USNS Mission Santa Ana (T-AO-137) was a that served in the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

. The ship was originally intended as USS Concho (AO-102) for the U.S. Navy but her acquisition was canceled. The ship, a Type T2-SE-A3 tanker

Tanker (ship)

A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...

, was completed as SS Mission Santa Ana and delivered after the end of World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. The tanker was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1948 as USS Mission Santa Ana (AO-137), but was transferred to the Military Sea Transport Service upon its creation in 1949. The ship was named for the Santa Ana Estancia

Diego Sepúlveda Adobe

The Diego Sepúlveda Adobe is an adobe structure built between 1817 and 1823 to house the mayordomo and herdsmen who tended the cattle and horses from nearby Mission San Juan Capistrano...

 (a station of Mission San Juan Capistrano

Mission San Juan Capistrano

Mission San Juan Capistrano was a Spanish mission in Southern California, located in present-day San Juan Capistrano. It was founded on All Saints Day November 1, 1776, by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order...

, one of the twenty-one California missions

Spanish missions in California

The Spanish missions in California comprise a series of religious and military outposts established by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order between 1769 and 1823 to spread the Christian faith among the local Native Americans. The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to...

), she was the only U.S. Naval Vessel to bear the name.

Career

Originally laid down as Concho on 18 April 1945 as a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A3) tanker hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1828) by Marinship Corporation of Sausalito, California

Sausalito, California

Sausalito is a San Francisco Bay Area city, in Marin County, California, United States. Sausalito is south-southeast of San Rafael, at an elevation of 13 feet . The population was 7,061 as of the 2010 census. The community is situated near the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge, and prior to...

; launched on 25 July 1945, sponsored by Mrs. D. J. Johnson; and delivered on 25 October 1945.

Chartered to Pacific Tankers Inc. for operations, she carried fuel to American forces stationed overseas (during which time she was awarded the National Defense Service Medal

National Defense Service Medal

The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...

) until 3 April 1946 when she was returned to the Maritime Commission and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Columbia River, Oregon

Columbia River

The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...

.

Acquired by the Navy on 9 January 1948 and chartered to Pacific Tankers Inc. for operations, she was placed in service with the Naval Transportation Service as Mission Santa Ana (AO‑137). Taken over by the Military Sea Transportation Service when it absorbed the functions and duties of the Naval Transportation Service on 1 October 1949 her designation was changed to USNS Mission Santa Ana (T‑AO‑137). She served with MSTS until 3 April 1950 when she was taken out of service and berthed in the San Diego group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet. She lay at San Diego, California

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

 in reserve until 27 January 1955 when she was transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Olympia, Washington

Olympia, Washington

Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...

. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register

Naval Vessel Register

The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...

 on 22 June 1955.

Reacquired by the Navy on 3 July 1956 she was once again placed in service with MSTS and operated, under charter, by Joshua Henry Corporation. She served with MSTS until 25 February 1958 when she was again struck from the Naval Vessel Register and transferred to the Maritime Administration for layup in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay

Suisun City, California

Suisun City is a city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 28,111 at the 2010 census. The city takes its name from the adjacent Suisun Bay, which in turn is named for the Suisunes, a Native American tribe of the area.-Geography:...

, where she remained into 1969.

The ship's final disposition is unknown.