USNS Mission De Pala ( T - AO - 114 ) SS " Mission De Pala " was a Type T2 - SE - A2 tanker built for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II . After the war she was acquired by the United States Navy as USS " Mission De Pala " ( AO - 114 ) . Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS " Mission De Pala " ( T - AO - 114 ) . She was a member of the and was named for Mission San Antonio de Pala in eastern San Diego County , California . Service history . World War II , 1943 – 1946 . " Mission De Pala " was laid down on 26 November 1943 under a Maritime Commission contract by Marine Ship Corporation , Sausalito , California ; launched on 28 February 1944 , sponsored by Mrs . Francis D . Malone ; and delivered on 22 April 1944 . Chartered to Pacific Tankers Inc . on 22 April for operations , she spent the remainder of the war carrying oil and fuel to allied forces overseas , in the Pacific ( during which time she was three times awarded the Navy Battle " E " Ribbon as well as the National Defense Service Medal ) . Returned to the Maritime Commission on 28 May 1946 , she was laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Mobile , Alabama . NTS / MSTS , 1947 – 1949 . Acquired by the Navy on 22 October 1947 she was designated " Mission De Pala " ( AO - 114 ) and placed in service with Naval Transportation Service ( NTS ) . Taken over by the Military Sea Transportation Service ( MSTS ) on 1 October 1949 she was designated USNS " Mission De Pala " ( T - AO - 114 ) . Her service with MSTS was brief and on 23 December 1949 she was returned to the Maritime Commission and laid up in the Reserve Fleet at Orange , Texas . Korean War , 1950 – 1954 . When the Korean War broke out , there was an urgent need for logistics support vessels , especially tankers , so on 21 July 1950 " Mission De Pala " was reacquired by the Navy and placed in service with MSTS on the same date . The tanker spent most of the war shuttling between Korea , Pearl Harbor , and the west coast of the United States carrying fuel overseas . Transferred to the Maritime Administration on 15 November 1954 she was laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at James River , Virginia . She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 22 June 1955 . MSTS , 1956 – 1958 . Reacquired by the Navy on 6 July 1956 she was placed in service with MSTS and operated , under charter , by Marine Transport Lines , Inc . , until 13 March 1958 when she was again returned to the Maritime Administration and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at Orange . She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on the same date . Conversion to instrumentation ship , 1964 – . Once again the call to service came and on 19 September 1964 the " Mission De Pala " was reacquired for the Navy for conversion into a missile ‑ range instrumentation ship . Converted at General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division , Quincy , Massachusetts she was " jumboized " by having a 72 ‑ foot section added amidships , an extensive array of electronic equipment was installed and a nest of antennas added topside . Essentially the ship was virtually rebuilt in order to prepare her for her new role . While under conversion , she was renamed and redesignated " Johnstown " ( AGM - 20 ) on 8 April 1965 , but she was renamed " Redstone " on 1 September 1965 . Upon completion of conversion , she was accepted on 30 June 1966 by MSTS , for service as USNS " Redstone " ( T - AGM - 20 ) . Designed for use as a seagoing tracking station for the Apollo program test series and moon shot , into 1969 , she continued these duties and played her part in helping fulfill the late President John F . Kennedy ' s pledge to land a man on the moon before 1970 . The ship ' s final disposition is unknown .