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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Left contributed by Mike Smolinski Right contibuted by Wolfgang Hechler

USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164)
ex
USNS Kingsport Victory (T-AK-239) (1950 - 1961)
USAT Kingsport Victory (1944 - 1950)
SS Kingsport Victory (1944 - 1948)

International Radio Call Signs,
USNS Kingsport Victory (T-AK-239) 1950 International Radio Call Sign: Nan - Yoke - Easy - Fox NYEF	USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) 1961 International Radio Call Sign: November - Lima - Zulu - Foxtrot NLZF

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal

Greenville Victory Class Cargo Ship:

Laid down, 4 April 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (VC2-S-AP2) hull, under Maritime Commission contract, (MCV hull 20), at California Shipbuilding Corp., Los Angeles, CA.

Launched, 29 May 1944

Completed and delivered to the War Shipping Administration, 12 July 1944, for operation under a GAA contract by American Hawaiian Steamship Co.,

During World War II SS Kingsport Victory served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater

SS Kingsport Victory earned one battle star for World War II service

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 29 September 1947, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.

Withdrawn from Reserve, 8 August 1948, and assigned, under charter, to the US Army Transport Service

Commissioned USAT Kingsport Victory

Decommissioned by the US Army and acquired by the US Navy, 1 March 1950

Assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and placed in service as USNS Kingsport Victory (T-AK-239)

Entered Willamette Iron & Steel Co. Shipyard at Portland OR., 24 September 1961, for conversion to a Satellite Communications Ship

Renamed and redesignated Miscellaneous Auxiliary USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164), 14 November 1961

Further modified at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA. from 1 June 1962 to 1 December 1962

Placed in service at Philadelphia, PA., 8 December 1962

Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register, 31 January 1984

Transferred, 29 August 1984, to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.

Final Disposition, withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet, 21 January 1992 for stripping at Norfolk and towing to India for scrapping

Specifications:
Displacement 4,420 t.(lt) 10,680 t.(fl)
Length 455' 3"
Beam 62'
Draft 29' 6"
Speed 16.5 kts.
Complement 52
Armament none
Propulsion cross compound steam turbine, single screw, 8,500shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
USNS Kingsport Victory (T-AK-239)
	57k	*USNS Kingsport Victory* (T-AK-239)** underway, circa 1952.	Robert Hurst
	60k	*USNS Kingsport Victory* (T-AK-239)** moored pierside, Bremerhaven, Germany, 3 April 1961.	Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164)
0913023916	91k	Port quarter view of Kingsport (T-AG-164) drydocked at Willamette Iron and Steel Co., Portland, OR., 24 January 1962, while undergoing conversion to a Satellite Communications Ship. US National Archives and Records Administration NAID 6929147, Local ID: 19-NN-AG-164USNSKingsport-16	John Spivey
	308k	The Official return of *USNS Kingsport* (T-AG-164)** by BuShips to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, 8 December 1962. Left to right: RADM Ralph K. James, USN (Chief of BuShips), VADM R. A. Gane (MSC) and Capt. Willard A. Reddel (MSC) in command. US Navy photo.	Darryl Baker Mike Green Source Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection
0913023914	144k
0913023913	133k
	87k	*USNS Kingsport* (T-AG-164)** underway while operating for NASA as a satellite communications ship, circa 1963.	Carl R Friberg Jr, Master USNS Kingsport
	314k	*USNS Kingsport* (T-AG-164)** underway, 29 January 1963. The photo shows the 53-foot white plastic dome that protects the 30-foot stabilized parabolic antenna. NASA photo	Robert Hurst
	86k	*USNS Kingsport* (T-AG-164)** in the middle of the Indian Ocean during NASA's Gemini project, circa 1965. Photo was taken from one of the ships lifeboats being used to exchange movies with USNS Coastal Sentry. Photo by George Beck AB Maintenance USNS Kingsport	W.R. Carr, AB Maintenance USNS Kingsport
	224k	*USNS Kingsport* (T-AG-164)** underway while operating for NASA as a satellite communications ship.	William Zarkas, Retired MSC Boatswain President, MSC Retiree Association
	47k	*USNS Kingsport* (T-AG-164)** at anchor, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	US Naval History and Heritage Command
0913023917	227k	Starboard bow view of *USNS Kingsport* (T-AG-164)** at anchor, date and location unknown. Photo taken before the dome was removed in 1967. U.S.Navy photo	Robert Hurst
	66k	*USNS Kingsport* (T-AG-164)** underway, date and location unknown	Ramon Jackson
	61k	*USNS Kingsport* (T-AG-164)** underway, date and location unknown.	Ramon Jackson
0913023915	220k	*USNS Kingsport* (T-AG-164)** outbound to sea from San Diego, CA., date unknown. ©George Barber	Nicholas Tiberio
	109k	*USNS Kingsport* (T-AG-164)** underway, location unknown. U. S. Navy (MSTS), Official US Navy photo - Military Sea Transportation System photo	Robert Hurst
	236k	*USNS Kingsport* (T-AG-164) (8 Berth)and USS Neptune (ARC-2)** (28 Base) moored at Barry Docks, Wales, Great Britain in August 1973.	Photo by Terry Spierling
	88k	US Maritime Commission hull identification plaque for *Kingsport Victory* and US Navy identification plaque for USNS Kingsport (AG-164)	Ramon Jackson