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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USAT PVT. Joe R. Hastings
USAF Coastal Crusader (ORV-16)
AGM-16 / AGS-36 Coastal Crusader


USNS Coastal Crusader was first acquired by the US Army, later the US Air Force and finally the US Navy's Military Sea Transportation Service
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
National Defense Service Medal
Coastal Crusader Missile Range Instrumentation Ship:
  • Projected by the Navy as Wexford (AK-220), 25 February 1945
  • Laid down (date unknown) as MV Wexford, a Maritime Commission type (C1-M-AV1) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2174) at Letham D. Smith Shipbuilders, Sturgeon Bay, WI.
  • Contract canceled in August 1945 due to cessation of hostilities
  • Renamed MV Coastal Crusader by the Maritime Commission (date unknown)
  • Launched (date unknown)
  • Delivered to the Maritime Commission in July 1945
  • Acquired by the US Army (date unknown) and placed in service by the US Army Transportation Service as USAT Pvt. Joe R. Hastings
  • Acquired by the US Air Force for conversion to a missile tracking ship (date unknown)
  • Placed in service as Ocean Range Vessel USAFS Coastal Crusader (ORV-16) to be operated in support of the Air Force Eastern Test Range
  • Acquired by the US Navy in 1964 and placed in service with the Military Sea Transportation Service as a Special Mission Ship on the Eastern Test Range, USNS Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16)
  • Placed out of service (date unknown)
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • Reclassified Survey Ship (AGS-36) in 1969
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 30 April 1976
  • Final Disposition, disposed of by MARAD sale, 12 April 1977, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 3,366 t.(lt) 6,090 t.(fl)
    Length 338' 9"
    Beam 50' 4"
    Draft 17' 7"
    Speed 11.5 kts.
    Complement unknown
    Armament none
    Propulsion diesel, single propeller
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USAF Coastal Crusader (ORV-16)
    Coastal Crusader 54k USAFS Coastal Crusader (ORV-16) underway, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo from DANFS    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    USNS Coastal Crusader (T-AGS-16)
    Coastal Crusader 25k Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16) underway, date and place unknown. Gunter Krebs
    Coastal Crusader 200k Coastal Crusader(T-AGM-16) underway, date and place unknown.
    Photo by C. M. Neale Route 3 Box 106 Charleston, SC    		 William Zarkas, Retired MSC Boatswain
    President, MSC Retiree Association
    Coastal Crusader 85k Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16) entering San Juan, passing Moro Castle, circa 1967 Bill McQueen
    Coastal Crusader 93k Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16) pierside, Port Canaveral, FL., date unknown. Photo by James W. Holloway, Jr. (deceased), submitted by Jim Holloway
    Coastal Crusader 88k Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16) pierside, Port Canaveral, FL., date unknown. Photo by James W. Holloway, Jr. (deceased), submitted by Jim Holloway
    Coastal Crusader 96k Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16) pierside, Port Canaveral, FL., view of foredeck, date unknown. Photo by James W. Holloway, Jr. (deceased), submitted by Jim Holloway
    Coastal Crusader 86k Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16) moored port side to and Sword Knot (T-AGM-13) moored starboard side to at Naval Facility Trinidad, circa 1967 Anonymous
    Coastal Crusader 110k Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16) moored pierside at Naval Facility Trinidad, circa 1967 Anonymous
    Coastal Crusader 55k Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16) moored pierside at Naval Facility Trinidad, circa 1967 Anonymous
    Sword Knot 64k Sword Knot (T-AGM-13) moored starboard side to and Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16) moored port side to at Naval Facility Trinidad, circa 1967 Anonymous
    View the Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Navy Survey Ships (AGS) Designator Listing
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