USNS Twin Falls (T-AGM-11)
Encyclopedia
SS Twin Falls Victory, named after Twin Falls, Idaho
, was a Victory ship
built for World War II
. Converted to a Missile Range Instrumentation Ship
, she was initially operated by the US Air Force as USAF Twin Falls Victory, before coming under US Navy control and being named USNS Twin Falls (T-AGM-11/T-AGS-37). She later had a third career as the training ship SS John W. Brown II.
, by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation
; launched on 6 February 1945; sponsored by Mrs. J. B. Pfietor; and delivered to Pope & Talbot, Inc., of Portland, Oreg., the first of several companies to operate her under contract with the War Shipping Administration
.
she participated in the Inchon Landing
s and Hungnam Evacuation, making her merchant marine crew eligible for the Korean Service Medal
and the United Nations Service Medal
. By April 1958, she was out of service and laid up with the National Defense Reserve Fleet
at its berthing area on the James River
in Virginia
.
The U.S.Army had funded the purchase under the Pershing Missile Project for the Atlantic Missile Range to prove the aiming accuracy of the Pershing missile.The ship was modified by equipping it with special navigation systems,AN/FPS-16 monopulse missile tracking radar, telemetry receiving equipment, AN/SPN-8 splash detection radar, AN/GMD-1A Rawinsonde tracking equipment and a balloon hangar, to house a Kytoon tethered blimp and as a weather balloon inflation shelter. The ship eventually was delivered to the Atlantic Missile Range and operated by merchant marine crewmen and contractor technical staff. Pan American World Airways and its subcontractor RCA MTP operated the radar,telemetry, navigation and weather instrumentation aboard the ship. The ship was operated under the name USAF Twin Falls Victory until turned over to MSTS on 1 July 1964 at which time the ship was redesignated T-AGM-11 Twin Falls and continued to serve as a mobile tracking platform for recording data on missile
s and satellite
s that were out of range of land-based tracking stations.
On 15 May 1963, she was positioned approximately 350 miles (560 km) ESE of Savannah, Georgia
(near 31°03′N 75°00′W) as part of Project Mercury
, to track Gordon Cooper
's extended MA-9
mission.
In October 1969, the Air Force determined that Twin Falls was no longer necessary to its mission. Placed in custody of the Maritime Administration (MARAD) on 22 May 1970, she was slated for disposal. On 26 April 1971, the Navy recalled her for "possible use as a survey ship". Presumably this was when she was redesignated T-AGS-37. Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
on 6 November 1972.
Board of Education on 6 November. Renamed SS John W. Brown II, she served as a training facility for that city's Food and Maritime Trade High School. She was returned to MARAD on 8 June 1982.
's artifact collection.
Twin Falls, Idaho
Twin Falls is the county seat and largest city of Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 44,125 at the 2010 censusTwin Falls is the largest city of Idaho's Magic Valley region...
, was a Victory ship
Victory ship
The Victory ship was a type of cargo ship produced in large numbers by North American shipyards during World War II to replace shipping losses caused by German submarines...
built for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Converted to a Missile Range Instrumentation Ship
Missile Range Instrumentation Ship
Missile Range Instrumentation Ships, Range Ships, or Tracking Ships, are ships equipped with antennas and electronics to support the launching and tracking of missiles and rockets...
, she was initially operated by the US Air Force as USAF Twin Falls Victory, before coming under US Navy control and being named USNS Twin Falls (T-AGM-11/T-AGS-37). She later had a third career as the training ship SS John W. Brown II.
History
Twin Falls Victory was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 167) on 27 December 1944 at Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation
Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation
Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation was a World War II emergency shipyard located in Portland, Oregon, United States, that built over 1000 Liberty and Victory ships between 1941 and 1945. It was closed after the war ended....
; launched on 6 February 1945; sponsored by Mrs. J. B. Pfietor; and delivered to Pope & Talbot, Inc., of Portland, Oreg., the first of several companies to operate her under contract with the War Shipping Administration
War Shipping Administration
The War Shipping Administration was a World War II emergency war agency of the US Government, tasked to purchase and operate the civilian shipping tonnage the US needed for fighting the war....
.
Korean War
From 1950 - 1953, Twin Falls Victory was operated by States Marine Corporation. During the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
she participated in the Inchon Landing
Battle of Inchon
The Battle of Inchon was an amphibious invasion and battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations . The operation involved some 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels, and led to the recapture of the South Korean capital Seoul two...
s and Hungnam Evacuation, making her merchant marine crew eligible for the Korean Service Medal
Korean Service Medal
The Korean Service Medal is an award of the United States military and was created in November 1950 by executive order of President Harry Truman. The Korean Service Medal is the primary United States medal for participation in the Korean War and is awarded to any U.S. service member, who...
and the United Nations Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
The United Nations Service Medal for Korea is an international military decoration which was established by the United Nations on December 12, 1950...
. By April 1958, she was out of service and laid up with the National Defense Reserve Fleet
National 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...
at its berthing area on the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Missile range instrumentation ship
On 24 March 1960 Twin Falls Victory was withdrawn from James River and delivered to the Air Force. She was converted to a missile range instrumentation ship and served as part of the Eastern Test RangeEastern Test Range
The Eastern Range is an American rocket range that supports missile and rocket launches from the two major launch heads located at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and the Kennedy Space Center. The range has also supported Ariane launches from the Guiana Space Centre as well as providing support...
The U.S.Army had funded the purchase under the Pershing Missile Project for the Atlantic Missile Range to prove the aiming accuracy of the Pershing missile.The ship was modified by equipping it with special navigation systems,AN/FPS-16 monopulse missile tracking radar, telemetry receiving equipment, AN/SPN-8 splash detection radar, AN/GMD-1A Rawinsonde tracking equipment and a balloon hangar, to house a Kytoon tethered blimp and as a weather balloon inflation shelter. The ship eventually was delivered to the Atlantic Missile Range and operated by merchant marine crewmen and contractor technical staff. Pan American World Airways and its subcontractor RCA MTP operated the radar,telemetry, navigation and weather instrumentation aboard the ship. The ship was operated under the name USAF Twin Falls Victory until turned over to MSTS on 1 July 1964 at which time the ship was redesignated T-AGM-11 Twin Falls and continued to serve as a mobile tracking platform for recording data on missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s and satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
s that were out of range of land-based tracking stations.
On 15 May 1963, she was positioned approximately 350 miles (560 km) ESE of Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
(near 31°03′N 75°00′W) as part of Project Mercury
Project Mercury
In January 1960 NASA awarded Western Electric Company a contract for the Mercury tracking network. The value of the contract was over $33 million. Also in January, McDonnell delivered the first production-type Mercury spacecraft, less than a year after award of the formal contract. On February 12,...
, to track Gordon Cooper
Gordon Cooper
Leroy Gordon Cooper, Jr. , also known as Gordon Cooper, was an American aeronautical engineer, test pilot and NASA astronaut. Cooper was one of the seven original astronauts in Project Mercury, the first manned space effort by the United States...
's extended MA-9
Mercury-Atlas 9
Mercury-Atlas 9 was the final manned space mission of the U.S. Mercury program, launched on May 15, 1963 from Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft, named Faith 7, completed 22 Earth orbits before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, piloted by astronaut Gordon Cooper, then...
mission.
In October 1969, the Air Force determined that Twin Falls was no longer necessary to its mission. Placed in custody of the Maritime Administration (MARAD) on 22 May 1970, she was slated for disposal. On 26 April 1971, the Navy recalled her for "possible use as a survey ship". Presumably this was when she was redesignated T-AGS-37. Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 6 November 1972.
Training ship
Ex-Twin Falls was returned to MARAD on 2 November for "simultaneous transfer" to the 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...
Board of Education on 6 November. Renamed SS John W. Brown II, she served as a training facility for that city's Food and Maritime Trade High School. She was returned to MARAD on 8 June 1982.
Fate
Twin Falls was withdrawn from MARAD on 30 June 1982 by Union Minerals & Alloys Corporation. She was scrapped in 1983. Her builders plate remains in MARADMarad
Marad was an ancient Sumerian city. Marad was situated on the west bank of the then western branch of the Upper Euphrates River west of Nippur in modern day Iraq and roughly 50 km southeast of Kish, on the Arahtu River.The city's ziggurat E-igi-kalama was dedicated to Ninurta the god of...
's artifact collection.
See also
- Missile Range Instrumentation ShipMissile Range Instrumentation ShipMissile Range Instrumentation Ships, Range Ships, or Tracking Ships, are ships equipped with antennas and electronics to support the launching and tracking of missiles and rockets...
- List of ships of the United States Air Force