USNS Dutton (T-AGS-22)

USNS "Dutton" (T-AGS-22), was originally laid down as a victory ship on 1945-02-16 and launched as the SS "Tuskegee Victory" under a Maritime Commission contract, and in 1952 was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.

She was renamed and placed in service as "Dutton" (AGS-22) on 1 November 1958 as a survey ship. "Dutton" was the second United States Navy ship named in honor of Captain Benjamin Dutton, Jr. and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service. She was manned by a civilian crew.

As of 2006-07-31, she was placed in the Beaumont Reserve Fleet, one of the last dozen Victory ships. In September 2007, the Maritime Administration awarded a $1.08-million contract to All Star Metals Incorporated in Brownsville, Texas, to remove the "Dutton" from the Beaumont Reserve Fleet and dismantle the vessel at its Brownsville yard.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/d6/dutton-ii.htm
*NVR|http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/AGS22.htm
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/10/1022.htm Navsource]

Whilst the "Dutton" was operational, she carried Oceanographic Detachment 2 (OCDET2) and unit of the US NAVY. OCDET2 comprised 2 or 3 officers, a single Corpsman, a photographers mate,store keeper,Yeoman as well as group of ETs maintaining and operating the navigation systems (Loran "C", SAT NAV and SINS) and Sonar men who maintained the sonar array and the Magnetometer. The ship was a Polaris support vessel.