USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23)

Career (US)
Ordered:	June 1, 1951
Laid down:	September 15, 1952
Launched:	August 15, 1953
Commissioned:	December 15, 1958
Decommissioned:	January 1, 1972
In service:	July 1, 1977
Homeport:	None
Fate:	In service with the Military Sealift Command
General characteristics
Displacement:	approx. 17,015 tons (17,288 t)
Length:	564 ft (172 m)
Beam:	76 ft (23 m)
Draught:	28.58333 ft (8.71220 m)
Propulsion:	Two boilers; 1 GE turbine; 19,250 hp (14.36 MW); 1 shaft
Speed:	20 knots (37 km/h)
Capacity:	Officers: 92 Enlisted: 465
Complement:	65 civilians 20 Navy personnel 35 technicians
Sensors and processing systems:	AN/SPQ-11 Cobra Judy

USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23), also known as ex-MA-28, ex-YAG-57, ex-E-AG-154, Empire State Mariner, is the historic naval vessel that in 1969 launched the first Poseidon Fleet Ballstic Missile ever successfully deployed from a vessel at sea, earning the ship and crew the Meritorious Unit Commendation.^[1][2] The ship is currently one of two Missile Range Instrumentation Ships operated by the Military Sealift Command.^[3] One of the radars it carries is the AN/SPQ-11 Cobra Judy Passive Electronically Scanned Array radar.

USNS Observation Island operates worldwide, monitoring compliance with strategic arms treaties and supporting U.S. military weapons test programs. Observation Island carries an Air Force shipborne phased-array radar system for collecting data on missile tests. The ship is operated by Military Sealift Command for the Air Force Technical Applications Center at Patrick Air Force Base.^[4]

USNS Observation Island was built as a "Mariner" class merchant ship, launched in August, 1953, and was acquired by the Navy in September 1956 for use as a fleet ballistic missile test ship. The vessel was converted at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, and kept in reserve as a Maritime Administration asset from 1972 until 1977. In August 1977, Observation Island was reacquired by the U.S. Navy and transferred to Military Sealift Command, where it was reclassified as T-AGM 23, a missile range instrumentation ship.^[4]

History

USNS Observation Island was converted to the first naval ship that had a fully integrated Fleet Ballistic Missile System. No major hull or engineering changes were made to the ship during this conversion. Because of the refit, the ship underwent a shakedown cruise at Guantanamo Bay.^[5]

The first at-sea launch of the A-1 Polaris missile was from the USS George Washington (SSBN-598) on July 18, 1960, and was monitored by the Observation Island. The ship was also present for initial tests of the A-2 and A-3 variants of Polaris. It was aboard Observation Island that President John F. Kennedy, on November 16, 1963, witnessed the an A-3 Polaris launch, six days before his assassination.^[5][6] While aboard Observation Island, President Kennedy gave his final speech from a U.S. Navy vessel:

“

I want to express for all of us our very warm appreciation to you for providing this demonstration of Naval Power today and also to express my thanks to your very dedicated service over a good many months and years. Control of the seas, the maintenance of the flag of the United States in its traditional position on the ocean is vital to the security of the United States. To do that, of course, we have to maintain the most advanced weapons system in the world. This ship contributed direct to that maintenance and I want to express our appreciation to all of you.

”

In 1983, the first ever (USA) navel installation of a phased-array radar system was completed and tested on the USNS Observation Island. Weeks of sea trials were spent testing and perfecting the software required for a nonstable platform.

Meritorious Unit Commendation

While the Observation Island was stationed at Port Canaveral, adjacent to NASA at Cape Kennedy, Florida, in the very week Apollo 11 was launched from the cape, the ship also made history by beginning it's mission to achieve "the first successful at-sea firing of the POSEIDON Fleet Ballistic Missile." (Admiral E.R. Zumwalt Jr., 1971)^[7][8]. The commendation was earned by the 1969 crew and was awarded in 1971 while the ship was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii for various range survey duties. In later 71 (or 72?) she was decomissioned for a while though later she reapeared for other missions as a USNS ship (see above). The success of the mission earned the ship and crew the Meritorious Unit Commendation from the Secretary of the Navy. As taken directly from the Commendation letter sent to crewman SD2 Rolando S. Caparas, (along with cover letter from Commanding Officer, Captain W.C. Dotson), Admiral Zumwalt wrote of the Commendation:

“

The Secretary of the Navy takes pleasure in representing the MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION to USS OBSERVATION ISLAND (AG-154) for service as set forth in the following Citation: For meritorious service from 1 July to 16 December 1969 during at-sea operations in connection with the first successful at-sea firing of the POSEIDON Fleet Ballistic Missile. Throughout this period, the officers and men of USS OBSERVATION ISLAND carried out the required afloat tests and conducted complex and demanding operations in the essential support functions of POSEIDON flight testing, with exceptional competence and resourcefulness. The timely and highly successful conclusion of the at-sea test phase was a significant achievement expediting the availability to the United Sates of the most advanced and potent deterrent system. The teamwork and dedication to duty displayed by the officers and men of USS OBSERVATION ISLAND reflected credit upon themselves and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

”

The Meritorious Unit Commendation is considered to be equivalent in importance to the Bronze Star. Photocopies of both letters are inserted below.

1971 Meritorious Unit Commendation cover letter from Commanding Officer Captain W.C. Dotson to crewman D2 Rolando S. Caparas of the USS Observation Island

1971 Meritorious Unit Commendation letter from Admiral E.R. Zumwalt as attachment to crewman D2 Rolando S. Caparas of the USS Observation Island

Present

In 2008, the USNS Observation Island was part of the U.S. Government program attempting to use an anti-missile missile to shoot down satellites by tracking the satellite before and after the missile launch.^[9]

Replacement

USNS Howard O. Lorenzen (T-AGM-25)^[10] is due to be delivered in 2010 and is slated to replace USNS Observation Island.^[11]

See also

• USNS Invincible (T-AGM-24)

References

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

1. ^ Admiral E.R. Zumwalt Jr., (1971) "Letter: Secretary of the Navy presentation of the Meritorious Unit Commendation"
2. ^ Captain W.C. Dotson, (1971), "Letter to SD2 Rolando S. Caparas, USN: Meritorious Unit Commendation"
3. ^ "USNS OBSERVATION ISLAND (T-AGM 23)". http://www.msc.navy.mil. U.S Navy Military Sealift Command. http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/ships.asp?ship=observationisland&type=MissileRangeInstrumentationShip. Retrieved 2008-08-17. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Military Sealift Command--Fact Sheet". http://www.msc.navy.mil. U.S Navy Military Sealift Command. http://www.msc.navy.mil/factsheet/t-agm.htm. Retrieved 2008-08-17. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Observation Island". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/o1/observation_island.htm. Retrieved January 18, 2011. 
6. ^ Lundquist, Edward (September 2006). "Naval Ship Was Instrumental in Developing Polaris, Poseidon Missiles". Sea Classics. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4442/is_200609/ai_n17193842/. Retrieved January 18, 2011. 
7. ^ Admiral E.R. Zumwalt Jr., (1971) "Letter: Secretary of the Navy presentation of the Meritorious Unit Commendation"
8. ^ Captain W.C. Dotson, (1971), "Letter to SD2 Rolando S. Caparas, USN: Meritorious Unit Commendation"
9. ^ McIntyre, Jamie (February 15, 2008). "Attempt to shoot down spy satellite to cost up to $60 million". CNN.com. http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/02/15/spy.satellite/index.html. Retrieved January 18, 2011. 
10. ^ "Range Instrumentation Ship Photo Index". http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/53/5325.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-04. 
11. ^ "SIU - Keel laid for future USNS Observation Island replacement (8/25)". http://www.seafarers.org/HeardAtHQ/2008/Q3/keel.xml. Retrieved 2009-04-04. 

External links

• Observation Island at the Naval Vessel Register
• Observation Island at the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
• Observation Island at NavSource.org
• Observation Island at Military Sealift Command Ship Inventory
• Missile Range Instrumentation Ships at Military Sealift Command Fact Sheets
• Cobra Judy radar system at Raytheon.com
• Cobra Judy radar system at FAS.org