_in_1956.jpg) USSPicket (AGR-7), in 1956 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | James F. Harrell |
| Namesake | James F. Harrell |
| Owner | War Shipping Administration (WSA) |
| Operator | Alcoa Steamship Co.Inc. |
| Ordered | as type (EC2-S-C5) hull,MC hull 3138 |
| Builder | J.A. Jones Construction,Panama City, Florida[1] |
| Cost | $823,358[2] |
| Yard number | 98 |
| Way number | 3 |
| Laid down | 28 March 1945 |
| Launched | 17 May 1945 |
| Sponsored by | Mrs. Alice Harrell |
| Completed | 11 June 1945 |
| Identification | |
| Fate |
|
 United States | |
| Name | Picket |
| Namesake | A sentinel |
| Commissioned | 8 February 1956 |
| Decommissioned | 30 July 1965 |
| Reclassified | Guardian-classradar picket ship |
| Refit | Norfolk Naval Shipyard,Portsmouth, Virginia |
| Stricken | 1 September 1965 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate |
|
| General characteristics[3] | |
| Class & type |
|
| Tonnage | |
| Displacement | |
| Length | |
| Beam | 57 feet (17 m) |
| Draft | 27 ft 9.25 in (8.4646 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 11.5knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) |
| Capacity | 490,000 cubic feet (13,875 m3) (bale) |
| Complement | |
| Armament |
|
| General characteristics (US Navy refit)[4] | |
| Class & type | Guardian-classradar picket ship |
| Capacity |
|
| Complement |
|
| Armament | 2 ×3 inches (76 mm)/50 caliber guns |
USSPicket (YAGR/AGR-7) was aGuardian-classradar picket ship, converted from aLiberty Ship, acquired by theUS Navy in 1955. She was obtained from theNational Defense Reserve Fleet and reconfigured as a radar picket ship and assigned to radar picket duty in the NorthPacific Ocean as part of theDistant Early Warning Line.
Picket (YAGR-7) was laid down 28 March 1945, under aMaritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 3138, as theLiberty ShipJames F. Harrell, byJ.A. Jones Construction,Panama City, Florida. She was launched 17 May 1945, sponsored by Mrs. Alice Harrell, and delivered toAlcoa Steamship Lines formerchant marine service 11 June 1945.[5][2]
As a merchant ship,James F. Harrell served Alcoa Steamship Lines from June to October 1945. Following assignment to the National Defense Reserve Fleet,James River, Virginia, 6 October 1945 to 31 January 1947, she servedUnited States Navigation Company,Baltimore, Maryland, January 1947 to August 1948. Her next merchant duty was forBoland and Cornelius Company,New York, August 1948.James F. Harrell remained in the National Defense Reserve Fleet,Wilmington, North Carolina, from 29 August 1948 to 11 July 1955.[5]
Acquired by theUS Navy on 12 July 1955, and renamedPicket, the merchant ship was towed to theNorfolk Navy Yard,Portsmouth, Virginia, for conversion tostation shipYAGR-7. She was commissioned on 8 February 1956.[5][4] She was reclassifiedAGR-7 on 28 September 1958.[5]
From 1956 to 1965,Picket used her long range radar and communications equipment to serve theNorth American Air Defense Command. She provided vital radar information on seaward air approaches to thePacific coast. She spent more than half of 1964 at sea, on various stations 500 to 600 mi (800 to 970 km) off the west coast of theUnited States andCanada. Her sea tours usually included 30 to 35 days at sea, followed by 15 to 30 days inSan Francisco, California, between patrols.[5]
Struck from theNaval Vessel Register on 1 September 1965,Picket joined theMaritime AdministrationReserve Fleet,Suisun Bay,San Francisco, California, until sold for scrapping in 1978.[5][4]
Scanner's crew was eligible for the following medals:
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
