 USSWatchman (AGR-16) enteringSan Francisco Bay | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Vernon S. Hood |
| Namesake | Vernon S. Hood |
| Owner | War Shipping Administration (WSA) |
| Operator | Overlakes Freight Co. |
| Ordered | as type (EC2-S-C5) hull,MC hull 2343 |
| Builder | J.A. Jones Construction,Panama City, Florida[1] |
| Cost | $1,061,814[2] |
| Yard number | 84 |
| Way number | 6 |
| Laid down | 17 January 1945 |
| Launched | 20 February 1945 |
| Sponsored by | Mrs. Inez Bulifant |
| Completed | 7 March 1945 |
| Identification | |
| Fate |
|
 United States | |
| Name | Watchman |
| Namesake | One who watches |
| Commissioned | 5 January 1959 |
| Decommissioned | 7 July 1965 |
| Reclassified | Guardian-classradar picket ship |
| Refit | Charleston Naval Shipyard,Charleston, South Carolina |
| Stricken | 1 September 1965 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate |
|
| General characteristics[4] | |
| 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 |
USSWatchman (AGR-16) was aGuardian-classradar picket ship, converted from aLiberty Ship, acquired by theUS Navy in 1958. She was reconfigured as a radar picket ship and assigned to radar picket duty in the NorthPacific Ocean as part of theDistant Early Warning Line.
Watchman (YAGR-16) was laid down on 17 January 1945, under aMaritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2343, as theLiberty ShipVernon S. Hood, byJ.A. Jones Construction,Panama City, Florida. She was launched 20 February 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Inez Bulifant; and delivered 7 March 1945, to MARCOM.[3][5]
Following ashakedown cruise in theGulf of Mexico, the freighter was turned over to theOverlakes Freight Corporation, to be operated by that firm under a contract with the MARCOM. During her brief period of active operations with MARCOM, 1945 to 1947, she also served under contract with theMoore-McCormack Lines. Later that year, she was placed out of service and was berthed with theJames River Reserve Fleet,Lee Hall, Virginia.[5]
The ship remained there until mid-1958 when she was taken over by the US Navy and converted to aradar picket ship at theCharleston Navy Yard,Charleston, South Carolina. During conversion, she was renamedWatchman and received the designationYAGR-16. However, that designation was changed toAGR-16 before she completed her conversion late in the year. On 5 January 1958,Watchman was placed in commission at Charleston.[5]
Watchman conducted shakedown training in theGuantanamo Bay operating area during February. Following post-shakedown availability at Charleston, from 5 to 18 March, she completed repairs and got underway for theUS West Coast. After transiting thePanama Canal, and visitingAcapulco, Mexico, she arrived in her new home port,San Francisco, California, on 11 April.[5]
Assigned to theContinental Air Defense Command (CONAD), she served as one of several radar picket ships operating as seaborne extensions of the command'sContiguous Radar Coverage System. She operated from her base at San Francisco, during her entire naval career, spending an average of 200 days per year actually at sea engaged in picket patrols.[5]
That routine continued until 1 September 1965, at which time she and the remainingAGR's were placed out of commission.[5]
Her name was struck from theNavy List 1 September 1965, and she was returned to theMaritime Administration (MARAD) for lay up with theSuisun Bay Reserve Fleet,Suisun Bay, California. She remained there until 3 October 1974, when she was sold toAmerican Ship Dismantlers for scrapping.[5]
Watchman's crew was eligible for the following medals:
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
