USNS Blue Jacket

Alstede-class US military stores ship

For other ships with the same name, see USS Blue Jacket.

History
United States
Ordered| a C2-S-B1 type freighter, MC hull 183
Laid down| 23 October 1941
Launched| 14 February 1942
Completed| 23 March 1943
Acquired| 1 March 1950
Commissioned| 1 March 1950
Decommissioned| 19 August 1970
Stricken| 19 October 1971
Fate| Sold for scrapping, 1 March 1973
General characteristics
Displacement| 6,329 t.(lt) 13,893 t.(fl)
Length| 459 ft 3 in (139.98 m)
Beam| 63 ft (19 m)
Draught| 25 ft 9 in (7.85 m)
Speed| 12.5 knots
Complement| 55
Armament| none

USNS Blue Jacket (T-AF-51) was an Alstede-class stores ship in service the United States Navy Military Sea Transportation Service from 1950 to 1971. She was scrapped in 1973.

## History

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Blue Jacket—a C2-S-B1 type freighter—was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 183) on 23 October 1941 at Oakland, California, by the Moore Dry Dock Co.; launched on 14 February 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Edward U. Read; and delivered to her operators, the United Fruit Co., on 25 March 1943.

During World War II, she was operated by the United Fruit Company, then in 1947 by the Black Diamond Steamship Corporation and, after return to the Maritime Commission in 1948, by the U.S. Army under charter.[1] Blue Jacket was acquired from the U.S. Army in 1950 as a refrigerator ship, T-AF-51, and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), Atlantic Area. She operated as such, lifting cargoes of various kinds (mostly consisting of refrigerated stores) between the United States and European ports through the late 1960s. Taken out of service with MSTS on 19 August 1970,

Blue Jacket was transferred on that day to the temporary custody of the Maritime Administration for lay-up in the James River, Virginia. On 1 September 1971, she was transferred to the permanent custody of that agency; and her name was struck from the Navy list on 19 October 1971. Sold to Andy International, Inc., of Houston, Texas, on 1 March 1973, the ship was later scrapped.

## Military awards and honors

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Blue Jacket's crew was eligible for the following medals:

* National Defense Service Medal (1)

## References

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1. ^ "USNS Blue Jacket (T-AF-51)". NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive. NavSource Online. Retrieved 7 June 2013.

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

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to USNS Blue Jacket (T-AF-51).

* Photo gallery of Blue Jacket at NavSource Naval History

* v
* t
* e

Alstede-class stores ships

* Alstede
* Zelima
* Bald Eagle
* Blue Jacket
* Golden Eagle / Arcturus
* Pictor
* Aludra
* Sirius
* Procyon
* Bellatrix

List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy

* v
* t
* e

Type C2-S-B1 ships

C2-S-B1|

* Achernar
* African Dawn
* African Star
* African Sun
* Alshain
* Andromeda
* Ann McKim
* Appalachian
* Aquarius
* Archer
* Argonaut
* Asterion
* Belle of the West
* Black Prince
* Blue Ridge
* Carrier Dove
* Carrier Pigeon
* Celestial
* Centaurus
* Cepheus
* Chara
* Comet
* Coringa
* Crest of the Wave
* Dashing Wave
* Defiance
* Diphda
* Eagle Wing
* Expounder
* Flyaway
* Flying Arrow
* Flying Cloud
* Flying Mist
* Flying Yankee
* Gauntlet
* Golden City
* SS Golden Gate
* Golden Light
* Golden Racer
* Golden West
* Herald of the Morning
* Highflier
* Hotspur
* Hurricane
* James Baines
* John Land
* Leo
* Lookout
* Mandarin
* Marquette
* Mary Whitridge
* Mathews
* Merrick
* Messenger (1942)
* Messenger (1946)
* Meteor
* Mischief
* Monarch of the Seas
* Montague
* Morning Light
* Mountain Wave
* Muliphen
* National Eagle
* Neptune's Car
* Nonpareil
* Northern Light
* Ocean Rover
* Ocean Telegraph
* Oglethorpe
* Oriental
* Pampero
* Queen of the Seas
* Rainbow
* Red Rover
* Ringleader
* Robin Hood
* Rocky Mount
* Rolette
* Santa Barbara
* Santa Catalina
* Santa Cecilia
* Santa Margarita
* Santa Maria
* Sheliak
* Sovereign of the Seas
* Sparkling Wave
* Spitfire (1943)
* Spitfire (1946)
* Theenim
* Thuban
* Titan
* Twilight (1942)
* Twilight (1946)
* Typhoon
* Virgo
* War Hawk
* Water Witch
* West Wind
* Westward Ho
* Whirlwind
* White Swallow
* Whitley
* Wideawake
* Wild Pigeon
* Wild Ranger
* Wild Rover
* Wild Wave
* Winged Arrow
* Wings of the Morning
* Winston
* Wyandot
* Yancey
* Young America

C2-S-B1-R|

* Bald Eagle
* Blue Jacket
* Flying Scud
* Golden Eagle
* Great Republic
* Trade Wind

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