USS Liberty (AGTR-5) was a Belmont-class technical research ship that was misidentified and attacked by Israel Defense Forces during the 1967 Six-Day War. She was originally built and served in World War II as a VC2-S-AP3 type Victory cargo ship named SS Simmons Victory. Her keel was laid down on 23 February 1945, under a Maritime Commission contract at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation of Portland, Oregon.
The first USS Saipan (CVL-48/AVT-6/CC-3) was a light aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, the lead ship of her class of carrier. She was later selected for conversion into a command ship in 1963–1964, but instead of becoming a command ship she was converted to the Major Communications Relay Ship Arlington (AGMR-2) in 1965.
USS Lawrence (DD-954/DDG-4) was a Charles F. Adams class guided-missile destroyer in the United States Navy. It was the fifth ship named after Captain James Lawrence USN (1781–1813). The USS Lawrence served on blockade duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 and, in 1972, was part of Operation Linebacker in the west Pacific.
USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) was a Commencement Bay-class escort carrier of the United States Navy.
USS Sampson (DDG-10), named for Admiral William T. Sampson USN (1840–1902), was a Charles F. Adams-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy.
USS Newport News (CA–148) was the third and last ship of the Des Moines-class of heavy cruisers in the United States Navy. She was the first fully air-conditioned surface ship and the last active all-gun heavy cruiser in the United States Navy.
USS Simon Lake (AS-33) was the lead ship of her class of submarine tenders in the United States Navy, named for Simon Lake, a pioneering designer of early submarines.
USS Ray (SSN-653), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the rays.
Technical research ships were used by the United States Navy during the 1960s to gather intelligence by monitoring, recording and analyzing wireless 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 prohibited. The mission of the ships was publicly given as conducting research into atmospheric and communications phenomena. However, the true mission was more or less an open secret and the ships were commonly referred to as "spy ships".
USNS Private Jose F. Valdez (T-AG-169), named after World War II Medal of Honor recipient PFC Jose F. Valdez, was a technical research ship in operation during the 1960s. The "Galloping Ghost of the Ivory Coast" or "Grey Ghost of the African Coast", as she was affectionately called by her crew, was deployed around Africa from 1961 until 1969.
USS Annapolis (AGMR-1) was the former USS Gilbert Islands and a Commencement Bay-class escort carrier of the United States Navy.
USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23) was built as the Mariner-class merchant ship Empire State Mariner for the United States Maritime Commission, launched 15 August 1953, and operated by United States Lines upon delivery on 24 February 1954, making voyages for the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) until going into reserve at Mobile, Alabama on 9 November 1954.
USS Peregrine (AM-373) was an Auk-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing. She was named after the peregrine, a swift and powerful falcon.
USS Waccamaw (AO-109) was a Cimarron-class replenishment oiler in the United States Navy. She was named after Waccamaw River. The original capacity was 146,000 barrels (23,200 m3).
USS Georgetown (AGTR-2/AG-165), was an Oxford-class technical research ship acquired by the U.S. Navy to provide a seaborne platform for global eavesdropping on behalf of the National Security Agency. Her designation as a "technical research" ship was her cover story.
USS Jerome County (LST-848) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after Jerome County, Idaho, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS Kishwaukee (AOG-9) was a Patapsco-class gasoline tanker acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of transporting gasoline to warships in the fleet, and to remote Navy stations.
USS Oxford (AGTR-1/AG-159) was an Oxford-class technical research ship, acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1960 and converted for the task of conducting "research in the reception of electromagnetic propagations". She was originally built during World War II as a Liberty-type cargo ship originally named the Samuel R. Aitken.
USS Belmont (AGTR-4/AG-167) was the first of two Belmont-class technical research ships,, acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1963 and converted for the task of conducting "research in the reception of electromagnetic propagations". She was originally built during World War II as a Victory cargo ship named SS Iran Victory by the War Shipping Administration's Emergency Shipbuilding program under cognizance of the U.S. Maritime Commission.
USS Bexar (APA-237/LPA-237) was a Haskell-class attack transport in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1970. She was scrapped in 1982.
United States
