USNS Mission Buenaventura (T-AO-111)

USNS Mission Buenaventura prepares to get underway, date and location unkown.
History
Laid down:	29 March 1944
Launched:	28 May 1944
In service:	28 June 1944
Struck:	31 March 1972
Fate:	Sold for scrapping
General Characteristics
Hull type:	T2-SE-A2
Displacement:	5,532 tons light; 21,880 tons full
Length:	524 ft (160 m)
Beam:	68 ft (24 m)
Draft:	30 ft (9.0 m)
Speed:	16.5 knots (31 km/h)
Complement:	52
Propulsion:	Turbo-electric, single screw, 6,000 hp
Armament:	None

SS Mission Buenaventura (T-AO-111) was a T2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. After the War she was acquired by the United States Navy as USNS Mission Buenaventura (AO-111). Later, the ship transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS Mission Buenaventura (T-AO-111). The lead ship in her class of twenty-seven fleet oilers (two additional vessels were converted to distilling ships in 1944, after their keels were laid); she was named for California's Mission San Buenaventura, the only U.S. Naval vessel to have borne the name.

Operational history

SS Mission Buenaventura was laid down 29 March 1944 under a Maritime Commission contract by the Marinship Corporation of 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).

Mission Buenaventura 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, T‑AO‑111 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. The ship was taken out of service and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 31 March 1972, and ultimately disposed of for scrap by MARAD sale 26 June 1978.

References

• Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (Primary source for this article)
• T-AO-111 Mission Buenaventura. Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index. Retrieved on 2006-03-31.