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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Bill Bossert, USS Tracer AGR-15

USS Tracer (AGR-15)
ex
 USS Interrupter (AGR-15) (1958 - 1959)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - November - Tango - Sierra
 NNTS
Voice Call Sign - "Incident Tango"
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
National Defense Service Medal
Guardian Class Radar Picket Ship:
  • Laid down, 24 December 1944, as SS William J. Riddle, a Maritime Commission type (Z-EC2-S-C5) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 2340), at J, A. Jones Construction Co. Inc., Panama City, FL
  • Launched, 31 January 1945
  • Delivered and accepted, 15 February 1945 by the War Shipping Administration, at Panama City, FL.
  • Simultaneously turned over to Moore McCormack Lines, Inc. for operation under GAA contract
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration, 16 December 1946, at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, N.C.
  • Leased to Waterman SS. Corp., 29 January 1947 under GAA contract and bare bottom charter .
  • Returned to the Maritime Administration, 29 October 1947, at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group. Lee Hall, VA.
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 21 May 1957, (title transfer) for conversion to a Radar Picket Ship at Charleston Naval Shipyard, Charleston, S.C.
  • Commissioned, USS Interrupter (AGR-15), 16 October 1958, at Charleston Naval Shipyard, Charleston, S.C., LCDR. George S. Harrison in command
  • Renamed USS Tracer (AGR-15), 4 September 1959
  • Returned to Maritime Administration custody, 16 August 1965, at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA>
  • Decommissioned, 7 July 1965
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1965
  • Permanent transfer to the Maritime Administration, at Suisun Bay, 4 February 1966
  • Sold, 15 July 1974, by MARAD to Walco Vessels Ltd., for non-transportation use
  • Placed in commercial service as a fish processing plant at Unalaska, AK, renamed Unisea
  • Final Disposition, towed to China in 2000 for scrapping.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 11,365 t.(fl)
    Length 441'
    Beam 59'
    Draft 22'
    Speed 11 kts.
    Complement 13 officers, 138 enlisted
    Armament two 3"/50 guns
    Capacities
    Fuel Oil, 443,646 gals.
    Diesel, 68,267 gals.
    Fresh Water, 15,082 gals.
    Ballast, 1,326,657 gals fresh water
    Propulsion
    Two 220 PSI boilers
    Filer & Stowell Co., of Milwaukee, WI. three cylinder triple-expansion reciprocating engine,
    Single 4 blade, 18' 6" propeller
    Shaft Horsepower, 2,500
    Two electric generators
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By /
    Source
    USS Tracer (AGR-15)
    Tracer 17k USS Tracer (AGR-15) underway, date and location unknown. Bill Bossert
    Tracer 128k USS Tracer (AGR-15) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, October 1964 issue.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Tracer 108k Ex-USS Tracer (AGR-15) being moved by tugs from Mare Island Naval Shipyard to the National Defense Reserve Fleet anchorage at Suisun Bay, Benecia CA. after being deactivated in 1965. David Nixon
    Commercial Service
    Tracer 107k Ex-USS Tracer (AGR-15) in commercial service as Unisea, a fish processing plant at Unalaska, AK. date unknown. David Nixon
    USS Interrupter / Tracer (AGR-15)
    DANFS History entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Harrison, George S.16 October 1958 - March 1959
    02LCDR. Wootton, William TurnerMarch 1959 - July 1960
    03LCDR. Asmundson, Franklin JohnJuly 1960 - 5 November 1961
    04LCDR. Reid, Albert Roy5 November 1961 - 6 March 1964
    05LCDR. Barney, Glenn Palmer 6 March 1964 - 7 July 1965
    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
    USS Tracer AGR-15
    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
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 5 December 2010