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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

AO-122 / T-AO-122 Mission San Fernando
AGM-19 Muscle Shoals
T-AGM-19 / T-AG-194 Vanguard

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Delta - Romeo
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (2) - National Defense Service Medal
Mission Buenaventura Class Fleet Oiler:
  • Laid down, 26 August 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A2) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract, (MC 1274), at Marinship Corp., Sausalito, CA.
  • Launched, 25 November 1943
  • Delivered to the Naval Transportation Service, 29 February 1944 for charter by Pacific Tankers, Inc. for operation
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 10 May 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet Olympia, WA.
  • Acquired by the Navy, 21 October 1947, for charter to Union Oil Co. and placed in service under the operational control of the Naval Transportation Service (NTS) as Mission San Fernando (AO-122)
  • Transferred to the operational control the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 1 October 1949 and placed in service as USNS Mission San Fernando (T-AO-122)
  • Placed out of service, 24 May 1955
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 22 June 1955
  • Reacquired by the Navy, 21 June 1956, and placed in service with MSTS, operated under charter to Marine Transportation Lines.
  • Placed out of service, 4 September 1957
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Reacquired by the Navy, 28 September 1964
  • Converted to a Missile Range Instrumentation Ship (AGM) at General Dynamics Corp., Quincy, MA.
  • Renamed and reclassified Muscle Shoals (AGM-19) while undergoing conversion
  • Renamed Vanguard, 1 September 1965
  • Placed in service with MSTS as USNS Vanguard (T-AGM-19), 28 February 1966
  • Reclassified Miscellaneous Auxiliary (Navigational Test Launch Ship) (T-AG-194) in September 1980
  • Placed out of service (date unknown)
  • Struck from the Naval Register 13 December 1999
  • Custody transferred to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    AO Specifications:
    Displacement 5,532 t.(lt) 23,350 t.(fl)
    Length 523' 6"
    Beam 68'
    Draft 30' (max)
    Speed 14 kts.
    Complement 42 civilian mariners, 17 Navy Armed Guard
    Armament one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount, four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts, four twin 40mm gun mounts, 4 twin 20mm gun mounts
    Propulsion Turbo-electric, single screw, 6000hp

     AGM Specifications:
    Displacement 16,844 t.(lt) 22,310 t.(fl)
    Length 595'
    Beam 75'
    Speed 14 kts.
    Complement 48 civilian mariners, 18 scientists
    Propulsion Turbo-electric, two boilers, eight Westinghouse turbo-generators, single shaft, 10,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USNS Mission San Fernando (T-AO-122)
    Vanguard 104k Mission San Fernando (T-AO-122) underway in the harbor at Long Beach, CA., date unknown. David Buell
    Vanguard 37k Mission San Fernando (T-AO-122) underway, circa 1953, location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Vanguard 154k Mission San Fernando (T-AO-122), under tow entering the Quincy, MA. shipyard for conversion to a Missile Range Instrumentation Ship
    USAF photo from Patrick AFB archives.     		Dan Kovalchik
    Vanguard 17k Mission San Fernando (T-AO-122) in dry dock at Quincy. Only her bow and stern were retained in the construction of (T-AGM-19)
    USAF photo from Patrick AFB archives.    		 Dan Kovalchik
    USNS Muscle Shoals (AGM-19)
    Vanguard 33k Muscle Shoals (AGM-19) nearing completion, in dry dock at Quincy
    USAF photo from Patrick AFB archives.    		 Dan Kovalchik
    USNS Vanguard (T-AGM-19)
    Vanguard 15k Vanguard (T-AGM-19) at Cape Canaveral prior to the forward bridge and Satcom antenna being added
    USAF photo from Patrick AFB archives.    		 Dan Kovalchik
    Vanguard 230k Vanguard (T-AGM-19) seen here as a NASA SkyLab tracking ship
    Note, SatCom tracking radar, and telemetry antennas
    US Navy photo    		 Carl R Friberg Jr
    Vanguard 49k Vanguard (T-AGM-19) underway, circa 1966, place unknown. Robert Hurst
    Vanguard 45k Vanguard (T-AGM-19) pierside, Port Canaveral, FL., 1970. Photo by James W. Holloway, Jr. (deceased), submitted by Jim Holloway
    USNS Vanguard (T-AG-194)
    Vanguard 230k Vanguard (T-AG-194) seen here in New York harbor
    Reconfigured as a platform for testing Navy submarine navigation systems.
    US Navy photo    		 Carl R Friberg Jr
    Vanguard 104k Vanguard (T-AG-194) Reconfigured for testing Navy submarine navigation systems.
    US Navy photo    		 Bill Valashinas
    Vanguard 76k Vanguard (T-AG-194) in port, Cape Canaveral, FL., 1994-95 Bill Bowron ET3 (SS) USNS Vanguard/USNS Range Sentinel 1993-96
    Vanguard 69k Vanguard (T-AG-194) moored pierside, date and place unknown. Robert Hurst
    Vanguard 49k Vanguard (T-AG-194) underway, date and place unknown. Robert Hurst
    View the Mission San Fernando (AO-122) / Muscle Shoals (AGM-19 / Vanguard (T-AGM-19/T-AG-194)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Additional Ships Patches
    Vanguard
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski    		 Vanguard
    Contributed by Carl R Friberg Jr
    Fleet Ballistic Missile Operational Support Unit 2 Welcome Aboard Brochure
    Fleet Ballistic Missile Operational Support Unit 2 Demonstration and Shakedown Operation (DASO) Brochure
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    T-AGM-19 / T-AG-194 Vanguard
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Fleet Oiler (AO) Photo Index Back To The Range Instrumentation Ship (AGM) Photo Index Back To The Miscellaneous Auxiliary (AG) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 8 June 2007