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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Mission Solano (T-AO-135)
ex
 Mission Solano (AO-135) (1947 - 1949)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Sierra - Juliet
 NHSJ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - National Defense Service Medal
Bottom Row - Korean Service Medal (1) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)
Mission Buenaventura Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 8 October 1943, as SS Mission Solano, a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A2) tanker hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1277) at Marinship Corp., Sausalito, CA.
  • Launched, 14 January 1944
  • Delivered to the Maritime Commission, 30 March 1944, for charter to Deconhill Shipping Co., for operations
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 29 April 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA.
  • Acquired by the Navy, 20 October 1947
  • Placed in service by the Naval Transportation Service (NTS) as Mission Solano (AO-135) under charter to Pacific Atlantic Steamship Co., for operations
  • Control transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) 1 October 1949, redesignated USNS Mission Solano (T-AO-135)
  • During the Korean War USNS Mission Solano participated in the following campaign:

    Korean War Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Communist China Aggression
    13 December 1850 to 2 January 1951
  • Placed out of service, struck from the Naval Register, and transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA., 15 August 1957
  • USNS Mission Solano earned one battle star for Korean War service
  • Sold, 26 May 1957, to Sea-Land Service Inc. and converted to a containership, renamed SS Jacksonville, 27 December 1967
  • Resold to Madison Transportation Co., 19 June 1968
  • Resold to Royal Coal Co., 29 December 1972
  • Resold to Reynolds Leasing Corp., 25 November 1978
  • Final Disposition, sold to Eastern Overseas Corp., 30 September 1983, scrapped in Spain in 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
    Mission Solano (War Shipping Administration)
    Mission Solano
    091913506    		 62k
    Namesake
    Mission San Francisco Solano - was the 21st, last, and northernmost mission in Alta California. It was the only mission built in Alta California after Mexico gained independence from Spain. The California Governor wanted a robust Mexican presence north of the San Francisco Bay to keep the Russians who had established Fort Ross on the Pacific coast from moving further inland. The mission building is now part of the Sonoma State Historic Park and is located in the city of Sonoma, CA.
    California State Parks photo.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Mission Solano
    21 days after launch    		 177k Mission Solano under construction on Building Way #5, at the Marinship Corp., Sausalito, CA., 21 and 49 days after keel laying.
    US Maritime Commission photos by Marinship, courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages.    		 Robert Hurst
    Mission Solano
    49 days after launch    		 222k
    Mission Solano 222k Mission Solano launching at Marinship Corp., Sausalito, CA., 14 January 1944.
    US Maritime Commission photo    		 Ron Titus
    Merchant Service Seatrain Corp.
    Mission Solano
    091913502    		 193k Ex-USNS Mission Solano (T-AO-135) while in service as the Sea-Land container carrier SS Jacksonville under way on the Weser River departing Bremen, Germany in March 1970. Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Mission Solano
    091913507    		 310k Sea-Land container carrier SS Jacksonville working cargo in the port Bremerhaven, Germany, October 1970. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    Mission Solano 76k Sea-Land container carrier SS Jacksonville under way, date and location unknown.
    Photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages.    		 Robert Hurst
    Mission Solano
    091913508    		 105k Sea-Land container carrier SS Jacksonville underway, date and location unknown.
    Image courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T-Tankers Pages.    		 Robert Hurst
    USNS Mission Solano (T-AO-135)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Data Base
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 4 October 2024