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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Watchman (AGR-16)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Victor - Delta
NZVD
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Revlon (M)ike - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
National Defense Service Medal

Guardian Class Radar Picket Ship:

Laid down, 17 January 1945, as SS Vernon S. Wood, a Maritime Commission type (Z-EC2-S-C5) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 2343), at J. A. Jones Construction Co. Inc., Panama City, FL.

Launched, 20 February 1945

Delivered to the Maritime Commission, 7 March 1945, to be operated by Overlakes Freight Co. under a Maritime Commission contract

Returned to the Maritime Commission in 1947 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.

Acquired by the US Navy in 1958 and converted to a Radar Picket Ship at Charleston Naval Shipyard, Charleston, S.C.

Commissioned, USS Watchman (AGR-16), 5 January 1959, LCDR Irvin Boaz USN in command

Decommissioned, 7 July 1965

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1965

Transferred to the Maritime Commission for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 3 October 1974 to American Ship Dismantlers

Specifications:
Displacement 11,365 t.(fl)
Length 441'
Beam 59'
Draft 22'
Speed 11 kts.
Complement 13 officers, 138 enlisted
Armament two 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts

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

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
83k	*USS Watchman* (AGR-16)**, entering San Francisco Bay, date unknown.	Frank McNamara USS Watchman (AGR-16) Web Site
13k	*USS Watchman* (AGR-16)** underway, date and location unknown.	Bill Bossert USS Tracer
67k	*USS Watchman* (AGR-16)** underway, circa 1960, location unknown. Photo courtesy W.H. Davis.	Robert Hurst

USS Watchman (AGR-16)
DANFS Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Commanding Officers
01	LCDR. Boaz, Irvin, USN	5 January 1959 - 26 February 1960
02	LCDR. Tuttle, John Sherwood, USN	23 February 1960 - 23 January 1960
03	LT. West, Frederick Powell, USN (XOIC)	23 January 1960 - 26 February 1960
04	LCDR. Tuttle, John Sherwood, USN	26 February 1960 - 10 June 1961
05	LT. Jefferis, Lawrence Richard, USN (XIOC)	10 June 1961 - 17 August 1961
06	LCDR. Tuttle, John Sherwood, USN	17 August 1961 - 2 April 1962
07	LCDR. Lawson, Kent Winfred, USN	2 April 1962 - 1 June 1963
08	LCDR. Cheatham, Augustus Barrett USN (52)	1 June 1963 - 1 September 1965


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

USS Watchman Additional Ships Patches
Contributed by Frank McNamara	Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
MARAD Vessel History Data Base
USS Watchman (AGR-16)
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

Last Updated 9 October 2015