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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Left contributed by Mike Smolinski Right contibuted by Wolfgang Hechler

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 (1) - 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
  • SS Kingsport Victory earned one battle star for World War II service
  • 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  • Withdrawn from Reserve, 8 August 1948, and assigned, under charter, to the US Army Transport Service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 in service at Philadelphia, PA., 8 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  • Final Disposition, withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet, 21 January 1992 for stripping at Norfolk and towing to India for scrapping
    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) under way, 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 308k The Official return of USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) by BuShips to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, 8 December 1962. Left to right: RADM Ralph K. James, USN (Chief of BuShips), VADM R. A. Gane (MSC) and Capt. Willard A. Reddel (MSC) in command.
    US Navy photo.    		 Darryl Baker
    Mike Green
    Source Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection
    Kingsport
    0913023914    		 144k
    Kingsport
    0913023913    		 133k
    Kingsport 87k USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) under way 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) under way, 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 86k USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) in the middle of the Indian Ocean during NASA's Gemini project, circa 1965. Photo was taken from one of the ships lifeboats being used to exchange movies with USNS Coastal Sentry.
    Photo by George Beck AB Maintenance USNS Kingsport    		 W.R. Carr, AB Maintenance USNS Kingsport
    Kingsport 224k USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) under way 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 66k USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) under way, date and location unknown Ramon Jackson
    Kingsport 61k USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) under way, date and location unknown. Ramon Jackson
    Kingsport
    0913023915    		 220k USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) outbound to sea from San Diego, CA., date unknown.
    ©George Barber    		 Nicholas Tiberio
    Kingsport 109k USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) under way, location unknown. U. S. Navy (MSTS), Official
    US Navy photo - Military Sea Transportation System photo    		 Robert Hurst
    Neptune 236k USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) (8 Berth)and USS Neptune (ARC-2) (28 Base) moored at Barry Docks, Wales, Great Britain in August 1973. Photo by Terry Spierling
    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)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The US Army Ship Index Back To The US Army Cargo Ships Photo Index Back To The US Navy Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The US Navy Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index Back To The US Navy Miscellaneous Auxiliary (AG) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 21 July 2023