USNS Mission San Luis Rey

History
United States
Laid down	15 October 1943
Launched	29 January 1944
Acquired	23 October 1947
In service	23 October 1947
Out of service	19 November 1957
Stricken	19 November 1957
Fate	Sold for scrap, 7 November 1972
General characteristics
Displacement	21,880 tons full; 5,532 tons light;
Length	524 ft (160 m)
Beam	68 ft (21 m)
Draft	30 ft (9 m)
Propulsion	Turbo-electric, single screw,; 6,000 hp (4.5 MW);
Speed	16.5 knots (31 km/h)
Complement	52 mariners

SS Mission San Luis Rey was a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. After the war she was acquired by the United States Navy as USS Mission San Luis Rey (AO-128). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission San Luis Rey (T-AO-128). She was a Mission Buenaventura-class oiler and was named for Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, located in Oceanside, California.

Career

Mission San Luis Rey was laid down 15 October 1943 under a Maritime Commission contract by Marine Ship Corporation, Sausalito, California; launched 29 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. T. L. Phillips; and delivered 31 March 1944. Chartered to Pacific Tankers, Inc. for operations, she spent the remainder of the War carrying fuel to Allied bases overseas (during which time she was awarded the National Defense Service Medal). She served in this capacity until 29 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 23 October 1947 she was placed in service with the Naval Transportation Service as Mission San Luis Rey (AO-128) and remained in this service until 1 October 1949 when she was transferred to the newly created Military Sea Transportation Service for duty as USNS Mission San Luis Rey (T-AO-128). She remained in this capacity until 6 May 1955 when she was returned to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, California. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 22 June 1955.

Reacquired by the Navy on 22 June 1956 she was placed in service with MSTS. She served with MSTS until 19 November 1957 when she was again struck from the U.S. Naval Vessel Register on that same date and transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Beaumont, Texas.

Sold as scrap on 7 November 1972 for $103,133.00. Removed from Beaumont on 18 December 1972 to be towed to breakers.

References

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

"Mission San Luis Rey". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
"T-AO-128 Mission San Luis Rey". Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
"PMARS Ship Record Detail". Property Management and Archive Record System. Retrieved 2 October 2008.