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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Patches Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Palm Beach (AGER-3)
ex
 USS Palm Beach (AKL-45) (1966 - 1967)
 USAV Col. Armand Peterson (FS 217) (1944 - 1956)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Golf - Hotel
NDGH
Camano Class Light Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down, date unknown, for the US Army as USAV COL. Armand Peterson (FS 217) at Higgins Industries, Inc., New Orleans, LA.
  • Delivered to the US Army Transportation Service in December 1944
  • Acquired by the US Navy and designated Light Cargo Ship Palm Beach (AKL-45), 18 June 1966
  • Converted to a Banner Class Environmental Research Ship at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA.
  • Redesignated (AGER-3), 2 May 1967
  • Commissioned, USS Palm Beach (AGER-3), 13 May 1967, LCDR. Albert D. Raper in command
  • Decommissioned, and struck from the Naval Register, 1 December 1969
  • Sold in 1969-70 to Ralston Robertson, Bayou La Batre, AL.
  • Resold to a Panamanian Co., date unknown, renamed M/V Oro Verde
  • Eventually involved in drug smuggling, ran aground in Cayman Islands
  • Final Disposition, sunk by Cayman government to be used for scuba diving
    Specifications:
    Displacement 550 t.
    Length 177'
    Beam 33'
    Draft 10'
    Speed 12 kts.
    Complement
    (AKL) 42
    (AGER) 83
    Armament
    (AKL) none
    (AGER) four .50 cal machine guns, replaced by two twin 20mm gun mounts prior to first deployment
    Propulsion two 500hp GM Cleveland Division 6-278A 6-cyl V6 Diesel engines, twin screws
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Col. Armand Peterson (FS 217)
    Col. Arman Peterson 32k
    Namesake
    Armand Peterson was a US Army Air Corp officer Silver Star recipient (Posthumously) from Flagstaff, Arizona. He was the first CO of the 78th Fighter Group at Duxford England. He was killed in action 1st July 1943 on the day the group had destroyed four FW 190s, and damaged five others. Peterson's P-47 was shot down over Holland.    		 Tommy Trampp
    Palm Beach
    09610307    		 13k Col. Armand Peterson (FS 217) underway, date and location unknown.
    Source: EagleSpeak.com    		 Tommy Trampp
    USS Palm Beach (AGER-3)
    Palm Beach 70k USS Palm Beach (AGER-3) moored in the Mediterranean Sea, circa 1969 Paul Pierce, Courtesy Dennis Clouse
    Palm Beach 199k USS Palm Beach (AGER-3) under way, date and location unknown Jim Maxwell, Courtesy Dennis Clouse
    Palm Beach 55k USS Palm Beach (AGER-3) under way in Puget Sound, 13 September 1967.
    US Navy photo from DANFS.    		 From collection of Frank Guilfoy
    via USS Oxford (AG-159 / AGTR-1)
    Web Site
    Palm Beach 93k USS Palm Beach (AGER-3) under way in Puget Sound, date unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 From collection of Frank Guilfoy
    via USS Oxford (AG-159 / AGTR-1)
    Web Site
    Dive Wreck MV Oro Verde
    Palm Beach 106k Ex-USS Palm Beach (AGER-3) as the SCUBA diving wreck ex-MV Oro Verde off the Cayman Island, date unknown R. Anderson
    USS Palm Beach (AGER-3)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Raper, Albert Douglas, USN (USNA 1954)13 May 1967 - 14 August 1968
    02LCDR. Burson, Donald L.14 August 1968 - 1 December 1969
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    US Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association
    Colonel Armand Peterson - Kingpost P- 47 Flagari KIA
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The US Army Ship Photo Index Back To The US Army Freight and Supply Vessels Photo Index Back To The US Navy Service Ship Photo Index Back To The Light Cargo Ship (AKL) Photo Index Back To The Environmental Research Ship (AGER) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 17 July 2020