USS Oxford (AGTR-1)

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For other ships with the same name, see USS Oxford.
History
United States
NameUSS Oxford
NamesakeAmerican towns, cities, and counties named Oxford
Ordered
  • as Z–EC2–S–C5
  • MCE–3127
BuilderNew England Shipbuilding Corporation
Laid down23 June 1945
Launched
  • 31 July 1945 as
  • Samuel R. Aitken
Commissioned8 July 1961
Decommissioned19 December 1969
Stricken14 January 1970
Motto"Strength Freedom Security"
FateScrapped, June 1970
Badge
General characteristics
Displacement11,365 (f.)
Length441 ft (134 m)
Beam59 ft (18 m)
Draft22 ft (6.7 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 × 220
    PSI
    boilers
  • 1 × 3-cylinder triple-expansion reciprocating engine, 2,500 shp (1,864 kW)
  • 1 × 4-bladed 18 ft 6 in (5.6 m) propeller
  • 1 shaft
Speed11 knots
Complement254

USS Oxford (AGTR-1/AG-159) was an

U.S. Navy in 1960 and converted for the task of conducting "research in the reception of electromagnetic propagations" (electronic signals intelligence gathering). She was originally built during World War II as a Liberty
-type cargo ship originally named the Samuel R. Aitken.

Samuel R. Aitken's civilian life

The second ship eventually to be named Oxford by the Navy, AGTR-1, a

Maritime Commission contract by the New England Shipbuilding Corp. of Portland, Maine as a merchant marine naval cargo ship
; launched 31 July 1945 as Samuel R. Aitken (MCE–3127); sponsored by Mrs. Margaret C. Aitken; and delivered to the Maritime Commission 25 August 1945.

As Samuel R. Aitken she served the merchant fleet, first with the

Arnold Bernstein Line. She was laid up 10 April 1948 in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, in Wilmington, North Carolina
.

Conversion to technical research ship Oxford AG-159

In October 1960, the Samuel R. Aitken was towed to the

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
.

Oxford was designed to conduct research in the reception of

SIGINT
). Equipped with the latest antenna systems and measuring devices, she was a highly sophisticated and mobile station which could steam to various parts of the world to participate in the Navy's "comprehensive program of research and development projects in communications" (electronic spying). Because of the immediate or potential military applications of her work, much of Oxford's employment was classified.

Cold War Service

Cuban Missile Crisis

In the fall of 1962, the Oxford had been making slow figure-eight patterns in the waters just off the coast of

U-2 spy plane reconnaissance flights over the island.[1]

A "first" in moon bounce communications

One of Oxford's publicized operations took place 15 December 1961 when she became the first ship to receive a message from a shore based facility via the moon successfully. Next she departed Norfolk, Virginia, 4 January 1962 for a South Atlantic Ocean deployment, returning four months later. Another four month South Atlantic deployment followed in May 1963, after which Oxford underwent overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia.

January 1964 brought refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, and from 22 February until 10 June 1964 Oxford conducted further "research operations" in South Atlantic and Pacific Ocean waters.

Redesignated AGTR-1

USS Oxford (AGTR-1)

Oxford (AG-159) was redesignated technical research ship (AGTR–1) on 1 April 1964. She departed 4 August on yet another South Atlantic cruise, conducting research not only in electromagnetic reception, but also in oceanography and related areas. She returned to Norfolk 1 December.

Oxford steamed for

Philippine Islands, 16 June for a one-month deployment to the South China Sea
, and thus set the pattern for her operations into 1969.

Decommissioning

Oxford decommissioned and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register 19 December 1969 at Yokosuka, Japan.

Awards and decorations

Silver star
Silver star
Meritorious Unit Commendation National Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
service stars
Vietnam Gallantry Cross unit citation
 Vietnam Campaign Medal

The USS Oxford was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation along with the USS Jamestown (AGTR-3). The citation reads (in part):

For meritorious service from 1 November 1965 to 30 June 1969 while participating in combat support operations in Southeast Asia. Through research and the compilation of extremely valuable technical data, USS Jamestown and USS Oxford contributed most significantly to the overall security of the United States and other Free World forces operating in support of the Republic of Vietnam. Signed E.R. Zumwalt, Admiral, USN, Chief of Naval Operations

See also

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

  1. ISBN 978-1-4000-7891-2
    .

External links
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