USS Belmont (AGTR-4)
Encyclopedia
USS Belmont (AGTR-4/AG-167) was a Belmont-class technical research ship
acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of conducting research in the reception of electromagnetic propagations.
Belmont
The second ship to be named Belmont by the Navy, AGTR-4 was laid down on 25 January 1944 at Portland, Oregon
, by the Oregon Shipbuilding Co. under a Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 94) as Iran Victory; launched on 25 March 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Peter Hegge; and delivered to the Maritime Commission on 23 April 1944. The Maritime Commission then turned her over to a civilian contractor, the Pacific-Atlantic Steamship Co., for operation. The cargo ship
continued operations, manned by a civilian crew provided by a series of contractors until laid up at Astoria, Oregon
, with the National Defense Reserve Fleet
sometime between April 1954 and April 1955.
, for conversion. On 8 June 1963, she was renamed Belmont and designated a miscellaneous auxiliary AG-167. She was redesignated a technical research ship
AGTR-4 on 1 April 1964 and was commissioned at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
on 2 November 1964, Comdr. Jerome E. Henderson in command.
during November and, on 2 December, departed Bremerton, Washington
, bound for her permanent assignment with the U.S. Atlantic Fleet
at her new homeport, Norfolk, Virginia
. She arrived there on 21 December 1964 and, exactly one month later, got underway for a five-week cruise to the West Indies that included shakedown
training and concluded with port visits to Kingston, Jamaica
, and Key West, Florida
. She returned to Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 1 March and entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
for a month of post-shakedown availability. Final acceptance trials occupied 29 and 30 March and preparations for her first operational deployment followed.
into the Atlantic Ocean and laid in a course for the West Indies. Two days at sea, the ship received orders to proceed to the vicinity of the Dominican Republic
where, four days earlier, a revolt of left-wing factions had broken out. Belmont remained on station observing conditions until the middle of July. On the 13th, she headed back to Norfolk where she arrived four days later. After almost two months in port, the ship once more got underway on 14 September and spent about a month cruising in the West Indies before transiting the Panama Canal
in mid-October. For the remainder of the year, she conducted operations along the western coast of South America, including visits to Valparaíso, Chile, and Callao, Peru.
. Belmont retransited the canal on 21 January and moored in Norfolk on the 28th, where she remained for almost seven weeks for upkeep and shipyard availability. On 16 March, the ship embarked upon another deployment to the western coast of South America. She transited the Panama Canal on 28 and 29 March and, for the next eight weeks, cruised along the coasts of Peru
and Chile
. Belmont returned to the Panama Canal Zone for a five-day visit between 23 and 28 May. On the latter day, she departed Panama
and embarked upon five weeks of operations in order to spy French atomic tests in French Polynesia
(12 June). The ship arrived back in the Panama Canal Zone on 13 July, transited the canal on the 14th, and reentered Norfolk on the 20th.
After seven weeks of upkeep in her homeport, Belmont stood out to sea on 7 September, bound for her third assignment in the Pacific coastal waters of South America. She transited the Panama Canal again on 19 September and, two days later, shaped a course for her zone of operations. At the conclusion of that assignment, the ship returned to the Canal Zone on 4 November. She proceeded through the canal on 8 November and then set course for Norfolk. Belmont reentered her homeport on 14 November and spent the remainder of the year in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
installing communication gear.
-- one that included a circumnavigation
of the South American continent. Hydrographic
and communications research highlighted the five-month voyage as did visits to sundry South American ports. Belmont completed her circuit of the South American continent on 3 June when she transited the Panama Canal
and laid in a course for Norfolk. The technical research ship
pulled into her homeport on 9 June and commenced a repair period. Her hull and various items of equipment received repairs over the next two months.
bound for the Indian Ocean
. The ship rounded the Cape of Good Hope
on 5 October and spent the following six weeks engaged in special operations along the eastern coast of Africa. On 22 November, she redoubled the cape and, after an overnight stop at Monrovia, Liberia, on 2 and 3 December, pointed her bow west for the homeward voyage. Belmont arrived back at Norfolk on 12 December and spent the remainder of the year engaged in holiday leave and upkeep.
. She emerged revitalized on 14 May and put to sea to conduct refresher training in the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, operating area. The ship completed post-overhaul training on 14 June and, after a visit to San Juan, Puerto Rico
, embarked upon her second deployment to the coasts of Africa. On 2 July, she arrived off Cape Palmas
and commenced operations along Africa's western coast. That phase of the assignment lasted until 25 September at which time she passed the Cape of Good Hope
and entered the Indian Ocean
. That portion of her mission proved relatively brief, occupying her time during the last week in September and the month of October. On 1 November, Belmont retraced her course around the Cape of Good Hope and steamed back into the Atlantic Ocean. The ship stopped over at Recife, Brazil, from 13 to 16 November and then headed for the northeastern coast of South America and a series of operations in that vicinity. Belmont completed the last mission of the cruise on 24 November and headed home. She moored at Norfolk on 28 November and remained there for the rest of 1968.
operating area. In June, she began preparations for overseas movement. On 17 June, Belmont left her berth at the Norfolk Naval Station bound for her first and only tour of duty with the U.S. 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. She passed through the Strait of Gibraltar
on the 28th and joined the 6th Fleet. Over the next four months, the technical research ship ranged the length and breadth of the "middle sea" conducting a series of special operations and making stops at ports all along the Mediterranean littoral. However, she spent the majority of her time in the eastern portion of the sea near Kythira
, Greece, and the island of Crete
. Belmont concluded the last deployment of her career at Rota, Spain
, on 21 October and shaped a course back to the United States that same day.
. As a result, she was found to be of limited naval value. Accordingly, Belmont was decommissioned at Norfolk on 16 January 1970, and her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
that same day. On 24 June 1970, she was sold to the Boston Metals Co., Baltimore, Maryland, for scrapping.
Technical research ship
Technical research ships were used by the United States Navy during the 1960s to gather intelligence by monitoring the electronic communications of nations in various parts of the world. At the time these ships were active, the mission of the ships was covert and discussion of the true mission was...
acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of conducting research in the reception of electromagnetic propagations.
Belmont' s civilian life
The second ship to be named Belmont by the Navy, AGTR-4 was laid down on 25 January 1944 at Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, by the Oregon Shipbuilding Co. under a Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 94) as Iran Victory; launched on 25 March 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Peter Hegge; and delivered to the Maritime Commission on 23 April 1944. The Maritime Commission then turned her over to a civilian contractor, the Pacific-Atlantic Steamship Co., for operation. The cargo ship
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
continued operations, manned by a civilian crew provided by a series of contractors until laid up at Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
, with the National Defense Reserve Fleet
National Defense Reserve Fleet
The National Defense Reserve Fleet consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States of America during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.The NDRF is...
sometime between April 1954 and April 1955.
Acquired by the Navy
In February 1963, Iran Victory was acquired by the Navy and entered the Willamette Iron and Steel Co. yard at Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, for conversion. On 8 June 1963, she was renamed Belmont and designated a miscellaneous auxiliary AG-167. She was redesignated a technical research ship
Technical research ship
Technical research ships were used by the United States Navy during the 1960s to gather intelligence by monitoring the electronic communications of nations in various parts of the world. At the time these ships were active, the mission of the ships was covert and discussion of the true mission was...
AGTR-4 on 1 April 1964 and was commissioned at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility is a United States Navy shipyard covering 179 acres on Puget Sound at Bremerton, Washington...
on 2 November 1964, Comdr. Jerome E. Henderson in command.
Assigned as technical research ship AGTR-4
Belmont completed outfitting at Puget SoundPuget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
during November and, on 2 December, departed Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
, bound for her permanent assignment with the U.S. Atlantic Fleet
U.S. Atlantic Fleet
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
at her new homeport, Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. She arrived there on 21 December 1964 and, exactly one month later, got underway for a five-week cruise to the West Indies that included shakedown
Sea trial
A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft . It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and can last from a few hours to many days.Sea trials are conducted to measure a vessel’s...
training and concluded with port visits to Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, and Key West, Florida
Key West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
. She returned to Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 1 March and entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy as well as the most...
for a month of post-shakedown availability. Final acceptance trials occupied 29 and 30 March and preparations for her first operational deployment followed.
First operational deployment
On 26 April, Belmont passed between the Virginia CapesVirginia Capes
The Virginia Capes are the two capes, Cape Charles to the north and Cape Henry to the south, that define the entrance to Chesapeake Bay on the eastern coast of North America....
into the Atlantic Ocean and laid in a course for the West Indies. Two days at sea, the ship received orders to proceed to the vicinity of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
where, four days earlier, a revolt of left-wing factions had broken out. Belmont remained on station observing conditions until the middle of July. On the 13th, she headed back to Norfolk where she arrived four days later. After almost two months in port, the ship once more got underway on 14 September and spent about a month cruising in the West Indies before transiting the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
in mid-October. For the remainder of the year, she conducted operations along the western coast of South America, including visits to Valparaíso, Chile, and Callao, Peru.
Her second deployment to South America
New Years Day 1966 found her at anchor in Callao. Two days later, she weighed anchor to return to the Panama Canal ZonePanama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
. Belmont retransited the canal on 21 January and moored in Norfolk on the 28th, where she remained for almost seven weeks for upkeep and shipyard availability. On 16 March, the ship embarked upon another deployment to the western coast of South America. She transited the Panama Canal on 28 and 29 March and, for the next eight weeks, cruised along the coasts of Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. Belmont returned to the Panama Canal Zone for a five-day visit between 23 and 28 May. On the latter day, she departed Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and embarked upon five weeks of operations in order to spy French atomic tests in French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
(12 June). The ship arrived back in the Panama Canal Zone on 13 July, transited the canal on the 14th, and reentered Norfolk on the 20th.
After seven weeks of upkeep in her homeport, Belmont stood out to sea on 7 September, bound for her third assignment in the Pacific coastal waters of South America. She transited the Panama Canal again on 19 September and, two days later, shaped a course for her zone of operations. At the conclusion of that assignment, the ship returned to the Canal Zone on 4 November. She proceeded through the canal on 8 November and then set course for Norfolk. Belmont reentered her homeport on 14 November and spent the remainder of the year in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy as well as the most...
installing communication gear.
Circumnavigation of the continent of South America
The ship spent the first month of 1967 completing the installation of her new communications equipment and testing it. On 1 February, Belmont loosed her mooring lines to begin an extended cruise to the southern hemisphereSouthern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
-- one that included a circumnavigation
Circumnavigation
Circumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
of the South American continent. Hydrographic
Hydrography
Hydrography is the measurement of the depths, the tides and currents of a body of water and establishment of the sea, river or lake bed topography and morphology. Normally and historically for the purpose of charting a body of water for the safe navigation of shipping...
and communications research highlighted the five-month voyage as did visits to sundry South American ports. Belmont completed her circuit of the South American continent on 3 June when she transited the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
and laid in a course for Norfolk. The technical research ship
Technical research ship
Technical research ships were used by the United States Navy during the 1960s to gather intelligence by monitoring the electronic communications of nations in various parts of the world. At the time these ships were active, the mission of the ships was covert and discussion of the true mission was...
pulled into her homeport on 9 June and commenced a repair period. Her hull and various items of equipment received repairs over the next two months.
Rounding the Cape of Good Hope
On 14 August, she stood out of the Chesapeake BayChesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
bound for the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. The ship rounded the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
on 5 October and spent the following six weeks engaged in special operations along the eastern coast of Africa. On 22 November, she redoubled the cape and, after an overnight stop at Monrovia, Liberia, on 2 and 3 December, pointed her bow west for the homeward voyage. Belmont arrived back at Norfolk on 12 December and spent the remainder of the year engaged in holiday leave and upkeep.
Indian Ocean operations
January 1968 found Belmont still at Norfolk. On the 26th, she began regular overhaul at the Norfolk Naval ShipyardNorfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy as well as the most...
. She emerged revitalized on 14 May and put to sea to conduct refresher training in the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, operating area. The ship completed post-overhaul training on 14 June and, after a visit to San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, embarked upon her second deployment to the coasts of Africa. On 2 July, she arrived off Cape Palmas
Cape Palmas
Cape Palmas is a headland on the extreme southeast end of the coast of Liberia, West Africa, at the extreme southwest corner of the northern half of the continent. The Cape itself consists of a small, rocky peninsula connected to the mainland by a sandy isthmus. Immediately to the west of the...
and commenced operations along Africa's western coast. That phase of the assignment lasted until 25 September at which time she passed the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
and entered the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. That portion of her mission proved relatively brief, occupying her time during the last week in September and the month of October. On 1 November, Belmont retraced her course around the Cape of Good Hope and steamed back into the Atlantic Ocean. The ship stopped over at Recife, Brazil, from 13 to 16 November and then headed for the northeastern coast of South America and a series of operations in that vicinity. Belmont completed the last mission of the cruise on 24 November and headed home. She moored at Norfolk on 28 November and remained there for the rest of 1968.
Operating with the U.S. Sixth Fleet
During the first half of 1969, Belmont stayed in or, infrequently, operated near Norfolk. A restricted availability followed by sea trials occupied the first three months of the year. Early in April, she began installation of additional equipment. May brought tests and type training in the Virginia CapesVirginia Capes
The Virginia Capes are the two capes, Cape Charles to the north and Cape Henry to the south, that define the entrance to Chesapeake Bay on the eastern coast of North America....
operating area. In June, she began preparations for overseas movement. On 17 June, Belmont left her berth at the Norfolk Naval Station bound for her first and only tour of duty with the U.S. 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. She passed through the Strait of Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
on the 28th and joined the 6th Fleet. Over the next four months, the technical research ship ranged the length and breadth of the "middle sea" conducting a series of special operations and making stops at ports all along the Mediterranean littoral. However, she spent the majority of her time in the eastern portion of the sea near Kythira
Kythira
Cythera is an island in Greece, once part of the Ionian Islands. It lies opposite the south-eastern tip of the Peloponnese peninsula. It is administratively part of the Islands regional unit, which is part of the Attica region , Greece.For many centuries, while naval travel was the only means...
, Greece, and the island of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. Belmont concluded the last deployment of her career at Rota, Spain
Rota, Spain
-External references:*, official website * On-line since 1999! News, premiere information, pictures, weather, etc. Into Spanish, English... ****- External links :...
, on 21 October and shaped a course back to the United States that same day.
Declared "Of limited value," Belmont is scrapped
Belmont arrived back in Norfolk on 3 November. Three weeks later, the ship received the close scrutiny of a board of inspection and surveyBoard of Inspection and Survey
The Board of Inspection and Survey is a U.S. Navy organization whose purpose is to inspect and assess material condition of Naval vessels.The Board is currently headquartered at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia.- INSURV teams :...
. As a result, she was found to be of limited naval value. Accordingly, Belmont was decommissioned at Norfolk on 16 January 1970, and her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
that same day. On 24 June 1970, she was sold to the Boston Metals Co., Baltimore, Maryland, for scrapping.