USNS Private Joe E. Mann

USNS Private Joe E. Mann (T-AK-253) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship acquired in 1950, from the U.S. Army, where she was known as the USAT Private Joe E. Mann.

USNS Pvt. J.E. Mann (T-AK-253), right, circa 1960
History
United States
Name	Owensboro Victory Private Joe E. Mann Richfield
Namesake	Owensboro, Kentucky Joe E. Mann, awarded the Medal of Honor Richfield, Utah
Ordered	as type (VC2-S-AP3) hull, MCV hull 719
Builder	Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California
Laid down	12 June 1945
Launched	21 July 1945
Sponsored by	Mrs. Robert A. Nieman
Completed	27 August 1945
Commissioned	30 August 1946, as USAT Private Joe E. Mann
In service	7 August 1950, as USNS Private Joe. E Mann (T-AK-253);
Out of service	21 November 1968
Reclassified	27 November 1960, as USNS Richfield (T-AGM-4)
Stricken	date unknown
Identification	Hull symbol: T-AK-253 Hull symbol:T-AGM-4
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 16 March 1976
General characteristics
Class and type	Boulder Victory-class cargo ship (1945-1960) Longview-class missile range instrumentation ship (1960-)
Displacement	4,480 long tons (4,550 t) (standard) 15,580 long tons (15,830 t) (full load)
Length	455 ft (139 m)
Beam	62 ft (19 m)
Draft	29 ft 2 in (8.89 m)
Installed power	8,500 shp (6,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × steam turbine 2 × header-type boilers, 525psi 750° 1 × shaft
Speed	15.5 kn (17.8 mph; 28.7 km/h)
Complement	99 officers and enlisted
Armament	none

In 1960, the Navy converted the ship to a Longview-class missile range instrumentation ship and renamed her USNS Richfield (T-AGM-4). Richfield served on the Pacific Missile Range, based out of California, and was placed out of service in 1968.

Victory ship constructed in California

Private Joe E. Mann (AK–253) was laid down, under U.S. Maritime Commission contract, as Owensboro Victory (MCV hull 719) by the Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard #2, Richmond, California, 12 June 1945; launched 21 July 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Robert A. Nieman; and delivered to the Maritime Commission, thence to Coastwise Lines for operation, 27 August 1945.

Post-World War II commercial service

A month and a half after delivery, Owensboro Victory departed San Francisco, California, carrying cargo and passengers to occupied Japan. In December, she sailed for the United States, via the Suez Canal, and arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, 7 February 1946.

Shifting to New York City, the following month, she made cargo runs to European ports until returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission in September, for transfer to the Army Transportation Service.

U.S. Army service

Renamed USAT Private Joe E. Mann, 31 October 1947, she served the Army until she was again returned to the Maritime Commission and simultaneously transferred to the Navy, 7 August 1950.

U.S. Navy service

Designated T-AK–253, the Victory ship was manned by a civil service crew and operated under Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as a cargo ship until October 1958.

Conversion to a missile tracking ship

Then fitted out as a missile range instrumentation ship, she was reassigned by MSTS to the Pacific Missile Range. Private Joe E. Mann served as a telemetry ship for the early Corona surveillance satellite missions (as early as Discoverer 8, November 1959) through the flight of Discoverer 13 (August 1960). Renamed and reclassified USNS Richfield (AGM–4) on 27 November 1960, she operated off the California coast, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force.

Two other ships were reconfigured in to this new class, Longview-class missile range instrumentation ship, Dalton Victory and Longview.

USNS PVT Joe E. Mann in 1960, supporting the Discoverer program.

Final inactivation

Richfield continued her missile tracking until transferred to the Maritime Administration, 21 November 1968, when she was berthed with the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, Benicia, California.

She was sold for scrapping, 16 March 1976, to Nicolai Joffe, and then withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet and delivered to Nicolai Joffe, 12 April 1976.

See also

• Missile Range Instrumentation Ship

References

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - T-AK-253 Private Joe E. Mann - T- AGM-4 Richfield