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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Patch contributed by Bill Valashinas

USNS Bowditch (T-AGS-21)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Sierra - Romeo NCSR

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - National Defense Service Medal

Bowditch Class Hydrographic Survey Ship:

Laid down, 11 May 1945, as SS South Bend Victory, a Maritime Commission type (VC-2-AP2) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull MCV 694) at Oregon Shipbuilding Co., Portland, OR.

Launched, 30 June 1945

Delivered to the War Shipping Administration, and Waterman Steamship Corp,, 27 July 1945, at Portland, OR.

Commercial Service

Chartered to American Hawaii SS. Co., 29 September 1945, at Baltimore, MD.

Chartered by Sword Line Inc., 21 May 1947, at New York, N.Y.

Contact awarded to Boland and Cornelius, 12 August 1948, at Chester, PA., for Reserve Fleet preparation

Laid up, 28 August 1948, in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, N.C. Group

Contract awarded to Prudential SS Co., 29 July 1950, for activation

Chartered to Prudential SS Co., 17 August 1950, at Newport News

Contract awarded to Prudential SS. Co., 11 February 1952, at San Francisco, CA.., for Reserve Fleet preparation

Laid up, 22 October 1953, in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.

Acquired by title transfer to the US Navy, 2 August 1957

Converted to a Survey Ship at Charleston Naval Shipyard, Charleston, S.C.

Renamed Bowditch, 8 August 1957

Assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and placed in service as USNS Bowditch (T-AGS-21), 8 October 1958

Placed our of service in 1988

Transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, TX., 30 September 1987

Struck from the Naval Register, 4 March 1988

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, to C.J. W. Shipping & Trading Inc. (MA-12256) for $910,000. Resold to King Tung Chen Steel & Iron Works Co. Ltd, Taiwan. Delivered to purchaser, 30 June 1988

Specifications:
Displacement 4,420 t.(lt) 13,050 t.(fl)
Length 455'
Beam 62'
Draft 23
Speed 16 kts.

Propulsion

Cross compound steam turbine with double reduction gear, 6,000 to 8,500hp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
09102110	7k	*Namesake* Bowditch - Nathaniel Bowditch (March 26, 1773 – March 16, 1838) was an early American mathematician remembered for his work on ocean navigation. He is often credited as the founder of modern maritime navigation; his book The New American Practical Navigator, first published in 1802, is still carried on board every commissioned U.S. Naval vessel. (Wikipedia)
	141k	*USNS Bowditch* (T-AGS-21)** underway, date and location unknown.	Ed Lanni and Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
	48k	*USNS Bowditch* (T-AGS-21** moored pierside, date and location unknown. Note the heavily damaged bow caused by a collision with a merchant ship	Bill Valashinas
	95k	*USNS Bowditch* (T-AGS-21** underway, at Charleston, S.C., date unknown. US Navy photo from DANFS.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	194k	*USNS Dutton* (T-AGS-22) (left) and USNS Bowditch (T-AGS-21)** (right) berthed side-by-side in the port of Bremerhaven, Germany in December 1965.	Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	57k	*USNS Bowditch* (T-AGS-21)** moored pierside at Bremerhaven, Germany, June 1968.	Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	45k	*USNS Bowditch* (T-AGS-21)** underway in August 1969, location unknown.	Robert Hurst
	499k	*USNS Bowditch* (T-AGS-21)** moored pierside at Trondheim, Norway, date unknown. Photo by Sigbjørn Baumeyer	Stig Baumeyer for his father Sigbjørn Baumeyer
09102109	122k	*USNS Bowditch* (T-AGS-21)** at sea, date and location unknown US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 79136	US Naval History and Heritage Command
	50k	Patch for *Oceanographic Unit One* embarked in *USNS Bowditch* (T-AGS-21)**	Mike Smolinski
	46k	Patch for *Oceanographic Unit One* embarked in *USNS Bowditch* (T-AGS-21)**	Mike Smolinski