USS Jason ( AC - 12 ) The first Jason ( AC - 12 ) was laid down 26 March 1912 ; launched 16 November 1912 by Maryland Steel Company , Sparrows Point , Maryland ; and commissioned 26 June 1913 , Captain A . M . Whitton in command . During Woodrow Wilson ' s first administration , Mexico was torn by revolution and several factions struggled to attain undisputed control of the land . Jason sailed for the troubled area 4 September 1913 to fuel American ships stationed there . She returned to Norfolk 13 October to prepare for fueling operations in the Mediterranean . Jason departed Norfolk 25 October , fueled ships off Italy and France , and returned to Hampton Roads , Virginia , 18 December . Following further fueling duties during winter maneuvers in the Caribbean and Mexican waters in early 1914 , she embarked refugees from Tuxpan , Mexico , in April and transported them to Louisiana . Later that year , Jason was once again involved in a humanitarian gesture as she sailed from New York 14 November , bearing Christmas gifts for the Mediterranean fleet and the people of Europe . The " Christmas Ship , " as she was called , returned to Norfolk 15 March 1915 . For the next 2 years Jason continued fueling operations , including one cruise to the West Coast March – June 1915 . During the early months of the war she operated with the Atlantic Train , transporting coal , stores , and freight along the eastern United States . She continued these duties until 16 April 1918 when she arrived New York to load aviation materials for transportation to Inverness , Scotland . Upon her return to Hampton Roads 5 July , Jason was assigned to NOTS to transport coal along the East Coast . After the war the fuel ship made two cruises to Europe with coal and general cargo before being detached from NOTS 22 July 1919 . Jason sailed from Norfolk 31 July to join the Pacific Train . Six months later she returned to the East Coast and 21 September 1920 sailed with coal and stores for the ships in European waters . Upon returning to the United States , she loaded airplanes and artillery equipment and departed Philadelphia 24 January 1921 for Guam . Jason operated in the Pacific for 2 years performing fueling operations along the coast . During 1923 she cruised to Nicaragua , embarked marines stationed there , and returned them to Norfolk . She arrived San Diego 5 May and resumed transport and fueling services until 1925 . Jason departed Pearl Harbor 2 May 1925 for service with the air squadron in the Far East . After arriving in the Philippines 25 May , she carried marines to China to protect American interests . From 1925 to 1932 Jason operated in the Far East , engaging in transport duties supporting the air squadron . Peace in China was constantly jeopardized by warlike factions within and aggression from without . Jason and the other members of the Asiatic Fleet kept the situation in hand by making the presence of America ' s naval strength felt . Jason was reclassified AV - 2 on 21 January 1930 . She returned to San Diego 13 May 1932 , and decommissioned at Bremerton Navy Yard 30 June 1932 . Jason was struck from the Navy List 19 May 1936 and sold 29 July of that year .