USNS Kellar (T-AGS 25) on 14 January 1969.
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Class: KELLAR (T-AGS 25)
Design: SCB Project Nos. 214 and 709.65 (small type)
Displacement (tons): 1,297 full load (1,320 AGS 25)
Dimensions (feet): 208.3' oa, 196’ wl x 39.4' molded x 13.9' mean full load
Armament: none
Accommodations: 12 officers, 18 unlicensed, 15 NAVOCEANO survey party (13 in AGS 25)
Speed (kts.): 12 (sustained)
Propulsion (HP): 1,000
Machinery: Diesel electric, 1 screw
Construction:
| AGS | Name | Ord | Builder | Keel | Launch | Svc |
| 25 | KELLAR | 18 Jan 1962 | Marietta Mfg., Pt. Pleasant, WVa. | 20 Nov 1962 | 30 Jul 1964 | 31 Jan 1969 |
| 31 | S P LEE | 6 Dec 1965 | Defoe, Bay City | 27 Jun 1966 | 19 Oct 1967 | 2 Dec 1968 |
Disposition:
| AGS | Name | T | Inact | Strike | Disposal | Fate | MA Sale |
| 25 | KELLAR | T | 1972 | 1992? | 21 Jan 1972 | Trf | -- |
| 31 | S P LEE | T | 1 Aug 1992 | 1 Oct 1992 | 7 Dec 1992 | Trf | -- |
Class Notes:
On 7 June 1960 the SCB staff circulated proposed characteristics for a survey ship (AGS) of about 1,200 tons that was in the proposed FY 1962 building program and scheduled a working level meeting of the SCB for 6 July 1960 to review them. While developing these characteristics the staff found that the speed and endurance features required by general characteristics promulgated by an OPNAV memo of 20 April 1960 would require an increase of displacement to about 2,400 tons, but it proceeded to circulate characteristics for a 1,200 ton (full load) ship that measured 210' oa x 38' x 15' full load and had a sustained speed of 12 knots and a merchant (MSTS) crew of 27 plus 10 scientists. On 17 June 1960 OPNAV specified that the hull and propulsion of the 1,200 ton AGS should be the same as the Project 185 AGOR, the intent being to build the AGS as similar as possible to the AGOR to minimize design and lead ship costs and ensure flexibility of assignment to either oceanographic research or survey work as requirements changed. The 6 July 1960 SCB working level meeting produced first preliminary characteristics for a 1,200 ton AGS based on the SCB 185 AGOR, the AGS now measuring 204' oa x 37' x 15' full load for 1,350 tons (full load) with a crew of 26 plus 15 scientists. The main differences between the Project 185 AGOR contract design and the first preliminary characteristics for the new AGS were the replacement of part of the oceanographic dry laboratory with a drafting room for planning and conducting survey operations, the addition of limited ice strengthening (a heavier waterline belt, additional half frames in part of the forebody, and a ten percent increase in propulsion shafting strength), the addition of a 20-ton weight reservation, a reduction in storage battery capacity, and deletion of the instrument van carried on deck by the AGOR. (The van was restored on 22 September 1961 and the storage battery capacity was also restored.) These first preliminary AGS characteristics were circulated on 29 August 1960 for discussion in a working level meeting of the SCB on 22 September 1960. On 28 October 1960 BUSHIPS estimated the full load displacement of the AGS with its proposed changes at an acceptable 1,395 tons, compared with 1,369 tons for the AGOR contract design. Approved characteristics for a Surveying Ship (AGS), SCB Project No. 214, were promulgated by the SCB on 13 December 1960. These included a change in the hull dimensions to 209' oa x 37' x 15' full load and the displacement to 1,390 tons.
On 30 November 1960 while turning over cognizance of the SCB 214 (AGS 25) design to the Hull Design Branch, the BUSHIPS Preliminary Design Branch noted that, as in the Project 185 AGOR, its light ship metacentric height was very low. Although later studies found the stability of both designs to be sufficient, the Hull Design Branch on 8 August 1961 increased the beam by two feet. On 24 August 1961 it sent a memo to higher management requesting approval of this decision, noting that the SCB 185 design was extremely tight with regard to space and had a negligible stability margin for future growth as a result of increases in personnel (four men) and equipment. The memo noted that a two foot increase in beam (from 37' to 39') would appreciably relieve the space situation and would provide a future development margin of 20 tons. The design work could be completed in time for FY 1962 procurement and funds were available. The change was approved the same day for ships not yet under construction, making it aplicable to AGOR 6-7 and AGS 25 but not to AGOR 3-5. The SCB was notified for the record of the changed dimensions on 13 September 1961 with a recommendation that the characteristics be updated.
The contract design for the FY 1962 small surveying ship, KELLAR (AGS 25), was completed on 25 September 1961 and invitations to bid were sent out in October 1961 with a specified delivery date for the ship of February 1964. On 18 January 1962 a fixed price contract was concluded with the lowest bidder, the Marietta Manufacturing Co. of Point Pleasant, W. Va. This yard, located on the Ohio River, had built over 800 small vessels since 1920, mostly barges but also a class of Army mine planters during World War II, and just before winning the contract for KELLAR had won the contact for USNS SANDS and LYNCH (AGOR 6-7). After a quick start of construction KELLAR experienced a series of floods, freezes, shipyard strikes, labor-management disputes, a flu epidemic, extended construction delays, and finally a Navy decision in 1964 to terminate the contract. After KELLAR was launched in July 1964 (an event originally scheduled for 1 August 1963) the Navy had her moved to New Orleans for completion at another yard. The contract with Marietta was formally cancelled on 14 April 1965 and completion was assigned to Avondale Shipyards at New Orleans.
On 9 September 1965, before the completion work started, New Orleans was struck by Hurricane Betsy. The Commander of the Eighth Naval District reported to CNO during the storm that "KELLAR (AGS 25), recently delivered by contractor unfinished (85% complete) and unmanned, [was] hit by one of many drifting merchantmen and torn loose from moorings. Unable to relocate as yet." She had been rammed, holed, and torn loose from her moorings by a drifting crane barge and one or more merchantmen and driven by the weather and additional collisions to a point about 900 yards from her berth where she rolled over and sank between two sewer outlets. Salvage operations began on 27 September 1965 and she was refloated on 10 November 1965. After the ship was cleaned out her design was updated, with the surveying modifications ultimately including the extension of the aft end of the superstructure to enlarge the survey control center and provide a scientific instrument shop; the conversion of office space to a scientific study and gravity monitoring room; the replacement of the oceanographic boats with a 26-foot survey launch and a 16-foot Boston whaleboat; the addition of multi-beam echo sounders, a side scanning sonar, a stabilized gyro compass, a 19-inch searchlight on the pilot house, and an active powered rudder; and the deletion of some oceanographic-specific items including deep-sea bow anchoring facilities and a bow thruster. A new contract for her completion was concluded on 30 July 1966 with the Boland Machine and Manufacturing Co. of New Orleans with a delivery date of January 1969, which was met. KELLAR finally entered service about a month after her near-sister S P LEE (AGS 31), which had been ordered almost four years later.
On 1 Jan 1962 a second ship initially described as an AGOR-3 Class (SCB 185) ship was scheduled for operation as an applied research ship. The approved characteristics for a Surveying Ship (AGS), SCB Project No. 214, were updated for a small surveying ship for FY 1964 on 12 April 1963 and as SCB Project No. 709.65 on 20 February 1964, with revised characteristics for SCB Project No. 709.65, being approved on 9 December 1968. The 1963 characteristics essentially duplicated those for SCB 214 of 13 December 1960 with the beam increased to 39' (already done in AGS 25) and with a modified 26' utility boat instead of a modified 33' utility boat for surveying operations. This second ship, which became S P LEE (AGS 31, named for the Union's Rear Admiral Samuel Phillips Lee) was finally funded in FY 1965 as an AGS (SCB 709.65) along with the first new large AGS, CHAUVENET (AGS 29, SCB 708.65, formerly SCB 193). On 17 July 1965 the mission of the new small ship was changed from applied research to survey ship and she was listed as a replacement for SHELDRAKE (AGS 19, ex AM 62). The rigs and dates of the two small surveying ships indicate that, while AGS 25 was a variant of the AGOR 6 type, AGS 31 was a variant of the AGOR 12 type. In November 1965 AGS 31 was transferred to the charting and mapping program element. Both AGS 25 and AGS 31 were officially described in 1969 as designed and equipped to collect depth soundings in the coastal waters of the world in response to economic and military charting requirements of the United States. Both were operated by MSTS under the technical direction of the Commander, U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office.
On 30 September 1969 MSTS informed MARAD that the Oceanographer of the Navy had scheduled four ships including three Navy-designed 208-foot oceanographic hulls, AGOR 4-5 and AGS 31, for deactivation and layup (soon changed to reduced readiness status) for a minimum period of one year as part of a Vietnam-era AGOR cutback program. (The fourth ship was probably AGS 36, see AGM 16.) On 30 April 1970 the Navy informed Congress that it was planning to restore to service the three ships which budget restrictions had required that it tie up the previous fall and that these ships would serve Navy laboratories. In June 1970 NAVOCEANO assigned AGS 31 to the Naval Undersea Research and Developmennt Center (NUC) at San Diego for use as a laboratory research vessel for a minimum of two years. Her mission there was to produce acoustic information in support of both anti-submarine and pro-submarine operations. The transfer occurred on 10 September 1970, and on 23 September 1970 the Oceanographer asked OPNAV to change the hull designation of the ship from T-AGS 31 to T-AG 192 for the period of her assignment to NUC. The classification was changed by CNO on 25 September 1970 effective that date. At NUC she took over programs previously handled by REXBERG (EPCER 855) and MARYSVILLE (EPCER 857). Her initial two year assignment at NUC was extended to February 1974 although she spent part of that time in ready reserve status. Both AGS 25 and AGS 31 had unusually short Navy careers, the former being loaned to Portugal in 1972 and the latter to the Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1974.
Ship Notes:
| AGS | Name | MA | Notes |
| 25 | KELLAR | FY 1962. Sunk in hurricane Betsy at New Orleans 9 Sep 1965 while in Navy hands, raised and completed by Boland Machine and Manufacturing Co. at New Orleans. Operated by MSTS for the Naval Oceanographic Office. Replaced in coastal survey work in the Pacific in 1971 by USNS CHAUVENET (T-AGS 29). Loaned to Portugal as ALMEIDA CARVALHO (commissioned 21 Jan 1972 at Treasure Is., Calif., arrived at Lisbon 12 Mar 1972). Sold to Portugal 11 Feb 1988. Replaced by DOM CARLOS I (ex T-AGOS 11) and retired 1997. Struck 4 Dec 2002. Scuttled 21 Sep 2013 as an artificial reef and dive site as part of the Ocean Revival Project off Portimão on the southern coast of Portugal. | |
| 31 | S P LEE | FY 1965. Name assigned 17 Aug 1966. To MSTS 13 Dec 1968 and briefly operated by MSTS for the Naval Oceanographic Office. On 25 September 1970 effective that date S P LEE (T-AGS 31) was reclassified to T-AG 192 while assigned to NUC San Diego. Loan to C&GS Feb 1974 to 1 Aug 1992, officially transferred 27 Feb 1974. Operated by the University of Hawaii from 1983 to 1992 and sometimes referred to as R/V SAMUEL P. LEE. FMS sale to Mexico 1992 as ANTARES (BI 04). Renamed PÁTZCUARO 16 Nov 2022. |
Page Notes:
Compiled: 19 Oct 2021
© Stephen S. Roberts, 2021
Special sources: NARA: RG 19 Entry P 62 Box 73 (SCB 193), Entry P 26 Boxes 10, 14