Waters (T-AGS-45)
1994–
The first U.S. Navy ship named for Odale Dabney Waters Jr. (13 July 1910–7 May 1986). The one previous Waters (DD-115), redesignated a high-speed transport (APD-8) in December 1942, was named for Daniel Waters (20 June 1731–26 March 1816).
(T-AGS-45: displacement 12,208; length 442'; beam 69'; draft 21'; speed 13.2 knots; complement 87; armament none; class Waters)
Waters (T-AGS-45) was laid down on 21 May 1991 at New Orleans, La., by Avondale Industries, Inc., Shipyards Division; launched on 6 June 1992; cosponsored by Ms. Carol W. Waters, Mrs. Ann E. Scott, Mrs. Martha L. Philipps, and Mrs. L. Dabney Schmitt, daughters of the late Rear Adm. Odale D. Waters Jr., Oceanographer of the Navy; and was placed in service with the Military Sealift Command (MSC) on 28 October 1994.
Waters originally served as an oceanographic survey ship, but under the sponsorship of the Strategic Systems Program Office she was converted in 1998 by Detyens Shipyards, Inc., North Charleston, S.C., and the following year began supporting ballistic missile flight tests and submarine navigation system evaluations. She subsequently replaced flight test navigation support ship Range Sentinel (T-AGM-22), which was stricken on 3 May 1999, and submarine navigation system test ship Vanguard (T-AG-194), stricken on 13 October 1998. Waters is homeported in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
Detailed history pending.
Mark L. Evans
16 December 2015