View source for USNS Bald Eagle

{{short description|Cargo ship of the United States Navy}}

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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USNS Bald Eagle (T-AF-50) underway at sea, circa in the 1950s.jpg
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|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1943}}
|Ship name=''Bald Eagle''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship owner=U.S. Maritime Commission
|Ship operator=*[[War Shipping Administration]] (by agents) (1943—1948)
*U.S. Army (1948—1950)
*Military Sea Transportation Service (1950—1970)
|Ship registry=
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|Ship builder=Moore Dry Dock, Oakland, Ca.
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=217
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|Ship launched=7 May 1942
|Ship sponsor=
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|Ship completed=Delivered: 28 May 1943
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|Ship in service=as ''USNS Bald Eagle'' (T-AF-50)
|Ship out of service=1970
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|Ship identification=U.S. Official Number: 243368
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|Ship fate=Scrapped in 1973
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship tonnage={{GRT|6178}}, {{NRT|3474}}, {{DWT|8371}}<ref name=MARAD/>
|Ship displacement=6,556 t.(lt) 13,893 t.(fl)
|Ship length={{convert|459|ft|2|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|63|ft|m|abbr=on}}
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|Ship draught={{convert|25|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}}
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|Ship propulsion=cross-compound [[turbines]], single propeller
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|Ship speed=15.5 kts.
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|Ship capacity={{cvt|323309|cuft|m3|1}} refrigerated cargo
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|Ship crew=55
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'''USNS ''Bald Eagle'' (T-AF-50)''' was a [[Maritime Commission]] type C2-S-B1 cargo ship delivered to the [[War Shipping Administration]] (WSA) in May 1943. The ship was operated by WSA agent shipping companies until July 1948 when laid up in the [[National Defense Reserve Fleet|James River Reserve Fleet]] briefly before beginning operation for the U.S. Army in October. When the Navy's [[Military Sea Transportation Service]] (MSTS) took over all military ocean shipping in 1950 the ship was transferred to operate as one of six refrigerated cargo ships in the MSTS fleet until July 1970 as USNS ''Bald Eagle''. The ship was permanently transferred to Maritime Commission custody in September 1971 and sold for scrap in 1973.

==History==
''Bald Eagle'' was built as a [[Maritime Commission]] type C2-S-B1 hull number 217, under Maritime Commission contract 186 at [[Moore Dry Dock Company]], [[Oakland, California]]. She was delivered to the War Shipping Administration, 28 May 1943 and given the U.S. Official Number 243368. From delivery until 9 September 1946 [[United States Lines]] operated the ship as the WSA agent. On that date Pacific Far East Lines operated the ship under bareboat charter until 2 May 1947. From then several companies acted as agents until the ship entered the Reserve Fleet 30 July 1948.<ref name=MARAD>{{cite web |url=https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/ShipHistory/Detail/393 |title=Bald Eagle |author=Maritime Administration |work=Ship History Database Vessel Status Card |publisher=U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration |accessdate=17 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Colton |first=Tim |title=Moore Dry Dock, Oakland CA |publisher=ShipbuildingHistory |date=September 12, 2014 |url=http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/large/moore.htm |accessdate=17 April 2021}}</ref><ref name=SL>{{cite magazine |date=October 1966 |title=A Special 17th Anniversary Salute to the Ships That Do the Job — Cargo Ships |magazine=Sealift |volume=16 |issue=10 |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Military Sea Transportation Service |page=9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ShhW07BVJ4YC&pg=RA8-PA9 |accessdate=17 April 2021}}</ref>

On 4 October the ship was turned over to the U.S Army under bareboat charter to operate as an Army transport. In 1950, with the organization of the Department of Defense, all such transport was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service. ''Bald Eagle'' was transferred on 1 March 1950 to operate as one of MSTS' six refrigerated cargo ships with the designation T-AF-50. The ship had a crew of 55 and had {{cvt|323309|cuft|m3|1}} of chill/freeze cargo capacity making regular runs between the United States east coast and northern Europe.<ref name=MARAD/><ref name=SL/>

On 16 July 1970 ''Bald Eagle'' was taken out of service and transferred to Maritime Commission custody with permanent transfer on 1 September. On 1 March 1973 the hull was sold to Andy International, Inc. for $75,666.66 and physically delivered from the [[James River, Reserve Fleet|James River Reserve Fleet]] for scrapping 1 June.<ref name=MARAD/>

== Military awards and honors ==

''Bald Eagle''{{'}}s crew was eligible for the following medals:
* [[National Defense Service Medal]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|USNS Bald Eagle (T-AF-50)}}
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/06/0650.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - T-AF-50 ''Bald Eagle'']

{{Alstede class stores ship}}
{{Type C2-S-B1 ships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bald Eagle (T-AF-50)}}
[[Category:Type C2-S-B1 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in Oakland, California]]
[[Category:1942 ships]]
[[Category:World War II merchant ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Alstede-class stores ships]]
[[Category:Type C2-S-B1 ships of the United States Navy]]