HMNZS Tui, formerly USNS Charles H. Davis (T-AGOR-5), was one of nine Conrad class oceanographic ships built for the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 (USN), that later saw service in the Royal New Zealand Navy

Royal New Zealand Navy

The Royal New Zealand Navy is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...

 (RNZN). Serving with the USN from 1963 to 1970, these ships were designed to perform acoustic experiments on sound transmission underwater, and for gravity, magnetism and deep-ocean floor studies.

The ship was recommissioned into the RNZN in late 1970, and as HMNZS Tui served as an oceanographic survey and research ship until her decommissioning in 1997. In 1999, the ship was scuttled as a dive wreck

Construction

The fourth ship to be so named by the Navy, Charles H. Davis (T-AGOR-5) was laid down by Christy Corp., Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Sturgeon Bay is a city in and the county seat of Door County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 9,437 at the 2000 census. It is located at the natural end of Sturgeon Bay, although the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal was built across the remainder of the Door Peninsula.-Geography:Sturgeon Bay is...

, 30 June 1962; launched 30 June 1962; sponsored by Mrs. Roy Alexander Gano

Roy Alexander Gano

Roy Alexander "Red" Gano was an Admiral of the United States Navy who distinguished himself in World War II, Korean War, and the Cold War, and served as Commander Military Sea Transportation Service and as Executive Director for Ocean Transportation from 1961 to 1964.-Early life and career,...

, wife of Admiral Roy Alexander Gano, Commander MSTS

MSTS

MSTS may refer to:* Military Sea Transportation Service, the pre-1970 name for the Military Sealift Command of the U.S. Navy* A shorthand name for:** Microsoft Train Simulator ** Microsoft Train Simulator 2...

; delivered to the Navy 25 January 1963 and turned over to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) 25 January 1963.

RNZN

In 1970, she was transferred to the RNZN, and was commissioned on 11 September 1970 as HMNZS Tui. Tui was named after the Tui

Tui (bird)

The tui is an endemic passerine bird of New Zealand. It is one of the largest members of the diverse honeyeater family....

 bird, and was the second of two ships with this name

HMNZS Tui

The name HMNZS Tui may apply to* HMNZS Tui , a minesweeper commissioned 1941-1967* HMNZS Tui , an oceanographic research ship commissioned 1970–1998...

 to serve in the RNZN.

After a partial refit and the installation and testing of scientific equipment, Tui began a program of work for the Defence Scientific Establishment in Auckland. For years Tui went unobtrusively about the kind of work she was designed for, primarily underwater acoustics.

Tui worked in Australian, Indian Ocean and South Pacific waters. She worked on Auckland University research, with DSIR scientists, and with other oceanographic ships. Tui also took part in several American research programs. Her acoustic research was mainly to do with the detection and tracking of submarines.

During the 1970s she made an extensive search for the Maria Theresa Reef

Maria Theresa Reef

The Maria-Theresa Reef is a supposed reef in the South Pacific ; it appears to be a phantom reef. It is also known as Tabor Island or Tabor Reef on French maps.-Reports:...

.

Decommissioning and fate

In 1997, Tui was decommissioned and was replaced by the hydrographic ship HMNZS Resolution.

In February 1999, Tui was deliberately scuttled 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Tutukaka Heads to serve as a tourist attraction and wreck for divers, following a period of work on her which removed any objects in danger of breaking free and welding shut any areas that may have posed a hazard for wreck divers. Her anchor was presented to the City of Napier

Napier, New Zealand

Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...

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External links

• The Tui turns two