USNS Sagitta (T-AK-87)
Encyclopedia
Sagitta (AK-87) was never commissioned and thus never bore the USS designation..
The ship, contracted as the Maritime Commission MV Moses Pike, transferred to Navy supervision for construction and was then transferred shortly after launch as Sagitta (AK-87) to the Army to become the Engineer Port Repair Ship
Marvin Lyle Thomas. She was one of two such repair ships transferred to Navy in 1952 and served as the civilian crewed, unarmed USNS Sagitta (T-AK-87). The ship may have been unique among her type in being then transferred back to the Army in 1966.
and renamed Sagitta. The ship was launched on 9 July 1944 sponsored by Mrs. Frank L. Hare.
Marvin Lyle Thomas was one of the two last ships converted and was operational too late to participate in the postwar port rehabilitation to a significant degree.) Like her sister repair ship, Joe C. Specker (ex Vela (AK-89)), she remained operational with the Army until transferred to Navy's Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) in 1952.
from 1952 through 1959. She steamed annually to St. Johns
and Argentia, Newfoundland; and to Goose Bay, Labrador. She also voyaged to Cartwright, Labrador
, annually except in 1954; to Makkovick, Labrador, annually from 1957 through 1959; to Resolution Island, Northwest Territories, annually except in 1952 and 1957; and to Narsarsauk, Greenland
, in June 1954 and 1957. During the winters, she carried cargo to Bermuda
; San Juan, Puerto Rico
; and Cristobal, Panama Canal Zone
, annually from 1953 through 1955; and to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 1956. Occasionally sailing across the Atlantic Ocean
, she visited Piraeus, Greece, from 9 to 12 February 1957, and Port Lyautey, Morocco
, from 2 to 6 February 1958.
until 25 April 1966 when she was transferred to the Army for duty as a training vessel, first at Fort Eustis, Virginia, then in about 1972 at Bayboro Harbor, St. Petersburg, Florida as USAV ResourceReference is a MS Word (.doc) from the United States Army Transportation School, Ft. Eustis, Virginia titled | 231st Transportation Company (Floating Craft) (USAR). Clicking the link will download the document. The referenced document contains an error in the comment indicating the FS-756 was the same as an "H 12 Model" as the FS and H/HA vessels were not identical. Further, though servicing "Texas Towers" may have been included in missions, smaller vessels generally served the towers and Sagitta missions noted above were heavier transport to shore installations. and then at Curtis Bay, Maryland, where she provided stevedore training.
The vessel was scrapped in 1976.
The ship, contracted as the Maritime Commission MV Moses Pike, transferred to Navy supervision for construction and was then transferred shortly after launch as Sagitta (AK-87) to the Army to become the Engineer Port Repair Ship
U.S. Army Port Repair ship
The U.S. Army acquired ten ships during World War II as Engineer Port Repair Ships, also sometimes known as Port Rehabilitation ships, for use by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clear war damaged harbors...
Marvin Lyle Thomas. She was one of two such repair ships transferred to Navy in 1952 and served as the civilian crewed, unarmed USNS Sagitta (T-AK-87). The ship may have been unique among her type in being then transferred back to the Army in 1966.
Construction
The ship was a Maritime Commission type N3-M-A1 cargo vessel hull (MC hull 650) assigned the name MV Moses Pike. The ship was transferred to Navy supervision for construction at the Penn-Jersey Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New JerseyCamden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
and renamed Sagitta. The ship was launched on 9 July 1944 sponsored by Mrs. Frank L. Hare.
Transfer to Army
On 18 July 1944 the ship was transferred to the U.S. Army for conversion into the Engineer Port Repair Ship Marvin Lyle Thomas for operation by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rehabilitating war damaged ports.Marvin Lyle Thomas was one of the two last ships converted and was operational too late to participate in the postwar port rehabilitation to a significant degree.) Like her sister repair ship, Joe C. Specker (ex Vela (AK-89)), she remained operational with the Army until transferred to Navy's Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) in 1952.
MSTS Service Career
Transferred from the Army to the Navy under assignment to the Military Sea Transportation Service on 26 April 1952, Sagitta operated as a summer DEW line resupply ship out of New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from 1952 through 1959. She steamed annually to St. Johns
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
and Argentia, Newfoundland; and to Goose Bay, Labrador. She also voyaged to Cartwright, Labrador
Cartwright, Newfoundland and Labrador
-Further reading:*Buckle, Francis Labrador Diary, 1915-1925: the Gordon journals. Cartwright: Anglican Parish ISBN 0-9733448-0-6 -External links:*...
, annually except in 1954; to Makkovick, Labrador, annually from 1957 through 1959; to Resolution Island, Northwest Territories, annually except in 1952 and 1957; and to Narsarsauk, Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, in June 1954 and 1957. During the winters, she carried cargo to Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
; San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
; and Cristobal, Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, annually from 1953 through 1955; and to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 1956. Occasionally sailing across the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, she visited Piraeus, Greece, from 9 to 12 February 1957, and Port Lyautey, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, from 2 to 6 February 1958.
Transfer Back to Army
Transferred to the Maritime Administration on 23 February 1960, she remained in the National Defense Reserve FleetNational Defense Reserve Fleet
The National Defense Reserve Fleet consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States of America during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.The NDRF is...
until 25 April 1966 when she was transferred to the Army for duty as a training vessel, first at Fort Eustis, Virginia, then in about 1972 at Bayboro Harbor, St. Petersburg, Florida as USAV ResourceReference is a MS Word (.doc) from the United States Army Transportation School, Ft. Eustis, Virginia titled | 231st Transportation Company (Floating Craft) (USAR). Clicking the link will download the document. The referenced document contains an error in the comment indicating the FS-756 was the same as an "H 12 Model" as the FS and H/HA vessels were not identical. Further, though servicing "Texas Towers" may have been included in missions, smaller vessels generally served the towers and Sagitta missions noted above were heavier transport to shore installations. and then at Curtis Bay, Maryland, where she provided stevedore training.
The vessel was scrapped in 1976.