MV Falcon Lady (later USNS Columbia, T-AO 182) with USNS Taluga (T-AO 62) circa 1974-75.
Falcon Lady was then under bareboat charter to MSC manned by Civil Service Marine personnel.
Click on this photograph for links to larger images of this class.
Class: COLUMBIA (T-AO 182)
Design: Private
Displacement (tons): 12,300 light, 45,877 full
Dimensions (feet): 672.3 oa, 638 pp x 89 x 36.2
Armament: none
Accommodations: 27
Speed (kts.): 16.5
Propulsion (BHP): 15,000 (16,000 in FALCON LADY)
Machinery: Medium-speed diesel, 1 screw
Construction:
| T-AO | Name | Acq | Builder | Keel | Launch | Charter |
| 182 | COLUMBIA | 3 May 1974 | Ingalls, Pascagoula East | 23 Oct 1968 | 12 Sep 1970 | 3 May 1974 |
| 183 | NECHES | 3 May 1974 | Ingalls, Pascagoula East | 30 Dec 1968 | 30 Jan 1971 | 3 May 1974 |
| 184 | HUDSON | 10 Apr 1974 | Ingalls, Pascagoula East | 8 Feb 1971 | 8 Jan 1972 | 10 Apr 1974 |
| 185 | SUSQUEHANNA | 17 Apr 1974 | Ingalls, Pascagoula East | 20 Nov 1970 | 2 Oct 1971 | 17 Apr 1974 |
Disposition:
| T-AO | Name | T | End charter | Strike | Disposal | Fate | MA Sale/Depart |
| 182 | COLUMBIA | T | 21 May 1984 | None? | 21 May 1984 | RTO | 5 Jul 2012/D |
| 183 | NECHES | T | 2 Oct 1983 | None? | 2 Oct 1983 | RTO | -- |
| 184 | HUDSON | T | 5 Feb 1984 | None? | 5 Feb 1984 | RTO | -- |
| 185 | SUSQUEHANNA | T | 14 May 1984 | None? | 14 May 1984 | RTO | -- |
Class Notes:
Besides replacing its World War II T2's (see the AO 168 class), MSC also wanted to augment its T5's (primarily the T-AO 149 class) with additional larger and more fuel efficient ships. A build-and-charter arrangement was made in October 1967 with Falcon Carriers, Inc. (later Falcon Tankers), to build four 37,000 dwt tankers with Government aid in the form of mortgage insurance. These ships used the latest technology including medium-speed diesel engines and automated pump rooms to reduce their crew requirements to 23 instead of the 40 on the older T-5s and the 39 on the T-2s. The diesel engines were built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique (France) except for FALCON LADY whose engines came from Crossley-Premier Engines Ltd. (UK). Completion of FALCON LADY was delayed by the need to have the British engines reconditioned by Fairbanks Morse. The original keels of the last two were laid down in 1969 but taken up and stored, perhaps because of a need to change their engines.
The owner of the ships, Iranian Destiny Tankers Inc., soon suffered financial problems causing the material condition of the ships to deteriorate. FALCON PRINCESS required over $1 million in repairs to put back into operation. In April 1972 MSC re-negotiated with the owner to bareboat-charter the tankers and replace the owner's crews with MSC civilian mariners. They were transferred from Falcon Tankers to MSC in April and May 1974. A memo of 4 December 1975 based on a MSC message of 3 December 1975 stated that MSC bareboat chartered tankers were designated as "Active status, In service" United States naval ships, and that in order to enhance this designation and the status of the ships as U.S. public vessels the names of T-AO 181 to 185 would be changed in the near future, including MV FALCON LADY to USNS COLUMBIA, MV FALCON DUCHESS to USNS NECHES, MV FALCON PRINCESS to USNS HUDSON, and MV FALCON COUNTESS to USNS SUSQUEHANNA. The four Falcon tankers when renamed would be referred to as the MSC COLUMBIA class tankers. In 1978 the navy created the new classification symbol AOT, "Transport Oiler," for the MSC tankers that carried oil from point to point rather than delivering it to fleet units, and on 14 September 1978 effective 30 September 1978 CNO reclassified AO 182-185 to AOT 182-185.
The four Falcon tankers were all returned to their owner (RTO), Falcon Tankers, in 1983-84. COLUMBIA was reacquired in 1987 by the Maritime Administration as MISSION CAPISTRANO while the other three operated commercially until going to the breakers between 1993 and 2001.
Ship Notes:
| T-AO | Name | MA | Notes |
| 182 | COLUMBIA | Ex-FALCON LADY, completed 11 Mar 1971 (Yard 1162). To MSC under consecutive voyage charter 15 Mar 1971. Transferred from Falcon Tankers to MSC Pacific under bareboat charter 3 May 1974. Renamed COLUMBIA by MSC 16 Jan 1976 effective 12 Jan 1976 and delivered to contract operator 30 Apr 1976. To AOT Sep 1979. Redelivered from contract operator to MSC and simultaneously returned to Falcon Tankers 21 May 1984, name reverted to FALCON LADY. Renamed MISSION CAPISTRANO (AOT 5005) Dec 1987 when purchased by MARAD for the Ready Reserve Force (RRF). RRF in the Beaumont Reserve Fleet (BRF) from Mar 1988. Activated 15 Feb 1991 for Desert Storm, repairs completed 17 Apr 1991 but ship no longer required and reentered the RRF in the BRF 11 Jul 1991. Downgraded from the RRF 31 Jul 2004. Title to MA 1 Sep 2004 and downgraded to NDRF retention same date, to non-retention Jul 2006. Withdrawn 5 Jul 2012, departed under domestic sale. | |
| 183 | NECHES | Ex-FALCON DUCHESS, completed 4 Aug 1971 (Yard 1163). To MSC under consecutive voyage charter ca. 1971. Transferred from Falcon Tankers to MSC Pacific under bareboat charter 3 May 1974. Renamed NECHES by MSC as of 11 Feb 1976 and to contract operator 16 Apr 1976. To AOT Sep 1979. Redelivered from contract operator to MSC and simultaneously returned to Falcon Tankers 2 Oct 1983, name reverted to FALCON DUCHESS. Bareboat chartered commercially May 1984 as ECLIPSE, returned to Falcon Tankers 1 Aug 1985 and again reverted to FALCON DUCHESS. Merc DUCHESS 18 Jun 1992. BU Gadani Beach 18 Dec 1997 | |
| 184 | HUDSON | Ex-FALCON PRINCESS, completed 4 May 72 (Yard 1165). To MSC under consecutive voyage charter 4 May 1972. Transferred from Falcon Tankers to MSC Atlantic under bareboat charter 10 Apr 1974. Renamed HUDSON by MSC 19 Mar 1976 and delivered to contract operator 26 Apr 1976. To AOT Sep 1979. Redelivered from contract operator to MSC and simultaneously returned to Falcon Tankers 5 Feb 1984, reverted to FALCON PRINCESS. Merc SEA PRINCESS 30 Nov 1993. BU Chittagong 6 Mar 2001 | |
| 185 | SUSQUEHANNA | Ex-FALCON COUNTESS, completed 13 Jan 1972 (Yard 1164). To MSC under consecutive voyage charter Jan 1972. Transferred from Falcon Tankers to MSC Atlantic under bareboat charter 17 Apr 1974. Renamed SUSQUEHANNA by MSC 19 Mar 1976 and delivered to contract operator 17 May 1976. To AOT Sep 1979. Redelivered from contract operator to MSC and simultaneously returned to Falcon Tankers 14 May 1984, reverted to FALCON COUNTESS. BU Alang 6 Dec 1993, beached 26 Jan 1994 |
Page Notes:
Compiled: 18 Sep 2021
© Stephen S. Roberts, 2021
Special sources: "Tankers: Fuel for Thought (Military Sea Transportation Service Tankers," by Salvatore R. Mercogliano, at American Merchant Marine at War, www.usmm.org, http://www.usmm.org/msts/tankers.html