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USNS Mission Santa Barbara (T-AO-131)
ex
 Mission Santa Barbara (AO-131) (1947 - 1949)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Sierra - Bravo
 NHSB
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 (4) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Mission Buenaventura Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 8 April 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A2) tanker hull under a Maritime Commission contract at Marinship Corp., Sausalito, CA.
  • Launched, 8 June 1944
  • Delivered to the Maritime Commission for charter to Pacific Tankers Inc.
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 8 May 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA.
  • Acquired by the Navy, 20 October 1947
  • Placed in service by the Naval Transportation Service (NTS) as Mission Santa Barbara (AO-131) under charter to Union Oil Co.
  • Control transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) 1 October 1949, redesignated USNS Mission Santa Barbara (T-AO-131)
  • Placed out of service, 12 April 1954
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Placed in service with MSTS on 8 October 1956, chartered to Joshua Henry Corp. for operations
  • Placed out of service, struck from the Naval Register, and transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, TX., 8 November 1957
  • USNS Mission Santa Barbara earned four battle star for Korean War service
  • Final Disposition, sold, 26 March 1966, to Hudson Waterways Corp. for commercial service as container ship/train ferry, renamed Seatrain Carolina, 7 April 1966, fate unknown
    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
    Mission Santa Barbara (War Shipping Administration)
    Mission Santa Barbara
    091913103    		 285k
    Namesake
    Mission Santa Barbara - is a Spanish mission in Santa Barbara, CA. It was founded by Padre Fermín Lasuén for the Franciscan order on December 4, 1786, the feast day of Saint Barbara, as the tenth mission for the religious conversion of the indigenous local Chumash-Barbareño tribe of Native American people. The mission is the namesake of the city of Santa Barbara as well as of Santa Barbara County. (Wikipedia)
    Old Mission Church, Santa Barbara, 1876 Photo by Carleton Watkins    		 Tommy Trampp
    Mission Santa Barbara 112k Mission Santa Barbara being assisted by tugs at the Marinship yard at Sausalito, CA., circa June-July 1944. Moored in the same slip to the right is the War Shipping Administration tanker Mission Santa Clara.
    US National Archives photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages.    		 Robert Hurst
    Merchant Service Seatrain Corp.
    Mission Santa Barbara 124k Ex-Mission Santa Barbara in merchant service as SS Seatrain Carolina under way, date and location unknown.
    Photo © David Boone, courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages..     		Robert Hurst
    USNS Mission Santa Barbara (T-AO-131)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships DANFS
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 12 February 2021