 SSFrancis J O'Gara on the building ways at J. A. Jones Construction Co. Inc., Panama City, Florida, prior to launching, 8 June 1945. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Francis J O'Gara |
| Namesake | Francis J O'Gara |
| Owner | War Shipping Administration (WSA) |
| Operator | Calmer Steamship Corp. |
| Ordered | as type (EC2-S-C5) hull,MC hull 3140 |
| Builder | J.A. Jones Construction,Panama City, Florida[1] |
| Laid down | 14 April 1945 |
| Launched | 8 June 1945 |
| Completed | 30 June 1945 |
| Fate |
|
 USSOutpost (AGR-10) underway, 19 June 1963, location unknown. | |
 United States | |
| Name | Outpost |
| Namesake | A security detachment to protect against enemy enterprises |
| Commissioned | 6 February 1957 |
| Decommissioned | 1 July 1965 |
| Reclassified | Guardian-classradar picket ship |
| Refit | Philadelphia Naval Shipyard,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Stricken | 1 July 1965 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate |
|
| General characteristics[2] | |
| 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)[3] | |
| Class & type | Guardian-classradar picket ship |
| Capacity |
|
| Complement |
|
| Armament | 2 ×3 inches (76 mm)/50 caliber guns |
USSOutpost (AGR/YAGR-10) was aGuardian-classradar picket ship, converted from aLiberty Ship, acquired by theUS Navy in 1956. She was reconfigured as a radar picket ship and assigned to radar picket duty in the NorthAtlantic Ocean as part of theDistant Early Warning Line.
Outpost (YAGR–10) was laid down on 14 April 1945, under aMaritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 3140, as theLiberty ShipFrancis J. O'Gara, byJ.A. Jones Construction,Panama City, Florida. She was launched 8 June 1945, and delivered 30 June 1945, to the Calmer Steamship Corp.[3][4]
The Calmer Steamship Corp. operatedFrancis J. O'Gara for MARCOM from 30 June 1945 until 4 June 1946.Francis J. O'Gara's cruises during this period included one to theUS West Coast of the United States and one to variousEuropean ports.[4]
On 4 June 1946Francis J. O'Gara was laid up in theHudson River Reserve Fleet,Jones Point, New York, of MARCOM. From 28 January 1947 until 14 January 1948,Francis J. O'Gara was operated by theWaterman Steamship Company and then theSouth Atlantic Steamship Company. During this period she made cruises to Europe, theNear East, and theOrient. On 20 January 1948,Francis J. O'Gara was laid up in MARCOM'sMobile, Alabama, reserve fleet.[4]
On 22 May 1956, the US Navy acquiredFrancis J. O'Gara to be converted into anOcean Station Radar Ship.[4]
Francis J. O'Gara was towed from Mobile, to thePhiladelphia Naval Shipyard,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where conversion was begun to equip her with the electronic detection equipment and communication gear necessary for her role with theContinental Air Defense Command. She was assigned the Navy hull numberYAGR–10 and commissionedOutpost, 6 February 1957.[3][4]
Aftershakedown training out ofGuantanamo Bay,Cuba,Outpost reported to her homeport,Davisville, Rhode Island, 3 June 1957. On 28 June, the ship steamed seaward on her first patrol and on 30 June, relievedBrister on picket station. The ship returned to Davisville, 19 July, but by 24 July, was underway for another patrol setting the pattern of patrols interrupted by short periods in port.[4]
Outpost made a total of six patrols in 1957. These patrols continued into 1958.Outpost's designation was changed toAGR–10 28 September 1958.[4]
During the first half of 1961,Outpost steamed on station. But in August she steamed south toFlorida and theBahamas. From October 1961 to January 1962, she underwent overhaul atBoston, Massachusetts.[4]
Outpost continued her Atlantic patrols in 1962, buttoning up for wartime steaming during theCuban Missile Crisis. The onset of 1963 foundOutpost steaming on station as before. In late July the ship visitedHalifax, Nova Scotia.[4]
From August through the end of 1963,Outpost maintained a record of no misses in reporting air contacts. She visited Halifax, again in November before putting into her homeport for the holidays. Early in 1964, she resumed her patrols and continued this pattern of operation until decommissioning 1 July 1965.[4]
She was returned to theUS Maritime Administration (MARAD) 4 February 1966, and entered theHudson River Reserve Fleet,Jones Point, New York. She was sold 17 February 1971, for scrapping inSpain.[3][4]
Outpost's personnel qualified for the following medals:
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.