# Mission Santa Ynez, the last T-2 tanker



## needadditionalinformation (Jan 30, 2006)

Since there doesn't seem to be any awareness, I just wanted to let everyone know that there is one T-2 tanker left, to the best of my knowledge almost completely original, except for the removal of her guns. She is not the Saugatuck, of the James River Reserve Fleet (Virginia, USA), as she has been "...fully dismantled on this date... Date 10/15/2008" (http://www.pmars.imsg.com/detail.asp?Ship=4435).

The last T-2 is a T2-SE-A2 named the Mission Santa Ynez, residing in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, in California. She is said to be in bad condition (despite apperances), and her scrapping is considered a top priority by the Maritime Administration, who lately haven't been able to scrap any ships due to a snafu over a set of conflicting environmental laws. This won't last forever, though. I am working on establishing a non-profit foundation, but any sucessful effort would be a miracle indeed. 

My aim of this post is to inform, in the hopes that that may help. A great photo taken of her on August 16, 2008 can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/2777238851/in/pool-mothballfleet . More information is below:

USNS Mission Santa Ynez 

The USNS Mission Santa Ynez is, I believe, now the last of at least 536 "T-2" design oil tankers built during WWII. There was a book written about her entitled "THE LAST MISSION TANKER" by Capt. Walter W. Jaffee and is available here: http://www.glencannon.com/wwii2.html ,and as I believe the mission class were just a subset of T-2s, she has now transcended even that distinction. 

A T2-SE-A2 delivered in 1944, she was not finally retired until March 6, 1975 and she has been in the reserve fleet ever since. For all of that, she looks pretty good. Fifteen years ago, I was involved with a ship preservation organization and wanted to save her, but the economy was in the toilet at the time. It would be nice if it could work this time. More information & photos are here: http://www.pmars.imsg.com/detail.asp?Ship=3420

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USNS_Mission_Santa_Ynez_(T-AO-134)

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=66046

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=66047

Also, you can view the entire fleet with the following:
Also, a really great view can be had of this ship and her neighbors if you go to http://maps.live.com/ and enter (cut & paste is easier) 

Lake Herman Rd & Industrial Way, Benicia, Ca 94510, United States

into the second text bar(?) from the top & hit enter. Follow Lake Herman Rd out to the water. From there click "Aerial" on the picture/map control (in upper left of map screen. A row of ships is just to the north. The Guadalcanal class helicopter carrier on the east end of the row isn't really there anymore, a real ghost ship.

The historical parts of their names are listed parenthetically. From left to right: 
SS President (Tyler),
SS American Reliance,
USNS HH Hess (Ex SS Canada Mail)
SS Solon Turman,
SS (African) Dawn,
SS (Export) Ambassador, Agent, Adventurer, Aide and Bay; 
SS (President) Lincoln,
and finally, the SS American Racer.

Also, if you move your mouse pointer close to the + and - thing, you can click on "Switch to birds eye view" and get a much better view of the south side of this row. You can then zoom in even further. You may have to switch back and forth between map and birds eye views, as not all row views are birds eye compatible. 

The Mission Santa Ynez is in the middle of the row furthest to the South. 

At the west end of the row to the north, from west to east, is the tiny tanker Sagamore (http://www.pmars.imsg.com/detail.asp?Ship=4264) and the last 2 pure WW II troopships, GENERAL EDWIN D. PATRICK (http://www.pmars.imsg.com/detail.asp?Ship=1812) and the GENERAL JOHN POPE (http://www.pmars.imsg.com/detail.asp?Ship=1827) .

In the second from the last southern row, the tanker with the red deck is the Gettysburg, Ex Esso Gettysburg, a trials photo of whom is in my gallery. http://www.pmars.imsg.com/detail.asp?Ship=1960


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## benjidog (Oct 27, 2005)

Thanks for your bringing this to our attention and good luck with your attempts at preservation. 

Such causes are usually lost ones in the UK unfortunately but don't let that put you off.


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

It IS a shame that no one has preserved any T2's in the USA. Awhile ago I read of an attempt in Europe? We have several Victory's and a pair of Liberty's, but no civilian tankers.For that matter we have no C1's, C2's, C3's, C4's nor T3's. My understanding is that the Mission class T2's were built for the US Navy and as such had 10,000 HP turbo-electric plants versus the standard 6,000. Up until just a few years ago one US Flag company still ran T2's, but I understand new rules did them in. It would be nice if the US Oil Companies that had such an unexpected much higher profit last summer were too contribute some small portion of it to preserving a T2.

Greg Hayden


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## Jim MacIntyre (Mar 11, 2006)

Bill 
Definitely a worthy cause. Last Sept I took a day trip in the Chesaapeake Bay on the SS 'John W Brown' the oldest operating Liberty ship. The organization of her restoration began in 1978. She was restored to steaming condition in 1991 and in 1994 further major restoration allowed her to venture beyond the Chesapeake. She does about three or four such trips during hte year to raise funds. I can tell you it was well worth the $125 for the trip, food included and continuous shows from WWII era, 'buzzing' by WWII planes.
I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't know but it will require a lot of time and total dedication to make a go of it. Unfortunately today time and dedication are hard to find unless it is for ones self.
Greg 
I doubt the Oil companies would even give a thought to parting with any of their profits for this.
Cheers 
Jim Mac


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

Yes, and in San Francisco we have:

http://www.ssjeremiahobrien.org/

The JOB was in Normandy in 1944 AND 1994.

And she was in San Diego Armed Forces Day 2006

Collage of four pictures, of 84 I took on an Armed Forces Day cruise September 30, 2006.

Top left that is the Star of India

http://www.sdmaritime.com/contentpage.asp?ContentID=48

Behind her on San Diego's Embarcadero.

The Lane Victory was in San Diego that year too:

http://www.lanevictory.org/

Bottom right that is the famous San Diego County Building behind the JOB as we leave.

This building has fulfilled many different roles in many movies.

The Liberty's and Victory's, and the C1's, C2's, C3's and C4's had a lot to do with the Allies winning WW II. BUT, especially in the Pacific, it was the T2's that carried the fuel that kept these ships, and Allied Naval Ships running in all parts of the world. But the T2's are forgotten.

Greg Hayden


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## Gorlash (Jan 30, 2009)

> Yes, and in San Francisco we have:
> 
> http://www.ssjeremiahobrien.org/
> 
> The JOB was in Normandy in 1944 AND 1994.
> 
> And she was in San Diego Armed Forces Day 2006

Aye, in fact, the above Flickr photo was taken from the JOB, during a cruise out to visit the Suisun ghost fleet... (I am the photographer). The good folk on the JOB claim that she is the only ship to have ever left the Suisun ghost fleet under her own power. Whether that be true or not, she was clearly happy to see her compatriots again, and many of them called greetings as she (and we) cruised past. It was a beautiful trip, and wonderful to be underway on that beautiful ship.

However, I'm skeptical of any plans to save the T2; I believe she's one of the ships that they claim are in danger of breaking open at any time. I sure wish they'd find some way to get that situation cleaned up...


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## S. Toth (Jun 28, 2008)

according to maritime matters she is being readied for departure. She is the last T-2 tanker in existence!
http://maritimematters.com/category/shipping-news/


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## S. Toth (Jun 28, 2008)

Santa Ynez will shortly depart on her final voyage to Texas for scrapping.
_source: maritimematters_


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## SFBayBoater (May 25, 2010)

It's too late to save this one (Mission Santa Ynez). We have a photo of her in the San Francisco Dry Docks on April 9, 2010, getting ready to tow to Texas for scaping (we just joined and haven't figured out about how to post photos yet). We've also seen a couple of troop carriers (Gen. Patrick and Gen. Pope) through the dry dock recently, and the (Esso) Gettysburg tanker just got put in the SF dry dock on Friday, May 21. Have some photos of all, but hard to get too much when they are in a dry dock. 
Linda


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