Laid down, 14 February 1945, as a Maritime Commission type (T3-S2-A3) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract, (MC hull 2701), at Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock, Chester, PA.
Launched, 10 August 1945
Commissioned USS Mispillion (AO-105), 29 December 1945
Placed in commission in reserve for "Jumboization", 16 April 1965, at Toledo, OH., completed at Boston, MA., and placed in full commission, 6 September 1966
Decommissioned, 26 July 1974
Placed in service with the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as USNS Mispillion (T-AO-105) in 1975
Placed out of service circa 1994
Struck from the Naval Register, 15 February 1995
Title transferred to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
The USS MISPILLION was built by the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Chester, Pennsylvania On 29 December 1945, the ship was placed in commission, Ethel C. Fedderman was the sponsor.
The MISPILLION was named for the Mispillion Creek in Delaware in accordance with the traditional custom of naming fleet oilers after rivers flowing in the continental United States.
MISPILLION had a varied career, voyaging from the Arctic to Australia, from Venenzuala to Arabia, with numerous trips to the Western Pacifc. The "Grand Old lady" participated in nuclear tests, recovered survivors from a Chinese Nationalist ship that sank in the Taiwan Straits, evacuated refugees and personnel from Taichens and continued to pump petroleum the entire time.
In April of 1965 MISPILLION commenced jumboization in Toledo, Ohio. By increasing the length and draft, her capacity for fuel was increased from 95,000 barrels to 188,095 barrels. About 50 men were added to the personnel allowance.
The USS MISPILLION AO-105 carried the following awards: American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, China Service Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal (4 stars), United Nations Service Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Meritorious Unit Citation.
Author's Note:
My time aboard Mispillion was during the waning days of the Vietnam war. After taking on fuel in Subic Bay, Philippines, we steamed to the southern tip of Vietnam. And then made our way up the coast to the Gulf of Tonkin, transferring fuel to ships of all sizes, night and day, 24/7. Almost empty and riding high in the water, we returned to Subic Bay to reload. Then back to the "line" to do it all over again. A repeated cycle, over and over again. At the time, the Soviet Union had a large presence in the South China Sea. Their mission, to conduct surveilance, and to disrupt underway replenishment operations as much as possible. The stories one could tell of hair raising encounters would fill a book.
This model depicts Mispillion's configuration as she was during the early 1970's, immediately prior to her transfer to the Military Sealift Command "MSC". After transfer to MSC, she went through an extensive overhaul intailing removal of all armament and fuel hoses from Station 2, including extensive alterations to the aft superstructure.
I hope you enjoy this model of Mispillion as much as I enjoyed building her.
