USNS Kingsport

	A starboard bow view of the hydrographic research ship USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) at anchor.
History
United States
Name	Kingsport Victory
Namesake	Kingsport, Tennessee
Ordered	as type (VC2-S-AP2) hull, MCV hull 20
Builder	California Shipbuilding Corporation, Los Angeles, California
Laid down	4 April 1944, as SS Kingsport Victory
Launched	29 May 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. George O'Brien
Completed	12 July 1944
Acquired	12 July 1944
In service	WSA: 12 July 1944; Army: 8 July 1948;
Renamed	14 November 1961, Kingsport
Identification	Hull symbol:T-AK-239
Honors &; awards	1 x battle star for World War II service
Fate	Transferred to US Navy 1961
United States
Name	Kingsport
Namesake	Kingsport, Tennessee
In service	Navy: 1 March 1950
Out of service	31 January 1984
Renamed	14 November 1961, Kingsport
Refit	Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA. from 1 June 1962 to 1 December 1962
Stricken	31 January 1984
Identification	Hull symbol: T-AG-164; IMO number: 8450641;
Fate	Withdrawn from the reserve fleet on 21 January 1992 for scrapping in India
General characteristics
Class & type	as T-AK-239: Greenville Victory-class cargo ship
Type	MARAD VC2-S-AP3
Tonnage	7,653 GRT
Displacement	4,420 metric tons (4,350 long tons) (standard); 10,680 metric tons (10,510 long tons) (full load);
Length	455 ft 3 in (138.76 m) LOA
Beam	62 ft (19 m)
Draft	28 ft 6 in (8.69 m)
Installed power	8,500 shp (6,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Cross compound steam turbine; 1 × shaft;
Speed	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Complement	52
Armament	1 × 5 inch (127 mm)/38 caliber gun (Kingsport Victory only); 1 × 3 inch (76 mm)/50 caliber gun (Kingsport Victory only); 8 × 20 mm Oerlikon (Kingsport Victory only); None for (USNS Kingsport);
Aviation facilities	Helicopter deck added 1961

USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) was built as SS Kingsport Victory, a United States Maritime Commission VC2-S-AP3 (Victory) type cargo ship. During the closing days of World War II the ship was operated by the American Hawaiian Steamship Company under an agreement with the War Shipping Administration. After a period of layup the ship was operated as USAT Kingsport Victory by the Army under bareboat charter effective 8 July 1948. When Army transports were transferred to the Navy's Military Sea Transportation Service the ship continued as USNS Kingsport Victory (T-AK-239), a cargo transport . On 14 November 1961, after conversion into the first satellite communication ship, the ship was renamed Kingsport, reclassified as a general auxiliary, and operated as USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164).

The ship was sent to Lagos, Nigeria as the control station for Syncom 2 becoming the site of the first two way call by satellite by heads of state. The call was between Nigerian Prime Minister Abubakar Balewa aboard the Kingsport and President John F. Kennedy on 23 August 1963. In 1967 the ship underwent conversion and became a bathymetric and acoustic survey ship for the installation and maintenance of the then classified Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) under the unclassified name of Project Caesar,