T-AGM-22 Range Sentinel
The USNS T-AGM-22 Range Sentinel Missile Range Instrumentation Ship was originally built as a Navy APA Victory Class freighter, and later converted into a tracking ship for the Submarine Service. After 52 years of service, the Range Sentinel was deactivated during a ceremony 09 July 1997 at Port Canaveral. The ship's history dates back to World War II. It was present in Tokyo Bay on Sept. 2, 1945, for the Japanese surrender. At that time the vessel was called the USS Sherburne. During its second extended period of service as the USS Range Sentinel, which began in 1971, she supported and tracked 509 Polaris, Poseidon and Trident test missiles launched from both Launch Complex 46 and submarines operating off the Florida coast. She completed her final mission May 30. The ship's crew was unusual in that they were civil service employees under the Military Sealift Command, and the captain of the vessel was called a Master. The Sentinel had an Operational Test Support Unit - Navy men embarked under the civilian captain responsible for their welfare, and safety, as were all other hands.
Specifications |
|
| Overall Length | 455 ft |
| Waterline Length | 437 ft |
| Extreme Beam | 62 ft |
| Waterline Beam | 62 ft |
| Maximum Navigational Draft | 28 ft |
| Draft Limit | 23 ft |
| Light Displacement | 8853 tons |
| Full Displacement | 11800 tons |
| Dead Weight | 2947 tons |
| Propulsion Type | Steam Turbines |
| Number of Propellers | 1 |
| Speed | knots ( mph) |
| Accommodations | 27 Officers 94 Enlisted |
Ships |
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| Name | Number | Builder | Homeport | Ordered | Commissioned | Decommissioned |
| Range Sentinel | T-AGM-22 | Permante NO 2 | 01 Apr 1943 | 20 Sep 1944 | 03 May 1999 | |
Sources and Resources
- T-AGM-22 Range Sentinel - NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
