Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USNS Vanguard (T-AG-194)
ex
USNS Vanguard (T-AGM-19) (1965 - 1999)
Muscle Shoals (AGM-19) (1964 - 1965)
USNS Mission San Fernando (T-AO-122) (1949 - 1964)
Mission San Fernando (AO-122) (1947 - 1949)

USNS Mission San Fernando International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Oscar - Bravo NHOB

USNS Vanguard International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Delta - Romeo NIDR

USNS Vanguard Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (2) - National Defense Service Medal

Mission Buenaventura Class Fleet Oiler:

Laid down, 26 August 1943, as a Maritime Commission type (T2-SE-A2) tanker hull, under Maritime Commission contract, (MC 1274), at Marinship Corp., Sausalito, CA.

Launched, 25 November 1943

Delivered to the Naval Transportation Service, 29 February 1944 for charter by Pacific Tankers, Inc. for operation

Returned to the Maritime Commission, 10 May 1946, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet Olympia, WA.

Acquired by the Navy, 21 October 1947, for charter to Union Oil Co. and placed in service under the operational control of the Naval Transportation Service (NTS) as Mission San Fernando (AO-122)

Transferred to the operational control the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 1 October 1949 and placed in service as USNS Mission San Fernando (T-AO-122)

Placed out of service, 24 May 1955

Returned to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Olympia, WA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 22 June 1955

Reacquired by the Navy, 21 June 1956, and placed in service with MSTS, operated under charter to Marine Transportation Lines.

Placed out of service, 4 September 1957

Returned to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.

Reacquired by the Navy, 28 September 1964

Converted to a Missile Range Instrumentation Ship (AGM) at General Dynamics Corp., Quincy, MA.

Renamed and reclassified Muscle Shoals (AGM-19) while undergoing conversion

Renamed Vanguard, 1 September 1965

Placed in service with MSTS as USNS Vanguard (T-AGM-19), 28 February 1966

Reclassified Miscellaneous Auxiliary (Navigational Test Launch Ship) (T-AG-194) in September 1980

Placed out of service, date unknown

Struck from the Naval Register 13 December 1999

Custody transferred to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.

Final Disposition, fate unknown

AO Specifications:
Displacement 5,532 t.(lt) 21,880 t.(fl)
Length 523' 6"
Beam 68'
Draft 30' 10"
Speed 15.1 kts (trial)

Complement

52 CivMar

17 US Navy Armed Guard

Armament

one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount

four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts

four twin 40mm AA gun mounts

four twin 20mm AA gun mounts

Cargo Capacity 15,300DWT

Oil 120,400 Bbls

Gasoline 575,000 Gals

Fuel Capacity NSFO 9,235 Bbls

Propulsion

one General Electric turbo-electric engine

two Babcock and Wilcox D-type boilers, 600psi 825°

Ship's Service Generators
two turbo-drive 400Kw 450V A.C.
two turbo-drive 85Kw 120V D.C.
two turbo-drive 55Kw 120V D.C.
one turbo-drive 50Kw 450V A.C.

single propeller, 10,000shp

AGM Alterations to Specifications:
Displacement 16,844 t.(lt) 22,310 t.(fl)
Length 595'
Beam 75'
Speed 14 kts.
Complement 48 civilian mariners, 18 scientists
Propulsion Turbo-electric, two boilers, eight Westinghouse turbo-generators, single shaft, 10,000shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
War Shipping Administration
09531923	78	*Namesake* Mission San Fernando - Detroit Publishing Co - Postcard, circa 1900.	Tommy Trampp
	183k	*Mission San Fernando* under construction on Way # 2 at Marinship Corp. Sausalito, CA., 64 days after keel laying. Maritime Commission photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages.	Robert Hurst
	109k	*Mission San Fernando*, 26 November 1943, one day after launching, at Marinship Corp. Sausalito, CA. US Maritime Commission photo courtesy Auke Visser's Famous T - Tankers Pages.	Robert Hurst
USNS Mission San Fernando (T-AO-122)
	1363k	*USNS Mission San Fernando* (T-AO-122)** at anchor off Long Beach/San Pedro, CA., area, date unknown.	David Buell
	104k	*USNS Mission San Fernando* (T-AO-122)** underway in the harbor at Long Beach, CA., date unknown.	David Buell
	37k	*USNS Mission San Fernando* (T-AO-122)** underway, circa 1953, location unknown.	Robert Hurst
	154k	*Mission San Fernando, under tow entering the Quincy, MA. shipyard for conversion to a Missile Range Instrumentation Ship* USAF photo from Patrick AFB archives.	Dan Kovalchik
09531930	151k	*Mission San Fernando* in a drydock at General Dynamics Corp. Electric Boat Div., Quincy, MA. shipyard for conversion to a Missile Range Instrumentation Ship General Dynamics photo	Nicolas Tiberio
	17k	*Mission San Fernando* in drydock at Quincy. Only her bow and stern were retained in the construction of (T-AGM-19) USAF photo from Patrick AFB archives.	Dan Kovalchik
Muscle Shoals (AGM-19)
	33k	Muscle Shoals (T-AGM-19) nearing completion, in dry dock at Quincy USAF photo from Patrick AFB archives.	Dan Kovalchik
USNS Vanguard (T-AGM-19)
	15k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AGM-19)** at Cape Canaveral prior to the forward bridge and Satcom antenna being added USAF photo from Patrick AFB archives.	Dan Kovalchik
	273k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AGM-19)** prior to the in update of the forward bridge and the installation of the SATCOM antenna, moored, date and location unknown.	Dan Nugent
	311k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AGM-19)** underway while being over flown by NASA 232, a Douglas C-54 aircraft, date and location unknown.	Dan Nugent
	49k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AGM-19)** underway, circa 1966, location unknown.	Robert Hurst
	171k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AGM-19) moored pierside at San Diego, CA., circa 1966. Photo by marine biologist, Charles R. Hitz (Bob) from the research ship NOAAS John N. Cobb (R-552)**	Charles W. Hitz
	181k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AGM-19)** underway, circa 1967, location unknown. US Navy photo from 1967-68 edition of "Jane's Fighting Ships"	Robert Hurst
	277k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AGM-19)** underway in her Apollo Space Program configuration, circa 1969, location unknown. Photo from post card image by B. Miley, post marked, 3 March 1969.	Tommy Trampp
09531924	232k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AGM-19)** underway in her Apollo Space Program configuration, date and location unknown.	Nicholas Tiberio
09531925	257k
09531926	214k
	60k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AGM-19) and USS Pinnacle (MSO-462)** moored pierside, circa 1966 to 1977, location unknown.	Robert Hurst
	45k	*USS Vanguard* (T-AGM-19)** pierside, Port Canaveral, FL., 1970.	Photo by James W. Holloway, Jr. (deceased), submitted by Jim Holloway
	230k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AGM-19)** seen here as a NASA SkyLab tracking ship Note, SatCom tracking radar, and telemetry antennas US Navy photo	Carl R Friberg Jr
USNS Vanguard (T-AG-194)
	230k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AG-194)** seen here in New York harbor reconfigured as a platform for testing Navy submarine navigation systems. US Navy photo	Carl R Friberg Jr
	104k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AG-194)** reconfigured for testing Navy submarine navigation systems. US Navy photo	Bill Valashinas
	258k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AG-194)** moored at Southampton, N.Z., 19 June 1981. Photo by Peter Davey	Chris Howell, Southland Ship Stores Limited, Port of Bluff, N.Z.
	76k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AG-194)** in port, Cape Canaveral, FL., 1994-95	Bill Bowron ET3 (SS) USNS Vanguard/USNS Range Sentinel 1993-96
	69k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AG-194)** moored pierside, date and location unknown.	Robert Hurst
09531927	306k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AG-194)** underway, date and location unknown.	MARAD
09531928	210k		MARAD
09531929	268k	*USNS Vanguard* (T-AG-194)** at anchor, date and location unknown.	MARAD
	83k	In reserve from left to right; Ex-*USS Suribachi* (AE-21), ex- USNS Mississinewa (T-AO-144) and ex-USNS Vanguard (T-AG-194)** moored at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, date unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.