SUNNYVALE USNS

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aukepalmhof
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Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

SUNNYVALE USNS

Post by aukepalmhof » Wed Mar 01, 2017 7:04 pm

The sheetlet to celebrate the Pitcairn and United States Air Force Joint Satellite Recovery Survey Mission to Henderson Island is released on 7 July 2000 to mark the opening of the World Stamp Expo at Anaheim, Los Angeles where we will be operating a booth. The Expo is centred on the theme of Space Exploration and Travel, a topic, which has some significance to Pitcairn. Initially we intended taking a Millennium Part III stamp and developing it into a sheetlet for the exhibition, which is why both of these issue have the same date of issue.
It was Garth Harraway, Pitcairn’s former Commissioner who prompted us to search the archives for reference material on the 1966 survey conducted by the United States Air Force. Dusting off the archived files, we found one marked ‘Secret’. The file contained a report which described the purpose of the mission. The US Satellite Launching site was moved from Florida to Vandenburg airbase, just north of Los Angeles, from which satellites could be launched on a trajectory to directly cross the South Pole, without over-flying any landmass. The Pitcairn Islands lie within a few hundred miles of the crucial point at which any launch may fail when a satellite would attempt to break through the earth’s atmosphere. Uninhabited Henderson Island was identified as an ideal site for an airbase whose function would be the recovery of satellite “whether manned or not”.
The survey was completed and by personnel of the United States Air Force with assistance from the Pitcairn Islanders. The USNS SUNNYVALE a satellite recovery vessel, was the mission support vessel. Although the survey was completed and plans drawn, the proposed airstrip failed to gain support at a higher level and the project was abandoned.
The ‘Secret’ file revealed a map showing the plans for the airfield and an album of black and white photographs of the survey team in action with some tremendous aerial shots of the unusual coral pinnacles, a distinctive feature of the Henderson Island landscape. The map is reproduced on the First Day Cover of this issue and the photographs provided the artist with a wonderful reference for his design.
In 1988, Henderson Island was declared a World Heritage Site. Today it is visited by just a few cruise vessels and yachts and the Pitcairners still make regular visits to collect Miro wood to carve into souvenirs which are sold to tourists.
Another feature of the sheetlet, is the Inmarsat satellite. It is through this satellite that Pitcairner communicate by voice or fax. Inmarsat A and Inmarsat M communications systems are both used on Pitcairn today.
Source: Pitcairn Post.

SUNNYVALE: Built as a type VC2-S-AP3 cargo vessel and built under yard No V21 by the California Shipbuilding Corporation, Terminal Island, Los Angles, California for the U.S. Shipping Administration.
08 April 1944 laid down.
06 June 1944 launched as the DALTON VICTORY named after Dalton in Ohio.
Tonnage 7,612 grt, 10,750 dwt, dim. 138.8 x 18.9 x 8.89m. (draught), length bpp.133.0, displacement 4,512 ton standard, 15,589 tons full load.
Powered by one compound steam turbine, 8,500 shp, one shaft, speed 15.5 knots.
19 July 1944 completed.
Chartered as a cargo vessel by Sudden & Christenson Inc. California.
27 May 1946 returned to the Maritime Administration at Baltimore. Chartered the same day by Moore McCormack Lines Inc.
03 October 1947 returned to the Maritime Administration, laid up in the National Defence Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
02 April 1948 chartered by the US Army Transportation Service renamed USNS DALTON VICTORY (T-AK-256 and reclassified as a Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS).
09 August 1950 transferred to the US Navy and placed in service by the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS as USNS DALTON VICTORY (T-AK-256)
Armed with 1 – 5 inch gun, 1 – 3 inch gun, 8 – 20mm AA guns.
Crew 99.
27 October 1960 redesignated a Missile Range Instrumentation Ship and renamed USNS SUNNYVALE (T-AGM-5).
Armament removed.
15 December 1974 out of service and struck from the Naval Register.
02 January 1975 custody transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
17 July 1975 sold for scrap to National Metal & Steel Corp.
11 August 1975 withdraw from Reserve Fleet and she was scrapped at Terminal Island, CA.

SS DALTON VICTORY was built as Victory ship used as a cargo ship for World War II. She was launched by the California Shipbuilding Company on June 6, 1944 and completed on July 19, 1944 as a Greenville Victory-class cargo ship. The ship’s United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2- S- AP3, hull number 21. She was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1950 and renamed the USNS DALTON VICTORY (T-AK-256).
In 1960 she was renamed USNS Sunnyvale (T-AGM-5) and rebuilt and placed in service as a missile range instrumentation ship, and assigned to the Pacific Missile Range, where she performed missile tracking duties.
Constructed in Los Angeles, California
DALTON VICTORY (T-AK-256) was built by California Shipbuilding Corporation, Los Angeles, California, and was completed in 1944.
Acquired by MSTS as a cargo ship
DALTON VICTORY was acquired by the Navy and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) in a noncommissioned status on 9 August 1950.
Assigned as a missile tracking ship
On 27 October 1960 DALTON VICTORY was reconfigured as a missile range instrumentation ship and renamed USNS SUNNYVALE (T-AGM-5).
USNS SUNNYVALE carried out a multitude of duties in the Pacific Ocean through 1962, including operations in support of the Pacific Missile Range, Point Mugu, California.
Inactivation
SUNNYVALE was placed out of service at an unknown date, and was struck from the Navy List on 15 December 1974. She was disposed of by the U.S. Maritime Administration on 17 July 1975. Broken up at Terminal Island by National Metal & Steel Corp. in 1975.

Pitcairn Island 2000 $5.00 sgMS?, scott?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USNS_Dalt ... (T-AK-256) http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/13/130256.htm
Attachments
Dalton_Victory_(T-AK-256).jpg
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