USNS Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16)

History

United States
Name:	USNS Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16)
Ordered:	25 February 1945, by the Navy as USS Wexford (AK-220), as type (C1-M-AV1) hull, MC hull 2174
Builder:	Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Laid down:	1945
Launched:	1945
Acquired:	July 1945
Renamed:	MV Coastal Crusader
History
United States
Name:	USAT Pvt. Joe R. Hastings
Namesake:	Joe R. Hastings
Operator:	US Army
Commissioned:	Probably 1948
Decommissioned:	Probably 1950
History
United States
Name:	USAFS Coastal Crusader (ORV-16)
Operator:	US Air Force
In service:	Probably 1957
Out of service:	1964
History
United States
Name:	USNS Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16)
Operator:	US Navy
In service:	1964
Reclassified:	USNS Coastal Crusader (AGS-36) in 1969
Struck:	30 April 1976
Fate:	disposed of by MARAD sale, 12 April 1977
Status:	fate unknown
General characteristics
Class and type:	Alamosa-class cargo ship
Displacement:	2,382 t (2,344 long tons) light 7,540 t (7,420 long tons) full load
Length:	388 ft 8 in (118.47 m)
Beam:	50 ft (15 m)
Draught:	21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Propulsion:	Diesel, single screw, 1,700shp
Speed:	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Complement:	79
Armament:	1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber dual purpose gun 6 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons anti-aircraft gun mounts

USNS Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16) was acquired by the United States Navy as a missile range instrumentation ship in 1964. Originally, she was constructed at the end of World War II as USS Wexford (AK-220) and then renamed Coastal Crusader, but she was found to be excess-to-needs, and was sold for commercial use. She was later acquired by the U.S. Army which used her as Army transport USAT Private Joe R. Hastings.

The ship was later acquired by the U.S. Air Force, and redesignated Ocean Range Vessel USAFS Coastal Crusader (ORV-16). And, in 1964, she was reacquired by the United States Navy and redesignated USNS Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16), a missile range instrumentation ship.

The ship—eventually maintaining the name Coastal Crusader -- had the distinction of serving the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Navy, as well as serving with her commercial sisters.

Built in Wisconsin

Coastal Crusader -- a C1-M-AV1 cargo vessel—was laid down under a U.S. Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2174) on 12 April 1945 at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, by the Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company; launched on 24 June 1945; sponsored by Mrs. DeForrest Colburn; and completed on 26 July 1945.

On 25 February 1945, the Navy had assigned the name Wexford and the designation AK-220 to the projected ship; but the contract for her acquisition by the Navy was cancelled in August 1945 because of the cessation of hostilities in the Pacific Ocean and the surrender of Japan. Coastal Crusader thus entered mercantile service, never having borne the name Wexford.

Service with the U.S. Army

The vessel was placed in service (date unknown) by the U.S. Army Transportation Service as USAT Private Joe R. Hastings.

Service with the U.S. Air Force

Coastal Sentry was acquired by the U.S. Air Force which redesignated her Ocean Range Vessel USAFS Coastal Crusader (ORV-16). She was used as a missile range instrumentation ship which operated on the U.S. Air Force's Eastern Test Range during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Coastal Crusader operated under an Air Force contract with Pan American Airways Guided Missile Range Division headquartered in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Coastal Crusader was assigned to the South Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean area, and provided the Air Force with metric data on intercontinental ballistic missiles launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida.

Coastal Crusader operated in the intercontinental ballistic missile re-entry area near Ascension Island, and was home-ported out of Recife, Brazil.

Service with the U.S. Navy

When Coastal Crusader was acquired from the U.S. Air Force in 1964, the Navy redesignated the ship as USNS Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16). Operational data while on U.S. Navy service during this period of the vessel's history is lacking. However, Navy records indicate Coastal Crusader was redesignated Survey Ship USS Coastal Crusader (AGS-36) in 1969, and finally struck from the Navy List on 30 April 1976.

Inactivation

Coastal Crusader was subsequently sold by MARAD on 12 April 1977. Her ultimate fate is not known.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive – USAT PVT. Joe R. Hastings – USAF Coastal Crusader (ORV-16) – AGM-16 / AGS-36 Coastal Crusader

Alamosa-class cargo ship

Alamosa Alcona Amador Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Beltrami Blount Brevard Bullock Cabell Caledonia Charlevoix Chatham Chicot Claiborne Clarion Codington Colquitt Craighead Dodridge^* Duval^* Fairfield Faribault Fentress Flagler Gadsden Glacier Grainger Gwinnett Habersham Hennepin Herkimer Hidalgo Kenosha Lebanon Lehigh Lancaster Marengo Midland Minidoka Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Pembina Pemiscot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Richland Rockdale Schuyler Screven Sebastian Somerset / Coastal Sentry Sussex Tarrant Tipton Traverse^* Tulate^* Washtenaw^** / Sgt. George Peterson Westchester^* Wexford^† / Coastal Crusader Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Short Splice Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca

* = Canceled August 1945 ** = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Guide † = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Crusader List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy

Type C1-M ships

Type C1-M-AV1	Alamosa Alcona Acorn Knot / Sgt. George D Keathley Amador Anchor Bend Anchor Hitch Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Becket Hitch Bell Ringer / Captain Arlo L. Olson Beltrami Bight Knot Blackwall Hitch Blount Boatswain's Hitch Bowline Knot Brevard Bullock Buntline Hitch Cabell Cable Splice Caledonia Cape Somerset Cape Stanhope Capstan Knot Carrick Bend Cat's Paw Chain and Crown Charlevoix Chatham Check Knot / Sgt. Joseph E. Muller Chicot Cinch Knot Claiborne Clarion Clove Hitch Coastal Captain Coastal Charger Coastal Courser Coastal Crusader Coastal Guide / Sgt. George Peterson Coastal Mariner Coastal Monarch Coastal Monitor Coastal Rambler Coastal Ranger Coastal Telegrapher Codington Colquitt Craighead Crossing Hitch Crown and Diamond Crown Knot Diamond Hitch Diamond Knot Doddridge Double Loop Dragon Fly Duval Elmer J. Burr Emerald Knot Fairfield Faribault Fentress Fiador Knot Fisherman's Bend Flagler Flemish Knot Gadsden Glacier Grainger Grass Knot Gunner's Knot Gwinnett Habersham Half Hitch Half Knot Harold W. Roberts Hawser Bend Hawser Eye Hawser Splice Hennepin Herkimer Hickory Bay Hickory Beck Hickory Bourne Hickory Brae Hickory Brook Hickory Burn Hickory Cairn Hickory Cape Hickory Coll Hickory Crest Hickory Dale Hickory Dell Hickory Dyke Hickory Ghyll Hickory Glen Hickory Isle Hickory Knoll Hickory Lake Hickory Mount Hickory Stream Hickory Tarn Hickory Tor Hidalgo Honda Knot Hook Hitch Horseshoe Splice Jacob's Ladder Jumper Hitch Kenneth E. Gruennert / Grommet Reefer Kenosha Knob Knot Lancaster Lanyard Knot Leader Loop Lebanon Lehigh Lever's Bend Lewis Hall Link Splice / Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley Lock Knot Long Eye Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca Loop Knot Magnus Hitch Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Mainsheet Eye Manrope Knot Marengo Mariner's Splice Marline Hitch Marlingspike Hitch Masthead Knot Midland Minidoka Mooring Hitch Mooring Knot Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Ocean Plat Pembina Pemiscot Phoebe Knot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Reef Knot Reeving Eye Richland Rigger's Eye Ring Hitch Ring Knot Ring Splice Roband Hitch Rockdale Rolling Hitch Rose Knot Round Splice / Private Jose F. Valdez Running Knot Sailmaker's Splice Sailor's Splice Salmon Knot Sampan Hitch Schuyler Screven Sebastian Shamrock Knot Sheepshank Sheet Bend Shell Bar Short Splice Sinnet Snakehead Snug Hitch Somerset / Coastal Sentry Span Splice Spanish Bowline Spar Hitch Spindle Eye / Sgt. Curtis F. Shoup Spool Sinnet Square Knot Square Sinnet Star Knot Studding Sail Sussex Sword Knot Tag Knot Tapir Splice Tarrant Terminal Knot Thimble Eye Timber Hitch Tipton Traverse True Knot Tucked Bend Tulare Turk's Head Wall Knot Water Knot Westchester William G. Fournier William N. Nelson Yard Hitch

Type C1-M-AV7	Coastal Liberator

Type C1-M-AV8	Crossing Knot Flat Knot Marline Bend Persian Knot Single Hitch Solid Sinnet

Type C1-MT-BU1	Arizona Pine California Redwood Oregon Fir Washington Cedar

Ships built by Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Tacoma-class frigates	Brunswick Davenport Evansville Knoxville New Bedford Peoria Reading Uniontown

PC-461-class submarine chasers	PC-496 PC-550 PC-551 PC-588 PC-589 PC-590 PC-591 PC-821 PC-822 PC-823 PC-824 PC-825 PC-1171 PC-1172 PC-1173 PC-1174 PC-1175 PC-1176 PC-1177 PC-1178 PC-1179 PC-1180 PC-1225 PC-1226 PC-1227 PC-1228 PC-1229 PC-1230 PC-1260 PC-1261 PC-1262 PC-1263 PC-1560 PC-1561 PC-1562 PC-1563 PC-1564 PC-1565 PC-1566 PC-1567 PC-1568 PC-1569

Alamosa-class cargo ships Type C1-M-AV1 ships	Poinsett Pontotoc Richland Rockdale Schuyler Screven Sebastian Somerset / Coastal Sentry Sussex Tarrant Tipton Traverse^* 'Tulare^** Washtenaw^† / Sgt. George Peterson Westchester^# Wexford^‡ / Coastal Crusader

Net laying ships	Passaic Shakamaxon Tonawanda

* = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Merchant ** = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Challenger † = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Guide # = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Defender ‡ = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Crusader

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