Hydrographic Survey Ships (AGS)

Most recent update: August 5, 2020.
The Navy's survey ships were mostly conversions until the 1960s: the current fleet consists of the seven ships of the Pathfinder class.
Type # Name Shipbuilder Location Hull # LDT LOA Price ($mm) Delivery Disposition
AGS 1 Pathfinder Lake Washington Seattle WA 2,175 229 31-Aug-42 Built 1929, acquired by C&GS 1942 as AGS 1, retired 1971
AGS 2 Hydrographer Spear EW Norfolk VA 1,135 165 20-May-42 Built 1929 as yacht, acquired by C&GS 1942 as AGS 2
AGS 3 Oceanographer W. A. Fletcher Hoboken NJ 1,136 304 15-Aug-42 Built 1899 as yacht Corsair III, acquired by C&GS 1930, AGS 3 1942, scrapped 1944
AGS 4 Bowditch Burmeister & Wain Copenhagen (Den.) 5,405 386 11-Dec-43 Built 1929 as liner Santa Inez, acquired 1940 as AG 30, AGS 4 1943, to NDRF 1948, scrapped 1959
AGS 5 Sumner Seattle Constn Seattle WA 3,142 350 1-Dec-43 Built 1920 as AS 2, AG 32 1940, AGS 5 1943, scrapped 1948
AGS 6 Derickson Ballard Marine Seattle WA 245 136 27-May-44 Built 1943 as PCS 1458, AGS 6 1943, sold 1954
AGS 7 Littlehales Robert Jacob City Island NY 245 136 28-Feb-45 Built 1943 as PCS 1388, AGS 7 1943, AGSC 7 1946, sold 1950 as John-O
AGS 8 Dutton South Coast SB Newport Beach CA 245 136 20-Mar-45 Built 1943 as PCS 1396, AGS 8 1943, AGSC 8 1946, sold 1950
AGS 9 Amistead Rust Colberg BW Stockton CA 245 136 20-Mar-45 Built 1943 as PCS 1404, AGS 9 1943, sold 1948
AGS 10 John Blish Ballard Marine Seattle WA 245 136 20-Mar-45 Built 1943 as PCS 1457, AGS 10 1943, AGSC 10 1946, scrapped 1950
AGS 11 Chauvenet Hiltebrant Dock Kingston NY 340 136 20-Mar-45 Built 1943 as YMS 195, AGS 11 1945, sold 1947 as Zipper, foundered 1963
AGS 12 Harkness Tacoma Boat Tacoma WA 340 136 20-Mar-45 Built 1943 as YMS 242, AGS 12 1943, AGSC 12 1946, AMCU 12 1951, MHC 12 1955, sold 1960
AGS 13 James M. Gillis South Coast SB Newport Beach CA 340 136 20-Mar-45 Built 1943 as YMS 262, AGS 13 1943, AGSC 13 1946,  AMCU 13 1951, MHC 13 1955, scrapped 1960
AGS 14 Simon Newcomb South Coast SB Newport Beach CA 340 136 20-Mar-45 Built 1943 as YMS 263, AGS 14 1943, AGSC 14 1946, scrapped 1960
AGS 15 Tanner Walsh-Kaiser Providence RI 4,087 426 15-May-46 Built 1945 as AKA 34, AGS 15 1946, scrapped 1970
AGS 16 Maury Walsh-Kaiser Providence RI 4,087 426 12-Jul-46 Built 1945 as AKA 36, AGS 16 1946, scrapped 1973
AGS 17 Pursuit Winslow Marine Winslow WA 890 221 18-Aug-51 Built 1943 as AM 108, AGS 17 1951, struck 1960
AGS 18 Requisite Winslow Marine Winslow WA 890 221 18-Aug-51 Built 1943 as AM 109, AGS 18 1951, struck 1964
AGS 19 Sheldrake General Eng Alameda CA 890 221 14-Apr-52 Built 1943 as AM 162, AGS 19 1951, scrapped 1971
AGS 20 Prevail Pennsylvania SY Beaumont TX 890 221 1-Apr-52 Built 1943 as AM 107, AGS 20 1951, scrapped 1964
AGS 21 Bowditch Oregon SB Portland OR 4,420 455 8-Aug-57 Built 1943 as South Bend Victory, AGS 21 1958, scrapped 1988
AGS 22 Dutton Oregon SB Portland OR 4,420 455 1-Nov-58 Built 1943 as Tuskegee Victory, AGS 22 1958, scrapped 2008
AGS 23 Michelson Oregon SB Portland OR 4,420 455 15-Dec-58 Built 1943 as Joliet Victory, AGS 23 1958, scrapped 1977
AGS 24 Serrano United Eng Alameda CA 1,240 205 30-Jun-60 Built 1944 as ATF 112, AGS 24 1960, scrapped 1971
AGS 25 Kellar Marietta Mfg Point Pleasant WV 1,320 209 31-Jan-69 To Portugal 1988 as Almeida Carvalho, active
AGS 26 Silas Bent AmShip Lorain Lorain OH 421 1,320 209 23-Jul-65 To Turkey 1999 as Cesme (A 587), active
AGS 27 Elisha Kent Kane Christy Corp. Sturgeon Bay WI 422 1,320 209 19-May-67 To Turkey 2001 as Canadarli (A 588), active
AGS 28 Towhee AmShip Cleveland Cleveland OH 890 221 1-Apr-64 Built 1945 as AM 388, AGS 28 1964, scrapped 1970
AGS 29 Chauvenet Fairfield S & E Glasgow (U.K.) 835 5,150 393 8.4 13-Nov-70 To Texas MA 1996 as Texas Clipper II, to Missile Defense Agency 2005 as Pacific Collector
AGS 30 San Pablo Associated Sbldg. Seattle WA 2,750 311 25-Aug-49 Built 1943 as AVP 30, AGS 30 1949, sold 1970
AGS 31 S.P. Lee Defoe Sbldg. Bay City MI 441 1,320 209 8.9 2-Dec-68 To Mexico 1992 as Antares (H-06), active
AGS 32 Harkness Fairfield S & E Glasgow (U.K.) 836 5,150 393 8.4 29-Jan-71 To NDRF 1993, to Mass Maritime 2002, to NDRF 2005
AGS 33 Wilkes Defoe Sbldg. Bay City MI 444 1,935 287 8.9 28-Jun-71 To Tunisia 1995 as Kheireddine (A 700), active
AGS 34 Wyman Defoe Sbldg. Bay City MI 445 1,935 287 8.9 3-Nov-71 To NDRF 2001: to be scrapped
AGS 35 SGT George Keathley Walter Butler SB Superior WI 336 3,366 339 Dec-56 Built 1945 as Acorn Knot, APC 116 1950, AGS 35 1956, to Taiwan 1972 as Chu Hwa (AGS 564)
AGS 36 Coastal Crusader Leathem D. Smith Sturgeon Bay WI 340 3,366 339 1969 Built 1945 as Coastal Crusader, AGM 16 1964, AGS 36 1969, sold 1977
AGS 37 Twin Falls Oregon Sbldg. Portland OR 1221 4,500 339 1970 Built 1945 as Twin Falls Victory, AGM 11 19??, AGS 37 1970, scrapped 1982
AGS 38 H. H. Hess NASSCO San Diego CA 336 14,700 563 16-Jan-78 Built 1965 as Canada Mail, AGS 38 1978, NDRF 1993, scrapped 2010
AGS 39 Maury Bethlehem SP Sp. Point MD 4667 8,800 450 66.4 31-Mar-89 To Cal. Maritime 1995 as Golden Bear
AGS 40 Tanner Bethlehem SP Sp. Point MD 4668 8,800 450 66.4 31-Aug-90 To Maine Maritime 1997 as State of Maine
AGS 41-44       Not used
AGS 45 Waters Avondale New Orleans LA 2370 12,200 457 104.4 26-May-93 Active as Navigation Support Test Ship
AGS 46-49       Not used
AGS 50 Rehoboth Lake Washington Seattle WA 2,750 310 2-Sep-48 Built 1944 as AVP 50, AGS 50 1948, scrapped 1970
AGS 51 John McDonnell Halter Marine Moss Point MS 1168 1,250 208 14.0 15-Nov-91 Sold 2016 as Seafreeze America.
AGS 52 Littlehales Halter Marine Moss Point MS 1169 1,250 208 11.5 10-Jan-92 To NOAA 2003 as Thomas Jefferson (S 222)
AGS 53-59       Not used
AGS 60 Pathfinder Halter Marine Moss Point MS 1261 3,000 329 49.9 28-Oct-94 Active
AGS 61 Sumner Halter Marine Moss Point MS 1262 3,000 329 45.9 30-May-95 Active
AGS 62 Bowditch Halter Marine Moss Point MS 1315 3,000 329 40.0 19-Jul-96 Active
AGS 63 Henson Halter Marine Moss Point MS 1468 3,000 329 46.9 20-Feb-98 Active
AGS 64 Bruce C. Heezen Halter Marine Moss Point MS 1707 3,000 329 51.7 13-Jan-00 Active
AGS 65 Mary Sears Halter Marine Moss Point MS 1804 3,000 329 53.5 17-Dec-01 Active
AGS 66 Maury VT Halter Marine Moss Point MS 1991 3,000+ 329 86.7 16-Feb-16 Active
AGS 67   VT Halter Marine Moss Point MS   3,000+ 329     Building