Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164)
ex
 USNS Kingsport Victory (T-AK-239) (1950 - 1961)
 USAT Kingsport Victory (1944 - 1950)
 SS Kingsport Victory (1944 - 1948)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Lima - Zulu - Foxtrot
 NLZF
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Greenville Victory Class Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, 4 April 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP2) hull, under Maritime Commission contract, (MCV hull 20), at California Shipbuilding Corp., Los Angeles, CA.
  • Launched, 29 May 1944
  • Completed and delivered to the War Shipping Administration, 12 July 1944, for operation under a GAA contract by American Hawaiian Steamship Co.,
  • During World War II SS Kingsport Victory served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 29 September 1947, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Withdrawn from Reserve, 8 August 1948, and assigned, under charter, to the US Army Transport Service
  • Commissioned USAT Kingsport Victory
  • Decommissioned by the US Army and acquired by the US Navy, 1 March 1950
  • Assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and placed in service as USNS Kingsport Victory (T-AK-239)
  • Entered Willamette Iron & Steel Co. Shipyard at Portland OR., 24 September 1961, for conversion to a Satellite Communications Ship
  • Renamed and redesignated Miscellaneous Auxiliary USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164), 14 November 1961
  • Further modified at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA. from 1 June 1962 to 1 December 1962
  • Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register, 31 January 1984
  • Transferred, 29 August 1984, to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Final Disposition, transferred to the US Navy, Military Sealift Command for scientific research, 1 March 1990
  • SS Kingsport Victory received one battle star for World War II service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 4,420 t.(lt) 10,680 t.(fl)
    Length 455' 3"
    Beam 62'
    Draft 29' 6"
    Speed 16.5 kts.
    Complement 52
    Armament none
    Propulsion cross compound steam turbine, single screw, 8,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    USNS Kingsport Victory (T-AK-239)
    Kingsport Victory 57k USNS Kingsport Victory (T-AK-239) underway, circa 1952. Robert Hurst
    Kingsport Victory 60k USNS Kingsport Victory (T-AK-239) moored pierside, Bremerhaven, Germany, 3 April 1961. Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164)
    Kingsport 66k USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) underway, date and location unknown Ramon Jackson
    Kingsport 61k USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) underway, date and location unknown. Ramon Jackson
    Kingsport 87k USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) underway while operating for NASA as a satellite communications ship, circa 1963. Carl R Friberg Jr, Master USNS Kingsport
    Kingsport 314k USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) underway, 29 January 1963. The photo shows the 53-foot white plastic dome that protects the 30-foot stabilized parabolic antenna. NASA photo Robert Hurst
    Kingsport 224k USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) underway while operating for NASA as a satellite communications ship. William Zarkas, Retired MSC Boatswain
    President, MSC Retiree Association
    Kingsport 47k USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Kingsport 88k US Maritime Commission hull identification plaque for Kingsport Victory and US Navy identification plaque for USNS Kingsport (AG-164) Ramon Jackson
    USNS Kingsport Victory (T-AK-239) / USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164)
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index Back To The Miscellaneous Auxiliary (AG) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 9 March 2012