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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Watchman (AGR-16)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Victor - Delta
 NZVD
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Revlon (M)ike - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
National Defense Service Medal
Guardian Class Radar Picket Ship:
  • Laid down, 17 January 1945, as SS Vernon S. Wood, a Maritime Commission type (Z-EC2-S-C5) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 2343), at J. A. Jones Construction Co. Inc., Panama City, FL.
  • Launched, 20 February 1945
  • Delivered to the Maritime Commission, 7 March 1945, to be operated by Overlakes Freight Co. under a Maritime Commission contract
  • Returned to the Maritime Commission in 1947 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Acquired by the US Navy in 1958 and converted to a Radar Picket Ship at Charleston Naval Shipyard, Charleston, S.C.
  • Commissioned, USS Watchman (AGR-16), 5 January 1959, LCDR Irvin Boaz USN in command
  • Decommissioned, 7 July 1965
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1965
  • Transferred to the Maritime Commission for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 3 October 1974 to American Ship Dismantlers
    Specifications:
    Displacement 11,365 t.(fl)
    Length 441'
    Beam 59'
    Draft 22'
    Speed 11 kts.
    Complement 13 officers, 138 enlisted
    Armament two 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    Capacities
    Fuel Oil, 443,646 gals.
    Diesel, 68,267 gals.
    Fresh Water, 15,082 gals.
    Ballast, 1,326,657 gals fresh water
    Propulsion
    Two 220 PSI boilers
    Filer & Stowell Co., of Milwaukee, WI. three cylinder triple-expansion reciprocating engine,
    Single 4 blade, 18' 6" propeller
    Shaft Horsepower, 2,500
    Two electric generators
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By
    Guardian
    09620106    		 67k Especially designed for the transport of Tanks and Boxed Airplanes the Z-EC-S-C5 type had the same hull-form as the EC2-S-C1 type but with large hatches and heavier loading gear. Typical for this type is the arrangement of two pairs of kingposts each on the forecastle and poop contrary to the two single kingposts on the forecastle and one kingpost on the poop with the EC2-S-C1 basic design. All vessels remained under US Flag and Registry after WWII and were laid up.
    United States Maritime Commission 1936 thru 1950    		 John Spivey
    Watchman 83k USS Watchman (AGR-16), entering San Francisco Bay, date unknown. Frank McNamara
    USS Watchman (AGR-16) Web Site
    Watchman 13k USS Watchman (AGR-16) underway, date and location unknown. Bill Bossert USS Tracer
    Watchman 67k USS Watchman (AGR-16) underway, circa 1960, location unknown.
    Photo courtesy W.H. Davis.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Watchman (AGR-16)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR. Boaz, Irvin, USN5 January 1959 - 23 January 1960
    02LT. West, Frederick Powell, USN (XOinC)23 January 1960 - 26 February 1960
    03LCDR. Tuttle, John Sherwood, USN26 February 1960 - 10 June 1961
    04LT. Jefferis, Lawrence Richard (Jim), USN (XOinC)10 June 1961 - 17 August 1961
    05LCDR. Tuttle, John Sherwood, USN17 August 1961 - 2 May 1962
    06LCDR. Lawson, Kent Winfred, USN, USNA (1948-A)2 May 1962 - 1 June 1963
    07LCDR. Cheatham, Augustus Barrett USN (USNA 1952)1 June 1963 - 7 September 1965
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    USS Watchman Additional Ships Patches
    Watchman
    Contributed by Frank McNamara    		 Watchman
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    USS Watchman (AGR-16)
    YAGR's (Radar Picket Ships) Association
    Online Air Defense Radar Museum
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The Service Ship Type Index Back To The Radar Picket Ship (AGR) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 20 October 2023