USNS Coastal Sentry (T-AGM-15)

For other ships of the same name, see USS Somerset.

History

United States
Name:	Somerset
Namesake:	Somerset County, Maine or Somerset County, Maryland or Somerset County, New Jersey or Somerset County, Pennsylvania
Ordered:	MCV hull 2166
Builder:	Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Laid down:	9 October 1944
Launched:	21 January 1945
Sponsored by:	Mrs. Fred Bradley
Acquired:	20 September 1945
In service:	20 September 1945, as Somerset (AK-212) (never commissioned)
Out of service:	2 November 1945
In service:	1964, as MSTS USNS Coastal Sentry (T-AGM-15)
Out of service:	1972
Renamed:	Coastal Sentry in 1945
Reclassified:	as a missile range instrumentation ship, 1964
Struck:	5 December 1945 date unknown
Identification:	Hull symbol:AK-212 Hull symbol:T-AGM-15
Fate:	15 November 1951, resumed commercial operation under the house flag of the Matson Navigation Company 17 February 1954 returned to the Reserve Fleet, this time at Astoria, Ore. 10 May 1955, operated by the West Coast Trans-Oceanic Steamship Line for the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) 19 October 1955 – 22 May 1956 inactive 22 May 1956, served under MSTS, this time with the Coastwise Line 28 September 1956, placed in reserve at Olympia, Wa. 29 March 1957, retaining her name, she was operated by the U.S. Air Force as a missile range instrumentation ship (AGM) 1 July 1964 reacquired by the Navy and reinstated on the Naval Vessel Register, Coastal Sentry designated as T-AGM (15) 11 July 1968, delivered to the firm of Fuji Marden and Co., Ltd., of Hong Kong, British Crown Colony, at Fremantle, Australia, for scrapping
Status:	fate unknown
General characteristics ^[1]
Class & type:	Alamosa-class cargo ship Coastal Sentry-class missile range instrumentation ship
Type:	C1-M-AV1
Displacement:	2,382 long tons (2,420 t) (standard) 7,450 long tons (7,570 t) (full load)
Length:	388 ft 8 in (118.47 m)
Beam:	50 ft (15 m)
Draft:	21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Installed power:	1,750 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion:	1 × Nordberg Diesel diesel TSM 6 engine 1 × shaft
Speed:	11.5 kn (13.2 mph; 21.3 km/h)
Capacity:	3,945 t (3,883 long tons) DWT
Complement:	unknown
Armament:	none

USS Somerset (AK-212) was originally a U.S. Navy Alamosa-class cargo ship built for service in World War II, and was later re-acquired from the U.S. Air Force in 1964 as the USNS Coastal Sentry (T-AGM-15), a missile range instrumentation ship.

Built in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

The third ship to be so named by the Navy, Somerset (AK-212) (ex-MC hull 2166) was laid down on 9 October 1944 by the Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin; launched on 21 January 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Fred Bradley; acquired by the Navy from the U.S. Maritime Commission on 20 September 1945; and commissioned the same day.

Inactivity due to war's end

Somerset was acquired for Navy use as a cargo ship; but, due to the cessation of hostilities with Japan, she saw no naval service. She was returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission on 2 November 1945, renamed Coastal Sentry, and struck from the Navy List for the first time on 5 December 1945.

Service as an Air Force ship

Coastal Sentry was acquired by the U.S. Air Force and was used as a missile range instrumentation ship which operated as USAFS Coastal Sentry on the U.S. Air Force's Eastern Test Range during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Coastal Sentry operated under an Air Force contract with Pan American Airways Guided Missile Range Division headquartered in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Coastal Sentry was assigned to the South Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean area, and provided the Air Force with metric data on intercontinental ballistic missiles launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida.

Coastal Sentry operated in the intercontinental ballistic missile re-entry area near Ascension Island, and was home-ported out of Recife, Brazil.

Acquisition by the Navy

Coastal Sentry was acquired from the U.S. Air Force by the U.S. Navy in 1964 which placed her out of service in 1972. Operational data while on U.S. Navy service on this vessel is lacking.

Inactivation

Coastal Sentry was struck from the Navy List (date unknown), and was subsequently returned to MARAD for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet. Transferred to the Maritime Administration (the successor of the Maritime Commission) on 11 July 1968, the ship was delivered the same day to the firm of Fuji Marden and Co., Ltd., of Hong Kong, British Crown Colony, at Fremantle, Australia, for scrapping. Coastal Sentry (T-AGM 15) was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 9 October 1969.

References

↑ "USNS Coastal Sentry (T-AGM-15)". Navsource.org. Retrieved June 7, 2015.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive – AK-212 Somerset / T-AGM-15 Coastal Sentry

Alamosa-class cargo ship

Alamosa Alcona Amador Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Beltrami Blount Brevard Bullock Cabell Caledonia Charlevoix Chatham Chicot Claiborne Clarion Codington Colquitt Craighead Dodridge^* Duval^* Fairfield Faribault Fentress Flagler Gadsden Glacier Grainger Gwinnett Habersham Hennepin Herkimer Hidalgo Kenosha Lebanon Lehigh Lancaster Marengo Midland Minidoka Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Pembina Pemiscot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Richland Rockdale Schuyler Screven Sebastian Somerset Sussex Tarrant Tipton Traverse^* Tulate^* Washtenaw^** / Sgt. George Peterson Westchester^* Wexford^† / Coastal Crusader Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Short Splice Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca

* = Canceled August 1945 ** = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Guide † = Canceled August 1945, but completed as Coastal Crusader List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy

Type C1-M ships

Type C1-M-AV1	Alamosa Alcona Acorn Knot / Sgt. George D Keathley Amador Anchor Bend Anchor Hitch Antrim Autauga Beaverhead Becket Bend / Private John F. Thorson Becket Hitch Bell Ringer / Captain Arlo L. Olson Beltrami Bight Knot Blackwall Hitch Blount Boatswain's Hitch Bowline Knot Brevard Bullock Buntline Hitch Cabell Cable Splice Caledonia Cape Somerset Cape Stanhope Capstan Knot Carrick Bend Cat's Paw Chain and Crown Charlevoix Chatham Check Knot / Sgt. Joseph E. Muller Chicot Cinch Knot Claiborne Clarion Clove Hitch Coastal Captain Coastal Charger Coastal Courser Coastal Crusader Coastal Guide / Sgt. George Peterson Coastal Mariner Coastal Monarch Coastal Monitor Coastal Rambler Coastal Ranger Coastal Telegrapher Codington Colquitt Craighead Crossing Hitch Crown and Diamond Crown Knot Diamond Hitch Diamond Knot Doddridge Double Loop Dragon Fly Duval Elmer J. Burr Emerald Knot Fairfield Faribault Fentress Fiador Knot Fisherman's Bend Flagler Flemish Knot Gadsden Glacier Grainger Grass Knot Gunner's Knot Gwinnett Habersham Half Hitch Half Knot Harold W. Roberts Hawser Bend Hawser Eye Hawser Splice Hennepin Herkimer Hickory Bay Hickory Beck Hickory Bourne Hickory Brae Hickory Brook Hickory Burn Hickory Cairn Hickory Cape Hickory Coll Hickory Crest Hickory Dale Hickory Dell Hickory Dyke Hickory Ghyll Hickory Glen Hickory Isle Hickory Knoll Hickory Lake Hickory Mount Hickory Stream Hickory Tarn Hickory Tor Hidalgo Honda Knot Hook Hitch Horseshoe Splice Jacob's Ladder Jumper Hitch Kenneth E. Gruennert / Grommet Reefer Kenosha Knob Knot Lancaster Lanyard Knot Leader Loop Lebanon Lehigh Lever's Bend Lewis Hall Link Splice / Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley Lock Knot Long Eye Long Splice / Private Frank J. Petrarca Loop Knot Magnus Hitch Maiden's Eye / Colonel William J. O'Brien Mainsheet Eye Manrope Knot Marengo Mariner's Splice Marline Hitch Marlingspike Hitch Masthead Knot Midland Minidoka Mooring Hitch Mooring Knot Muscatine Muskingum Nicollet Ocean Plat Pembina Pemiscot Phoebe Knot Pinellas Pipestone Pitkin Poinsett Pontotoc Reef Knot Reeving Eye Richland Rigger's Eye Ring Hitch Ring Knot Ring Splice Roband Hitch Rockdale Rolling Hitch Rose Knot Round Splice / Private Jose F. Valdez Running Knot Sailmaker's Splice Sailor's Splice Salmon Knot Sampan Hitch Schuyler Screven Sebastian Shamrock Knot Sheepshank Sheet Bend Shell Bar Short Splice Sinnet Snakehead Snug Hitch Somerset / Coastal Sentry Span Splice Spanish Bowline Spar Hitch Spindle Eye / Sgt. Curtis F. Shoup Spool Sinnet Square Knot Square Sinnet Star Knot Studding Sail Sussex Sword Knot Tag Knot Tapir Splice Tarrant Terminal Knot Thimble Eye Timber Hitch Tipton Traverse True Knot Tucked Bend Tulare Turk's Head Wall Knot Water Knot Westchester William G. Fournier William N. Nelson Yard Hitch

Type C1-M-AV7	Coastal Liberator

Type C1-M-AV8	Crossing Knot Flat Knot Marline Bend Persian Knot Single Hitch Solid Sinnet

Type C1-MT-BU1	Arizona Pine California Redwood Oregon Fir Washington Cedar

Ships built by Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Tacoma-class frigates	Brunswick Davenport Evansville Knoxville New Bedford Peoria Reading Uniontown

PC-461-class submarine chasers	PC-496 PC-550 PC-551 PC-588 PC-589 PC-590 PC-591 PC-821 PC-822 PC-823 PC-824 PC-825 PC-1171 PC-1172 PC-1173 PC-1174 PC-1175 PC-1176 PC-1177 PC-1178 PC-1179 PC-1180 PC-1225 PC-1226 PC-1227 PC-1228 PC-1229 PC-1230 PC-1260 PC-1261 PC-1262 PC-1263 PC-1560 PC-1561 PC-1562 PC-1563 PC-1564 PC-1565 PC-1566 PC-1567 PC-1568 PC-1569

Type C1-M-AV1 ships	Coastal Crusader Coastal Sentry Poinsett Pontotoc Richland Rockdale Schuyler Screven Sebastian Sgt. George Peterson Sussex Tarrant Tipton Traverse Tulare Westchester

Net laying ships	Passaic Shakamaxon Tonawanda

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