SS ''Mission Purisima'' was a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker built for the

United States Maritime Commission The United States Maritime Commission (MARCOM) was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which was passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and was abolished on May 24, 195 ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. After the war she was acquired by the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

as USS ''Mission Purisima'' (AO-118). Later the tanker transferred to the

Military Sea Transportation Service Military Sealift Command (MSC) is an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the United States Navy. Military Sealift Command has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all US m ...

as USNS ''Mission Purisima'' (T-AO-118). She was a member of the and was named for Mission La Purísima Concepción near Lompoc, California.

Service history

''Mission Purisma'' was laid down on 10 June 1943 under a Maritime Commission contract by Marinship Corporation,

Sausalito, California Sausalito (Spanish language, Spanish for "small willow grove") is a city in Marin County, California, Marin County, California, United States, located southeast of Marin City, California, Marin City, south-southeast of San Rafael, California ...

; launched 25 August 1943, sponsored by Mrs. John Collins; and delivered 23 November 1943. Chartered to Deconhill Shipping Company for operations, she carried fuel to allied forces in the Pacific and the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

theaters until 27 April 1946 when she was returned to the Maritime Commission and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at

Suisun Bay Suisun Bay ( ; Wintun for "where the west wind blows") is a shallow tidal estuary (a northeastern extension of the San Francisco Bay) in Northern California. It lies at the confluence of the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River, forming the ent ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. Acquired by the Navy on 15 October 1947 she was placed in service with Naval Transportation Service as ''Mission Purisma'' (AO-118) and continued serving in the Transportation Service until taken over by the new Military Sea Transportation Service on 1 October 1949 and designated USNS ''Mission Purisma'' (T-AO-118). She served with MSTS until 16 May 1955 when she was returned to the Maritime Administration and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at

Olympia, Washington Olympia is the capital of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat and largest city of Thurston County. It is southwest of the state's most populous city, Seattle, and is a cultural center of the southern Puget Sound region. European ...

. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on the same date. Reacquired by the Navy on 26 June 1956 she was placed in service with MSTS and served until returned to MARAD on 4 December 1957 and laid up at the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay. Again struck from the Naval Vessel Register that same date, she remained berthed at Suisun Bay into 1969. The ship was sold for scrapping to American Ship Dismantlers, Inc. on 27 April 1976.

Awards

During her active military service she was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the

United Nations Service Medal The United Nations Service Medal for Korea (UNKM) is an international military decoration established by the United Nations on December 12, 1950 as the United Nations Service Medal. The decoration was the first international award ever created by t ...

and the

Republic of Korea War Service Medal The Korean War Service Medal (KWSM, ko, 6.25사변종군기장, ), also known as the Republic of Korea War Service Medal (ROKWSM), is a military award of South Korea which was first authorized in December 1950. History 6.25 Incident Participati ...

(retroactively).

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mission Purisima (T-Ao-118) Type T2-SE-A2 tankers Ships built in Sausalito, California 1943 ships World War II tankers of the United States Purisima Type T2-SE-A2 tankers of the United States Navy

Service history

See also

Awards

References