With only nine years of active service with the Seventh Fleet, Albatross had a relatively short career. Earlier "Falcon" and "Redwing" class MSCs built in the mid 1950s were powered with the time-tested U.S. built Packard and General Motors diesels while the newer Albatross -- and her sister, Gannet (MSC-290) -- were produced with four 8-cylinder Harischfeger engines of German design. Over time, both Albatross and Gannet suffered from recurring engine failures and electro-hydraulic issues which kept tech reps busy whenever we weren't on long patrols. By 1970, the expense had become too much and the Navy retired both vessels long before their anticipated service life of 30-35 years.