USNS Mission San Luis Rey

USNS Mission San Luis Rey
Career
Ordered:
Laid down:	15 October 1943
Launched:	29 January 1944
Commissioned:	31 March 1944
Decommissioned:	n/a
Fate:	Unknown
General Characteristics
Displacement:	5,532 tons light; 21,880 tons full
Length:	524 ft (160 m)
Beam:	68 ft (21 m)
Draft:	30 ft (9 m)
Speed:	16.5 knots (31 km/h)
Complement:	52 mariners
Armament:	None

The USNS Mission San Luis Rey was one of twenty-seven Mission Buenaventura Class fleet oilers built during World War II for service in the United States Navy, named for the Franciscan mission located in Oceanside, California.

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 our 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 and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, California. She was struck from the U.S. 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 struck from the U.S. Naval Vessel Register on the same date and transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Beaumont, Texas Into 1969 she remained berthed at Beaumont.

The ship's final disposition is unknown.

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 April 2. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
• "T-AO-128 Mission San Luis Rey". Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index. Retrieved April 2. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

See also

• Mission San Luis Rey de Francia