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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Watertown (T-AGM-6)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Sierra - Sierra - Bravo
NSSB

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

National Defense Service Medal

Watertown Class Missile Range Instrumentation Ship:

Laid down, 12 February 1944, as SS Niantic Victory, a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP3) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 100) at Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, OR.

Launched, 25 April 1944

Delivered to the Maritime Commission, 18 May 1944

Leased, 18 May 1944, to American Hawaii SS Co., for operation

Leased, 6 November 1946, to Waterman SS Corp.

Laid up, 30 May 1948, in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, N.C.

Chartered by Union Sulphur and Oil Co., 24 August 1950

MSTS charter, 18 April 1952, for operation by Union Sulphur and Oil Co.

MSTS charter, 8 April 1955, for operation by Pope and Talbot SS Co.

Chartered by Isbrandtsen Co. Inc., 11 December 1956

Laid up, 24 January 1958, in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.

Permanent custody transfer to the US Navy, 11 August 1960

Assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) for conversion to a Missile Range Instrumentation Ship

Place in service as USNS Watertown (T-AGM-6), 27 November 1960

Placed out of service in 1971

Struck from the Naval Register, 16 February 1972

Returned to the Maritime Administration, 22 March 1974, for disposal

Permanent custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, 23 May 1974

Struck from the Naval Register, 16 February 1972

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 23 May 1974, to Dongkuk Steel Mill Co., Ltd., Seoul South Korea, delivered, 16 July 1974

Specifications:
Displacement 4,512 t.(lt) 11,500t.(fl)
Length 455' 3"
Beam 62' 2"
Draft 28' 6"
Speed 15.5 kts.
Complement 56
Armament none
Propulsion cross compound steam turbine, single screw, 8,500shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
Merchant Service American-Hawaiian Steamship Co. Pope & Talbot Steamship Co.
	421k	SS Niantic Victory at anchor, during World War II, location unknown.	Vince Allan
	51k	SS Niantic Victory under way, date and location unknown.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	166k	Pope & Talbot Steamship Co.'s SS Niantic Victory under way in the English Channel en route to Bremerhaven in 1956, with a F-86 Sabre jets deckload. Photo source may be Skyfotos.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
	106k	Commemorative postal cover of Victory ships named for American cities. SS Niantic Victory.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus
USNS Watertown (T-AGM-6)
	145k	*USNS Watertown* (T-AGM-6)** at sea, 27 March 1962. US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 88079, courtesy of S.S. Roberts, 1978.	US Naval History and Heritage Command
	21k	*USNS Watertown* (T-AGM-6)** under way, date and location unknown.	Gunter Krebs
	58k	*USNS Watertown* (T-AGM-6)** pierside, Port Canaveral, FL. midships, 1967.	Photo by James W. Holloway, Jr. (deceased), submitted by Jim Holloway
	54k	*USNS Watertown* (T-AGM-6) pierside, Port Canaveral, FL., 1970. USS Observation Island (EAG-154)** is in the background.	Photo by James W. Holloway, Jr. (deceased), submitted by Jim Holloway
	96k	*USNS Watertown* (T-AGM-6)** under way in port, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
	93k	*USNS Watertown* (T-AGM-6)** moored pierside in the harbor at Pago Pago, American Samoa in early 1971.	Jim McGregor