USNS Short Splice

History
United States
Name	Short Splice
Namesake	Short splice
Ordered	as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2464[1]
Builder	Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, California
Yard number	1310[1]
Laid down	15 January 1945
Launched	3 March 1945
Sponsored by	Mrs. A. 0. Wiese
Commissioned	delivered to the Maritime Commission (MARCOM) prior to commissioning, 18 May 1945
Identification	Hull symbol: AK-249 (never received number) Code letters: NSLU
Fate	Transferred to the War Shipping Administration (WSA)
History
United States
Name	Short Splice
Owner	WSA
Operator	US Army
Acquired	17 July 1946
In service	17 July 1946
Out of service	1 March 1950
Fate	Transferred to the US Navy, 1 March 1950
History
United States
Name	Short Splice
Owner	US Navy
Operator	Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS)
Acquired	1 March 1950
In service	1 March 1950
Out of service	29 June 1973
Stricken	15 June 1973
Identification	Hull symbol: T-AK-249
Fate	Transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), 31 August 1973
History
United States
Name	Short Splice
Owner	MARAD
Acquired	31 August 1973
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 31 August 1973
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	Alamosa-class cargo ship
Type	C1-M-AV1
Tonnage	5,032 long tons deadweight (DWT)[1]
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 Short Splice (T-AK-249) was a US Maritime Administration (MARCOM) C1-M-AV1type coastal cargo ship, originally planned as an Alamosa-class cargo ship. Constructed as Short Splice for MARCOM, completed in August 1945 and placed in operation by the War Shipping Administration during the closing period of World War II. However, the war ended, and she was transferred to the US Army as USAT Short Splice who kept her in service until transferred to the US Navy in 1950.

Short Splice was laid down under MARCOM contract, MC hull 2464, on 15 January 1945 by Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, California; launched on 3 March 1945; sponsored by Mrs. A. 0. Wiese; and delivered to the United States Steamship Lines on 18 May 1945.^[3]

She was acquired and operated by the Army which commissioned her on 17 July 1946, as USAT Short Spice. She was retained by the Army until she was transferred to the US Navy 1 March 1950.^[3]

She operated with the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), carrying cargo for military bases. Until 5 March 1959, she called at almost every European port as well as ports along the Atlantic western coast from Goose Bay, Labrador, to the Panama Canal Zone. She then operated from New Orleans, Louisiana, carrying supplies, ammunition, and vehicles to Panama; Key West, Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Kingston, Jamaica.^[3]

On 3 November 1966, Short Splice moved to the Far East, and a crew of Koreans was assigned to man her. She made supply runs to Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and the Philippine Islands. On 30 March 1973, the Korean crew was replaced by American merchant seamen, but her area of operations did not change.^[3]

On 20 June 1973, while at Sasebo, Japan, she was transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for disposal. Short Splice was sold to Fuji Marden & Co. Ltd., Hong Kong, British Crown Colony, on 31 July 1973 and scrapped.^[3]

Citations

• Photo gallery of USNS Short Splice (AK-249) at NavSource Naval History