USNS Private Joe E. Mann (T-AK-253)

USNS Private Joe E. Mann (T-AK-253) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship acquired in 1950 from the U.S. Army where it was known as the USAT Private Joe E. Mann.

USNS Pvt. J.E. Mann (T-AK-253), right, circa 1960
History
United States
Name:
  • Owensboro Victory
  • Private Joe E. Mann
  • Richfield
Namesake:
Ordered: as type (VC2-S-AP3) hull, MCV hull 719
Builder: Permanente Metals Corporation, Richmond, California
Yard number: Yard #2
Laid down: 12 June 1945, as Owensboro Victory
Launched: 21 July 1945
Sponsored by: Mrs. Robert A. Nieman
Completed: 27 August 1945
Commissioned: 30 August 1946, as USAT Private Joe E. Mann
In service: 7 August 1950 as USNS Private Joe. E Mann (T-AK-253);
Out of service: 21 November 1968
Reclassified: 27 November 1960 as USNS Richfield (T-AGM-4)
Stricken: date unknown
Identification:
Fate: sold for scrapping, 16 March 1976, to Nicolai Joffee
General characteristics [1]
Class and type:
Displacement:
  • 4,480 long tons (4,550 t) (standard)
  • 15,580 long tons (15,830 t) (full load)
Length: 455 ft (139 m)
Beam: 62 ft (19 m)
Draft: 29 ft 2 in (8.89 m)
Installed power: 8,500 shp (6,300 kW)
Propulsion:
  • 1 × steam turbine
  • 2 × header-type boilers, 525psi 750°
  • 1 × shaft
Speed: 15.5 kn (17.8 mph; 28.7 km/h)
Complement: 99 officers and enlisted
Armament: none

In 1960, the Navy converted the ship to a Longview-class missile range instrumentation ship and renamed her USNS Richfield (T-AGM-4). Richfield served on the Pacific Missile Range, based out of California, and was placed out of service in 1968.

Victory ship constructed in California

Private Joe E. Mann (AK–253) was laid down, under U.S. Maritime Commission contract, as Owensboro Victory (MCV hull 719) by the Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard #2, Richmond, California, 12 June 1945; launched 21 July 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Robert A. Nieman; and delivered to the Maritime Commission, thence to Coastwise Lines for operation, 27 August 1945.

Post-World War II commercial service

A month and a half after delivery, Owensboro Victory departed San Francisco, California, carrying cargo and passengers to occupied Japan. In December, she sailed for the United States, via the Suez Canal, and arrived Boston, Massachusetts, 7 February 1946.

Shifting to New York City the following month, she made cargo runs to European ports until returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission in September for transfer to the Army Transportation Service.

U.S. Army service

Renamed USAT Private Joe E. Mann, 31 October 1947, she served the Army until she was again returned to the Maritime Commission and simultaneously transferred to the Navy, 7 August 1950.

U.S. Navy service

Designated T-AK–253, the Victory ship was manned by a civil service crew and operated under Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as a cargo ship until October 1958.

Conversion to a missile tracking ship

Then fitted out as a missile range instrumentation ship, she was reassigned by MSTS to the Pacific Missile Range. Renamed and reclassified USNS Richfield (AGM–4) on 27 November 1960, she operated off the California coast, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force.

Two other ships were reconfigured in to this new class, Longview-class missile range instrumentation ship, the USNS Dalton Victory (T-AK-256) and the USNS Longview (T-AGM-3).

Final inactivation

Richfield continued her missile tracking until transferred to the Maritime Administration, 21 November 1968 when she was berthed with the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, Benicia, California.

Richfield’s subsequent fate is not known.

See also

References
  1. "USNS Richfield (T-AGM-4)". Navsource.org. Retrieved June 2, 2015.



This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.