USNS Colonel William J. O'Brien (T-AK-246)

History
United States
Name:
  • Maiden's Eye
  • Colonel William J. O’Brien
Namesake:
Ordered: as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2323
Builder: Consolidated Steel Corporation, Long Beach, California
Laid down: 17 January 1945, as MS Maiden's Eye
Launched: 3 February 1945
Completed: 10 April 1945
Decommissioned: circa 1 March 1950
In service:
  • 11 July 1946, as USAT Colonel William J O'Brien
  • 1 March 1950 as USNS Colonel William J. O'Brien (T-AK-246)
Out of service: in the 1960s
Struck: 1 September 1973
Identification: Hull symbol:T-AK-246
Fate: 9 November 1973, sold for scrapping in the Netherlands to B.V. Intershitra
Status: fate unknown
General characteristics
Class and type: Alamosa-class cargo ship (originally planned)
Type: C1-M-AV1
Tonnage: 3,805 GRT[1]
Displacement: 7,450 tons full load[2]
Length: 388 feet 8 inches (118.5 m)[2]
Beam: 50 feet (15.2 m)[2]
Draft: 21 feet 1 inch (6.4 m)[2]
Propulsion:
Speed: 11.5 knots (13.2 mph; 21.3 km/h)[2]
Armament: none

USNS Colonel William J. O’Brien (T-AK-246) was a United States Maritime Administration C1-M-AV1 type coastal cargo ship, originally planned as an Alamosa-class cargo ship. Constructed as Maiden's Eye for the Administration, completed in August 1945 and placed in operation by the War Shipping Administration. After the war Maiden's Eye was transferred to the U.S. Army and renamed USAT Colonel William J. O’Brien who kept her in service until transferred to the U.S. Navy in 1950 for operation as USNS Colonel William J. O’Brien (T-AK-246) by the Military Sea Transportation Service until 1973.

Construction and WSA operation

The ship was laid down as Maiden's Eye, one of the "Knot" ships named for a type of splice, on 17 January 1945 and launched, sponsored by Mrs. Thomas S. Middleton, on 13 February 1945 at Consolidated Steel Corporation, Long Beach, California, as a type (C1-M-AV1) under U.S. Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2323).[3][4][5][6] She was acquired by the U.S. War Shipping Administration (WSA) on 10 April 1945 with operation by Grace Line as WSA's agent.[3]

U.S. military service

On 11 July 1946 Maiden's Eye was assigned to the U.S. Army under bareboat charter for operation as USAT Colonel William J. O'Brien until transferred to the U.S. Navy 1 March 1950.[3] The Army name was retained with the ship immediately transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS Colonel William J. O’Brien (T-AK-246) for permanent assignment.[7] USNS Colonel William J. O’Brien was stricken from the Navy List on 1 September 1973.[4]

Disposition

Title was returned to the Maritime Administration on 9 November 1973 with sale to B. V. Intershitra of the Netherlands for scrapping.[3]

References

  1. MARAD Vessel Status Card: Maiden's Eye.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 NavSource Online.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Maritime Administration. "Maiden's Eye". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  4. 1 2 NavSource (14 February 2014). "USNS Col. William J. O'Brien (T-AK-246)". NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive. NavSource. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  5. "Ashley Book of Knots Index M". Ashley Book of Knots. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  6. Long Beach Independent (1945). "326 Foot Vessel Launched Sideways" (February 14, 1945). Long Beach Independen, Long Beach, California. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  7. Naval History And Heritage Command. "Colonel William J. O'Brien". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History And Heritage Command. Retrieved 1 November 2014.

Bibliography

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

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