The USS Jason (AC-12/AV-2) was a notable U.S. Navy collier and later seaplane tender, constructed by Maryland Steel Company in Sparrows Point, Maryland. Laid down on March 26, 1912, and launched on November 16, 1912, the vessel was designed for fueling operations and transport duties. Her early service was marked by a devastating explosion on March 7, 1913, in Baltimore harbor, when a nearby dynamite detonation caused extensive damage to her hull. Despite being heavily battered, she required significant repairs before commissioning on June 26, 1913. Throughout her service, USS Jason played a vital role in fueling American naval operations, initially supporting ships in the Caribbean, Mexico, and the Mediterranean, including carrying humanitarian aid such as Christmas gifts to Europe in 1914–1915. During World War I, she transported coal, stores, and aviation materials, including a notable mission to Inverness, Scotland. Post-war, she rejoined the Atlantic and Pacific fleets, performing fueling and transport duties along the U.S. coast, in Europe, and across the Pacific. By 1925, Jason had become the depot ship for the aircraft of the Asiatic Fleet based in the Philippines, supporting naval aviation operations in the Far East due to treaty restrictions preventing permanent land-based air facilities. She transported Marines to China and supported the fleet’s activities in a region rife with political unrest. Reclassified as a seaplane tender (AV-2) on January 21, 1930, she continued to serve in East Asia until returning to San Diego in 1932. Decommissioned on June 30, 1932, and struck from the Navy List in 1936, USS Jason was sold and converted into a commercial bulk carrier. Her final voyage was in 1936, after which she was towed to New York and eventually abandoned near the Old French Canal. She was scrapped in 1948, marking the end of her nearly three-decade service, during which she contributed significantly to U.S. naval logistics, aviation support, and presence operations in multiple theaters.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.