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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115)
ex
Mission Dolores (AO-115) (1947 - 1949)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Papa - Bravo
NHPB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
National Defense Service Medal


Mission Buenaventura Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 18 February 1944, as SS Mission Dolores, a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A2) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC 1818) at Marinship, Sausalito, CA.
  • Launched, 26 April 1944
  • Delivered to Pacific Tankers, Inc, 31 May 1944, at Sausalito, CA.
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 17 May 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA..
  • Acquired by the Navy, 20 October 1947, designated Mission Dolores (AO-115) and assigned to the Naval Transportation Service (NTS)
  • Absorbed into the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 1 October 1949 and redesignated USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115)
  • Placed out of service, 30 March 1955
  • Struck from the Naval Register, and returned to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA., 22 June 1955
  • Reacquired by the Navy, 27 June 1956, and placed in service with MSTS on the same date
  • Place out of service, struck from the Naval Register and returned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA., 19 September 1957
  • Transferred by MARAD, 21 April 1969 to Sea-Land Service Inc. for conversion to a containership
  • Renamed SS Tampa, 30 October 1969
  • Sold to Reynolds Leasing Corp., 24 September 1970
  • Final Disposition, scrapped May 1984
    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

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    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115)
    Mission San Francisco
    091912305
    114k
    Namesake
    Mission Dolores Basilica or Mission San Francisco de Asís, is the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco and the sixth religious settlement established as part of the California chain of missions. The Mission was founded on October 9, 1776, by Francisco Palóu (a companion of Junípero Serra) and Co-founder Fray Pedro Benito Cambón, both members of the de Anza Expedition, which had been charged with bringing Spanish settlers to Alta (upper) California and with evangelizing the local Natives, the Ohlone. Some of the Mission's buildings have been turned into businesses, including a print shop and several saloons. (Wikipedia)
    Tommy Trampp
    Mission Dolores 42k USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115) moored, date and location unknown  
    Mission Dolores 474k USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115) underway, probably near Long Beach CA., date unknown. David Buell
    Mission Dolores 960k USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115) underway in the harbor at Long Beach CA., date unknown. David Buell
    Merchant Service Seatrain Corp.
    Mission Dolores
    091911504
    189k Ex-USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115) while in service as the Sea-Land container carrier SS Tampa underway on the Weser River departing Bremen, Germany in May 1971. Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus

    USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115)
    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 19 March 2021