turbo-drive 50Kw 450V A.C.
    single propeller, 10,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    War Shipping Administration - SS Mission San Miguel
    Mission San Miguel
    091912905    		 293k
    Namesake
    Mission San Miguel Arcángel is a Spanish mission in San Miguel, San Luis Obispo County, CA. It was established on July 25, 1797 by the Franciscan order, on a site chosen specifically due to the large number of Salinan Indians that inhabited the area, whom the Spanish priests wanted to evangelize. (Wikipedia)
    View of Mission San Miguel Arcangel, circa1904. Photo by Charles C. Pierce, (1861-1946). California Historical Society Collection, 1860-1960, USC Libraries Special Collections (Wikipedia)     		Tommy Trampp
    Mission San Miguel 181k SS Mission San Miguel under construction on Way # 3 at Marinship Corp. Sausalito, CA., 79 days after keel laying.
    US Maritime Commission photo by Marinship courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages.    		 Robert Hurst
    Mission San Miguel 132k SS Mission San Miguel launching and Christening ceremony, 31 October 1943, Marinship, Sausalito, CA. Leo Bangsund
    Mission San Miguel 755k SS Mission San Miguel fitting out, 26 November 1943, 27 days after launching
    US Maritime Commission by Marinship photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages.    		 Robert Hurst
    USNS Mission San Miguel (T-AO-129)
    Mission San Miguel 157k USNS Mission San Miguel (T-AO-129) stranded on Maro Reef, Hawaii, on or after 8 Oct 1957. She is stuck fast and breaking up. The vessels 45 man crew fought for more than 24 hours to save the ship, but were removed after it became apparent their efforts were futile.
    United Press Telephoto of 12 October 1957 from a US Navy photo.    		 John Chiquoine
    USNS Mission San Miguel (T-AO-129)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Fleet Tankers Association
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
    Back to the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To the Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 12 February 2021