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

History

United States
Name:	Maiden's Eye Colonel William J. O’Brien
Namesake:	Maiden's Eye (a type of knot) Lieutenant Colonel William J. O’Brien, awarded Medal of Honor
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 & 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:	1 × Nordberg Diesel diesel TSM 6 engine 1 × shaft^[2]
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

↑ MARAD Vessel Status Card: Maiden's Eye.
1 2 3 4 5 6 NavSource Online.
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.
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.
↑ "Ashley Book of Knots Index M". Ashley Book of Knots. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
↑ Long Beach Independent (1945). "326 Foot Vessel Launched Sideways" (February 14, 1945). Long Beach Independen, Long Beach, California. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
↑ 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.

Type C1-M ships

Type C1-M-AV1	Alamosa Alcona Acorn Knot / Sgt. George D Keathley Amador Anchor Bend Anchor Hitch Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Becket Hitch Bell Ringer / Captain Arlo L. Olson Beltrami Bight Knot Blackwall Hitch Blount Boatswain's Hitch Bowline Knot Brevard Bullock Buntline Hitch Cabell Cable Splice Caledonia Cape Somerset Cape Stanhope Capstan Knot Carrick Bend Cat's Paw Chain and Crown Charlevoix Chatham Check Knot / Sgt. Joseph E. Muller Chicot Cinch Knot Claiborne Clarion Clove Hitch Coastal Captain Coastal Charger Coastal Courser Coastal Crusader Coastal Guide / Sgt. George Peterson Coastal Mariner Coastal Monarch Coastal Monitor Coastal Rambler Coastal Ranger Coastal Telegrapher Codington Colquitt Craighead Crossing Hitch Crown and Diamond Crown Knot Diamond Hitch Diamond Knot Doddridge Double Loop Dragon Fly Duval Elmer J. Burr Emerald Knot Fairfield Faribault Fentress Fiador Knot Fisherman's Bend Flagler Flemish Knot Gadsden Glacier Grainger Grass Knot Gunner's Knot Gwinnett Habersham Half Hitch Half Knot Harold W. Roberts Hawser Bend Hawser Eye Hawser Splice Hennepin Herkimer Hickory Bay Hickory Beck Hickory Bourne Hickory Brae Hickory Brook Hickory Burn Hickory Cairn Hickory Cape Hickory Coll Hickory Crest Hickory Dale Hickory Dell Hickory Dyke Hickory Ghyll Hickory Glen Hickory Isle Hickory Knoll Hickory Lake Hickory Mount Hickory Stream Hickory Tarn Hickory Tor Hidalgo Honda Knot Hook Hitch Horseshoe Splice Jacob's Ladder Jumper Hitch Kenneth E. Gruennert / Grommet Reefer Kenosha Knob Knot Lancaster Lanyard Knot Leader Loop Lebanon Lehigh Lever's Bend Lewis Hall Link Splice / Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley Lock Knot Long Eye Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca Loop Knot Magnus Hitch Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Mainsheet Eye Manrope Knot Marengo Mariner's Splice Marline Hitch Marlingspike Hitch Masthead Knot Midland Minidoka Mooring Hitch Mooring Knot Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Ocean Plat Pembina Pemiscot Phoebe Knot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Reef Knot Reeving Eye Richland Rigger's Eye Ring Hitch Ring Knot Ring Splice Roband Hitch Rockdale Rolling Hitch Rose Knot Round Splice / Private Jose F. Valdez Running Knot Sailmaker's Splice Sailor's Splice Salmon Knot Sampan Hitch Schuyler Screven Sebastian Shamrock Knot Sheepshank Sheet Bend Shell Bar Short Splice Sinnet Snakehead Snug Hitch Somerset / Coastal Sentry Span Splice Spanish Bowline Spar Hitch Spindle Eye / Sgt. Curtis F. Shoup Spool Sinnet Square Knot Square Sinnet Star Knot Studding Sail Sussex Sword Knot Tag Knot Tapir Splice Tarrant Terminal Knot Thimble Eye Timber Hitch Tipton Traverse True Knot Tucked Bend Tulare Turk's Head Wall Knot Water Knot Westchester William G. Fournier William N. Nelson Yard Hitch

Type C1-M-AV7	Coastal Liberator

Type C1-M-AV8	Crossing Knot Flat Knot Marline Bend Persian Knot Single Hitch Solid Sinnet

Type C1-MT-BU1	Arizona Pine California Redwood Oregon Fir Washington Cedar

Alamosa-class cargo ship

Alamosa Alcona Amador Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Beltrami Blount Brevard Bullock Cabell Caledonia Charlevoix Chatham Chicot Claiborne Clarion Codington Colquitt Craighead Dodridge^* Duval^* Fairfield Faribault Fentress Flagler Gadsden Glacier Grainger Gwinnett Habersham Hennepin Herkimer Hidalgo Kenosha Lebanon Lehigh Lancaster Marengo Midland Minidoka Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Pembina Pemiscot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Richland Rockdale Schuyler Screven Sebastian Somerset Sussex Tarrant Tipton Traverse^* Tulate^* Washtenaw^** / Sgt. George Peterson Westchester^* Wexford^† / Coastal Crusader Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Short Splice Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca

* = Canceled August 1945 ** = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Guide † = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Crusader List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy

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