USNS Mission Buenaventura (T-AO-111)

USNS Mission Buenaventura
Career (U.S.)
Class and type:	Mission Buenaventura-class fleet oiler T2-SE-A2
Name:	SS Mission Buenaventura
Namesake:	Mission San Buenaventura in Ventura, California
Owner:	WSA
Operator:	Deconhill Shipping Company
Builder:	Marinship Corporation
Laid down:	29 March 1944
Launched:	28 May 1944
In service:	28 June 1944
Out of service:	March 1946
Acquired:	by U.S. Navy Naval Transportation Service, 18 November 1947, as USNS Mission Buenaventura
In service:	18 November 1947
Reclassified:	AO-111, 18 November 1947
Reclassified:	T-AO-111, 1 October 1949
Out of service:	4 April 1960
Struck:	31 March 1972
Fate:	Sold for scrapping
General characteristics
Displacement:	5,532 short tons (5,019 t) light; 21,880 short tons (19,850 t) full
Length:	523 ft 6 in (159.56 m)
Draft:	29 ft 11 in (9.12 m)
Complement:	52 mariners
Armament:	None

SS Mission Buenaventura 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 Buenaventura (AO-111). Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Buenaventura (T-AO-111). The lead ship in her class of fleet oilers, she was named for Mission San Buenaventura located in Ventura, California.

Operational history

SS Mission Buenaventura was laid down 29 March 1944 under a Maritime Commission contract by Marinship Corporation, Sausalito, California; launched 28 May 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Fred W. Boole; and delivered 28 June 1944. Chartered to Deconhill Shipping Company, for operations, she spent the remainder of the War supporting the victorious Allied forces in the Pacific. She was returned to the Maritime Commission in March 1946 and on 30 March was laid up in the Maritime Commission Reserve Fleet at Mobile, Alabama.

Acquired by the Navy on 18 November 1947 she was activated and transferred to the Naval Transportation Service for service as Mission Buenaventura (AO‑111). When the Naval Transportation Service was absorbed by the new Military Sea Transportation Service, she continued her duties as USNS Mission Buenaventura (T‑AO‑111). She continued her worldwide service until 4 April 1960 when she was transferred to the Maritime Commission for layup at Mobile. Reacquired by the Navy on 10 November 1961 she was transferred to MSTS control on the same date and chartered to Mathiasen’s Tanker Industries, Inc. for operations, where she served as part of the Ready Reserve Force fleet.

She was taken out of service and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 31 March 1972. Final disposition, disposed of for scrap by MARAD sale 26 June 1978.

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• "T-AO-111 Mission Buenaventura". Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index. http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/19/19111.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-31.