USNS Mission Capistrano ( T - AO - 112 ) SS " Mission Capistrano " 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 Capistrano " ( AO - 112 ) . Later the tanker transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service as USNS " Mission Capistrano " ( T - AO - 112 ) . She was a member of the and was named for San Juan Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano , California . Career . Originally laid down on 29 February 1944 as a Maritime Commission type ( T2 - SE - A2 ) tanker hull ( MC hull 1819 ) under a Maritime Commission contract as SS " Mission Capistrano at the Marinship Corporation in Sausalito , California ; launched on 7 May 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . James E . George ; and delivered on 14 June 1944 . Chartered to Pacific Tankers Inc . , she spent the rest of the War supporting allied forces overseas ( during which time she was awarded the National Defense Service Medal ) , until returned to the Maritime Commission on 20 April 1946 and laid up at the Maritime Commission Reserve Fleet at Mobile , Alabama . Acquired by the Navy on 17 November 1947 , she was designated as Mission Capistrano " ( AO ‑ 112 ) and transferred to the Naval Transportation Service for duty . She served with this service until 1 October 1949 when the Naval Transportation Service was absorbed into the new Military Sea Transportation Service ( MSTS ) and laid up at the Beaumont , Texas , Reserve Fleet . Redesignated USNS " Mission Capistrano " ( T ‑ AO ‑ 112 ) , she was transferred to the operational control of MSTS on the same date . She continued her service with MSTS until 1 January 1955 when she was placed out of service , struck from the Naval Vessel Register , and transferred to the Maritime Administration and laid up at the Beaumont , Texas Reserve Fleet . Reacquired by the Navy on 5 July 1956 , she was transferred to MSTS on the same date and placed in service for further duty with MSTS . She continued her voyages along the world ’ s tanker routes transporting oil to and from the United States until early 1960 , when she entered the Todd Pacific Shipyards at New Orleans , Louisiana for conversion to a " Sound Testing Ship . " Reclassified USNS " Mission Capistrano " ( AG ‑ 162 ) on 1 July 1960 she was modified to carry an ultra ‑ high ‑ powered sonar transducer array some five stories high and several tons in weight . The transducer could be raised and lowered like a centerboard through the ship ’ s bottom . Upon completion of her conversion , she was placed in service as USNS " Mission Capistrano " ( T - AG - 162 ) ( date unknown ) and joined " Project ARTEMIS , " a project intended to ultimately produce a system that could detect submarine s at long range . Transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the " National Defense Reserve Fleet , " " Mission Capistrano " was sold by the Maritime Administration ( MARAD ) for commercial purposes in 1972 and converted to a " drill ship . " Renamed " Mission Exploration " by 1975 , she was scrapped 5 years later in Brownsville , Texas . Falcon Lady . Another tanker , constructed in the 1970s and initially named " Falcon Lady " , was later renamed " Mission Capistrano " . It is part of the " Ready Reserve Force " fleet located near Beaumont , Texas . Because of the similar name it can be confused with the 1940s " Mission Capistrano " .