USNS Colonel William J. O'Brien

	USNS Colonel William J. O'Brien (T-AK-246), underway, date and location unknown.
History
United States
Name	Maiden's Eye (never received name)
Namesake	Maiden's Eye (a type of knot)
Ordered	as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2323
Builder	Consolidated Steel Corporation, Long Beach, California
Yard number	1228
Laid down	17 January 1945
Launched	13 February 1945
Commissioned	delivered to War Shipping Administration (WSA) prior to commissioning, 10 April 1945
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-246 (never received number); Code letters: NSSU; ;
Fate	Delivered to the Army Transportation Service (ATS), 11 July 1946
History
United States
Name	Colonel William J. O’Brien
Namesake	Lieutenant Colonel William J. O’Brien, awarded Medal of Honor
Operator	ATS
Acquired	11 July 1945
In service	11 July 1945
Out of service	1 March 1950
Fate	Transferred to the US Navy, 1 March 1950
History
United States
Name	Colonel William J. O’Brien
Operator	MSTS
Acquired	1 March 1950
In service	1 March 1950
Out of service	1 September 1973
Stricken	1 September 1973
Identification	Hull symbol: T-AK-246
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 9 November 1973
General characteristics
Class and type	Alamosa-class cargo ship
Type	C1-M-AV1
Tonnage	5,032 long tons deadweight (DWT)
Displacement	2,382 long tons (2,420 t) (standard); 7,450 long tons (7,570 t) (full load);
Length	388 ft 8 in (118.47 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Installed power	1 × Nordberg, TSM 6 diesel engine ; 1,750 shp (1,300 kW);
Propulsion	1 × propeller
Speed	11.5 kn (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity	3,945 t (3,883 long tons) DWT; 9,830 cu ft (278 m3) (refrigerated); 227,730 cu ft (6,449 m3) (non-refrigerated);
Complement	15 Officers; 70 Enlisted;

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

Construction

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 MARCOM contract, MC hull 2323.^[3]^[2]^[4] She was acquired by the US War Shipping Administration (WSA) on 10 April 1945 with operation by Grace Line as WSA's agent.^[3]

US 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 US Navy 1 March 1950.^[3] The Army name was retained with the ship immediately transferred to the MSTS as USNS Colonel William J. O’Brien (T-AK-246) for permanent assignment.^[5] USNS Colonel William J. O’Brien was stricken from the Navy List on 1 September 1973.^[2]

Disposition

Title was returned to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) on 9 November 1973 with sale to B. V. Intershitra of the Netherlands for $223,550 for scrapping.^[6]

Notes

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c C1 Cargo Ships 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c Navsource 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c MARAD Maiden's Eye.
^ Long Beach Independent 1945.
^ DANFS 2015.
^ MARAD O'Brien.

Bibliography

Online resources

"Colonel William J. O'Brien (T-AK-246)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
"C1 Cargo Ships". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
"USNS Colonel William J. O'brien (AK-246)". Navsource.org. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
"MAIDEN'S EYE". United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
"COLONEL WILLIAM J. O'BRIEN". United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
Long Beach Independent (14 February 1945). "326 Foot Vessel Launched Sideways". Long Beach Independent, Long Beach, California. Retrieved 1 November 2014.

External links

Photo gallery of USS Colonel William J. O'brien (AK-246) at NavSource Naval History

[FOOTNOTEC1_Cargo_Ships2009-1] C1 Cargo Ships 2009.

[FOOTNOTENavsource2014-2] Navsource 2014.

[FOOTNOTEMARAD_Maiden's_Eye-3] MARAD Maiden's Eye.

[FOOTNOTELong_Beach_Independent1945-4] Long Beach Independent 1945.

[FOOTNOTEDANFS2015-5] DANFS 2015.

[FOOTNOTEMARAD_O'Brien-6] MARAD O'Brien.

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v t e Alamosa-class cargo ships
Alamosa Alcona Amador Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Beltrami Blount Brevard Bullock Cabell Caledonia Charlevoix Chatham Chicot Claiborne Clarion Codington Colquitt Craighead Doddridge^* 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 / Coastal Sentry Sussex Tarrant Tipton Traverse^* Tulare^* 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

v t e 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