Ships of the Special Mission Force, Military Sea Transportation Service/Military Sealift Command 1958-2000
Hydrographic Survey, Oceanographic Research, Missile Range Instrumentation, Unclassified Auxiliaries, Deep Submergence Support and Range Instrumentation, Sonar Trail Ship, Cable Repair
USNS Bowditch (T-AGS 21) 1958-87
USNS Dutton (T-AGS 22) 1958-89
USNS Michelson (T-AGS 23) 1958-75
USNS Kellar (T-AGS 25) 1969-72
USNS Silas Bent (T-AGS 26) 1965-99
USNS Kane (T-AGS 27) 1967-Present
USNS Chauvenet (T-AGS 29) 1970-92
USNS S. P. Lee (T-AGS 31) 1968-74 (Redesignated T-AG 192 in 1970)
USNS Harkness (T-AGS 32) 1971-93
USNS Wilkes (T-AGS 33) 1971-95
USNS Wyman (T-AGS 34) 1971-96
USNS Sgt. George D. Keathley (T-AGS 35) 1966-72
USNS Coastal Crusader (T-AGS 36) 1969-76
USNS H. H. Hess (T-AGS 38) 1976-92
USNS Maury (T-AGS 39) 1989-94
USNS Tanner (T-AGS 40) 1990-94
USNS Waters (T-AGS 45) 1993-Present
USNS John McDonnell (T-AGS 51) 1991-Present
USNS Littlehales (T-AGS 52) 1992-Present
USNS Pathfinder (T-AGS 60) 1994-Present
USNS Sumner (T-AGS 61) 1995-Present
USNS Bowditch (T-AGS 62) 1996-Present
USNS Henson (T-AGS 63) 1998-Present
USNS Bruce Heezin (T-AGS 64) Under Construction
USNS Mary Sears (T-AGS 65) Under ConstructionUSNS Chain (T-ARS 20) 1958-59
USNS Josiah Willard Gibbs (T-AGOR 1) 1959-71
USNS James M. Gilliss (T-AGOR 4) 1962-71
USNS Charles H. Davis (T-AGOR 5) 1963-70
USNS Sands (T-AGOR 6) 1965-74
USNS Lynch (T-AGOR 7) 1965-91
USNS Eltanin (T-AGOR 8) 1957-72
USNS Mizar (T-AGOR 11) 1964-90
USNS De Steiguer (T-AGOR 12) 1969-92
USNS Bartlett (T-AGOR 13) 1969-93
USNS Hayes (T-AGOR 16) 1971-83 (Reactivated as T-AG 195 in 1989)Missile Range Instrumentation Ships
USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1) 1961-69
USNS Range Recoverer (T-AGM 2) 1960-72
USNS Longview (T-AGM 3) 1960-74
USNS Richfield (T-AGM 4) 1960-70
USNS Sunnyvale (T-AGM 5) 1960-74
USNS Watertown (T-AGM 6) 1961-72
USNS Huntsville (T-AGM 7) 1961-71
USNS Wheeling (T-AGM 8) 1962-79
USNS General H. H. Arnold (T-AGM 9) 1964-82
USNS Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg (T-AGM 10) 1964-83
USNS Twin Falls (T-AGM 11) 1964-68
USNS American Mariner (T-AGM 12) 1964-66
USNS Sword Knot (T-AGM 13) 1964-71
USNS Rose Knot (T-AGM 14) 1964-68
USNS Coastal Sentry (T-AGM 15) 1964-71
USNS Coastal Crusader (T-AGM 16) 1964-76 (Redesignated T-AGS 36 in 1969)
USNS Timber Hitch (T-AGM 17) 1964-68
USNS Sampan Hitch (T-AGM 18) 1964-68
USNS Vanguard (T-AGM 19) 1966-98 (Redesignated T-AG 194 in 1980)
USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20) 1966-93
USNS Mercury (T-AGM 21) 1965-76
USNS Range Sentinel (T-AGM 22) 1971-97
USNS Observation Island (T-AGM 23) 1979-PresentUSNS Mission Capistrano (T-AG 162) 1961-71 (Sound Test Ship)
USNS Kingsport (T-AG 164) 1961-84 (Satellite communciation ship, converted to hydrographic research in 1966)
USNS Pvt. Joseph F. Valdez (T-AG 169) 1962-71 (Intelligence Ship)
USNS Lt. James E. Robinson (T-AG 170) 1962-64 (Cable Transport Ship)
USNS Sgt. Joseph E. Muller (T-AG 171) 1962-70 (Intelligence Ship)
USNS Sgt. Curtis Shoup (T-AG 175) 1963-70 (Survey Support Ship)
USNS Shearwater (T-AG 177) 1964-69 (Survey Support Ship)
USNS Flyer (T-AG 178) 1965-75 (Hydrographic Research Ship)Deep Submergence Support and Range Instrumentation Ship
USNS Point Loma (T-AGDS 2) 1986-93
USNS Glover (T-AGFF 1) 1991-92
USNS Neptune (T-ARC 2) 1973-92
USNS Aeolus (T-ARC 3) 1973-85
USNS Thor (T-ARC 4) 1973-74
USNS Albert J. Myer (T-ARC 6) 1963-94 (Originally assigned as hydrographic research prior to transfer of other cable ships in 1973)
USNS Zeus (T-ARC 7) 1984-Present* Absent from this list are the three Floating Forward Depot and one Helicopter Repair Ship operated for the Army prior to the Vietnam War since they were precursors for the Afloat Prepositioning Force. Additionally, the Ocean Surveillance Ships (T-AGOS) are omitted since they spent the majority of their career in the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force.
www.USMM.org is grateful to Professor Salvatore R. Mercogliano for providing this list of ships. Mercogliano is writing his doctoral dissertation about the history of the Merchant Marine, Military Sea Transportation Service and Military Sealift Command.MSC Ships of the Line by Salvatore R. Mercogliano
11/29/00
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