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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Locator (AGR-6)
ex
 USS Locator (YAGR-6) (1956 - 1958)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Romeo - Whiskey
 NZRW
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Retain (W)hiskey - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

National Defense Service Medal
Guardian Class Radar Picket Ship:
  • Laid down, 9 February 1945, as SS Frank O. Peterson, a Maritime Commission type (Z-EC2-S-C5) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 2347), at J. A. Jones Construction Co. Inc., Panama City, FL.
  • Launched, 23 March 1945
  • Delivered, 6 April 1945, to be operated under a WSA contract
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission, 8 October 1947, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 10 June 1955, for conversion to a Radar Picket Ship at Charleston Naval Shipyard, Charleston, S.C.
  • Commissioned, USS Locator (YAGR-6), 21 January 1956, LCDR. Frank A. Wigner USN in command
  • Redesignated (AGR-6), 28 September 1958
  • Decommissioned, 9 August 1965
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Hudson River, N.Y.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 4 January 1975
    Specifications:
    Displacement 10,760 t.(fl)
    Length 441' 6"
    Beam 56' 11"
    Draft 24'
    Speed 11 kts.
    Complement
    13 officers
    138 enlisted
    Armament two 3"/50 guns
    Fuel Capacities
    Fuel Oil, 8,066 Bbls.
    Diesel, 68,267 Gals.
    Fresh Water, 15,082 Gals.
    Ballast, 1,326,657 Gals fresh water
    Propulsion
    two 220 PSI boilers
    one 3 cylinder triple-expansion reciprocating engine,
    two boilers
    two Ships Service Generators
    one 4 blade, 18' 6" propeller, 2,500shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By /
    Source
    Guardian
    09620106    		 67k Especially designed for the transport of Tanks and Boxed Airplanes the Z-EC-S-C5 type had the same hull-form as the EC2-S-C1 type but with large hatches and heavier loading gear. Typical for this type is the arrangement of two pairs of kingposts each on the forecastle and poop contrary to the two single kingposts on the forecastle and one kingpost on the poop with the EC2-S-C1 basic design. All vessels remained under US Flag and Registry after WWII and were laid up.
    United States Maritime Commission 1936 thru 1950    		 John Spivey
    Locator 32k USS Locator (AGR-6) under way off the Pacific coast, date unknown. Photo taken from USS Watchman (AGR-16). Frank McNamara
    USS Watchman (AGR-16) web site
    Locator 51k USS Locator (AGR-6) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from DANFS    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret
    Locator 80k USS Locator (AGR-6) moored pierside, date and location unknown. Robert M. Cieri
    Locator 216k USS Locator (AGR-6) moor pierside at Vancouver BC, 12 July 1960.
    City of Vancouver Archives, Photo No. AM1506-S3-3-: CVA 447-5728, by Walter E. Frost.    		 Mike Green
    Locator 194k USS Locator (AGR-6) preparing to moor pierside at Vancouver BC, 5 August 1964.
    City of Vancouver Archives, Photo No. AM1506-S3-3-: CVA 447-5728.1, by Walter E. Frost.    		 Mike Green
    USS Locator (YAGR-6 / AGR-6)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Wigner, Frank Arthur USN21 January 1956 - 1 April 1958YAGR-6
    02LCDR. Fields, Thomas USN1 April 1958 - 15 May 1959YAGR-6/AGR-6
    03LCDR. Harrier, John Henry USN15 May 1959 - 26 July 1960AGR-6
    04LCDR/CDR. Metschl, John James USN (USNA 1946)26 July 1960 - 9 January 1962AGR-6
    05LCDR. Malone, Roy Wilson USN (USNA 1951)9 January 1962 - 12 July 1963AGR-6
    06LCDR. Donovan, James Francis USN12 July 196 - 27 July 1965AGR-6
    07LT. Williams, Patrick Henry USN (O-in-C)1 July 1965 - 9 August 1956AGR-6
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    YAGR's (Radar Picket Ships) Association
    Online Air Defense Radar Museum
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The Service Ship Type Index Back To The Radar Picket Ship (AGR) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 16 February 2024