Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115)
ex
Mission Dolores (AO-115) (1947 - 1949)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Papa - Bravo NHPB

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
National Defense Service Medal

Mission Buenaventura Class Fleet Oiler:

Laid down, 18 February 1944, as SS Mission Dolores, a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A2) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC 1818) at Marinship, Sausalito, CA.

Launched, 26 April 1944

Delivered to Pacific Tankers, Inc, 31 May 1944, at Sausalito, CA.

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 17 May 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA..

Acquired by the Navy, 20 October 1947, designated Mission Dolores (AO-115) and assigned to the Naval Transportation Service (NTS)

Absorbed into the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 1 October 1949 and redesignated USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115)

Placed out of service, 30 March 1955

Struck from the Naval Register, and returned to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA., 22 June 1955

Reacquired by the Navy, 27 June 1956, and placed in service with MSTS on the same date

Place out of service, struck from the Naval Register and returned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA., 19 September 1957

Transferred by MARAD, 21 April 1969 to Sea-Land Service Inc. for conversion to a containership

Renamed SS Tampa, 30 October 1969

Sold to Reynolds Leasing Corp., 24 September 1970

Final Disposition, scrapped May 1984

Specifications:
Displacement 5,532 t.(lt) 21,880 t.(fl)
Length 523' 6"
Beam 68'
Draft 30' 10"
Speed 15.1 kts (trial)

Complement

52 CivMar

17 US Navy Armed Guard

Armament

one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount

four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

four twin 20mm AA gun mounts

Cargo Capacity 15,300DWT

Oil 120,400 Bbls

Gasoline 575,000 Gals

Fuel Capacity NSFO 9,235 Bbls

Propulsion

one General Electric turbo-electric engine

two Babcock and Wilcox D-type boilers, 600psi 825°

Ship's Service Generators
two turbo-drive 400Kw 450V A.C.
two turbo-drive 85Kw 120V D.C.
two turbo-drive 55Kw 120V D.C.
one turbo-drive 50Kw 450V A.C.

single propeller, 10,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115)
091912305	114k	*Namesake* Mission Dolores Basilica or Mission San Francisco de Asís, is the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco and the sixth religious settlement established as part of the California chain of missions. The Mission was founded on October 9, 1776, by Francisco Palóu (a companion of Junípero Serra) and Co-founder Fray Pedro Benito Cambón, both members of the de Anza Expedition, which had been charged with bringing Spanish settlers to Alta (upper) California and with evangelizing the local Natives, the Ohlone. Some of the Mission's buildings have been turned into businesses, including a print shop and several saloons. (Wikipedia)	Tommy Trampp
091911506	72k	SS Mission Dolores underway in San Francisco Bay during seat trials, Circa May 1944. Auke Visser's Famous T-Tankers Pages, courtesy David Buell	Robert Hurst
	42k	USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115) moored, date and location unknown
	474k	USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115) underway, probably near Long Beach CA., date unknown.	David Buell
	960k	USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115) underway in the harbor at Long Beach CA., date unknown.	David Buell
Merchant Service Seatrain Corp.
091911504	189k	Ex-USNS Mission Dolores (T-AO-115) while in service as the Sea-Land container carrier SS Tampa underway on the Weser River departing Bremen, Germany in May 1971.	Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus