page_title: USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23)
section_title: US Navy service history
hierarchical_section_title: USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23) / US Navy service history
caption_attribution_description: English: USS Observation Island (E-AG-154) underway with USS Robert E Lee (SSBN 601).
context_page_description: USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23) was built as the Mariner-class merchant ship Empire State Mariner for the United States Maritime Commission, launched 15 August 1953, and operated by United States Lines upon delivery on 24 February 1954, making voyages for the Military Sea Transportation Service until going into reserve at Mobile, Alabama on 9 November 1954. Title was transferred to the United States Navy on 10 September 1956 and, after conversion, the ship was renamed Observation Island. On commissioning the ship was classified as the "experimental miscellaneous auxiliary", USS Observation Island supporting fleet ballistic missile development. On 1 April 1968 Observation Island was redesignated as a miscellaneous auxiliary USS Observation Island. Observation Island was decommissioned and placed in reserve from 1972 until 1977 in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet until withdrawn and then returned in 1978. The ship was permanently withdrawn April 1979 and placed in service with MSTS successor, the Military Sealift Command.
  The ship was classified in 1979 as the missile range instrumentation ship USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23).
context_section_description: Her conversion to the first naval ship having a fully integrated Fleet Ballistic Missile System was authorized 15 October 1957, and partial completion of the project was accomplished at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia. before she commissioned 5 December 1958 as Observation Island (EAG-154), Captain Leslie M. Slack, USN, in command.
  During the conversion there were no major hull or engineering changes made other than installation of a roll stabilization system. However, extensive alterations were accomplished in the superstructure and hold areas so as to accommodate the Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) Weapons System. Observation Island departed her homeport of Norfolk 3 January 1959, underwent shakedown at Guantanamo Bay, and then operated on the Atlantic Missile Range off Cape Canaveral, conducting dummy missile launches and communications tests.
  In March 1959, Observation Island returned to Norfolk Naval Shipyard for installation of additional equipment, including the Ships Inertial Navigation System (SINS). In June she steamed for her new homeport, Port Canaveral, Florida, and made preparations for the first at-sea launch of a Polaris missile. Designated UGM-27, the missile was successfully launched from Observation Island 27 August 1959.
  Following this milestone, Observation Island returned to Norfolk Naval Shipyard for installation of a fire control system to enable her to launch more sophisticated guided versions of new generation Polaris missiles. She also received a new launcher, the developmental prototype of those installed in the ballistic missile submarines.
  This work was completed in January 1960 and Observation Island returned to Port Canaveral to continue Polaris test launch operations. After a total of six launchings, the ship commenced support of Polaris launchings from submarines. She provided optical and electronic data gathering services, and acted as communications relay station between submerged submarines and the supervisor of range operations at the Cape. The first successful fully guided Polaris missile launching from a submerged submarine took place 20 July 1960 from USS George Washington (SSBN-598). Through October Observation Island also supported launches from USS Patrick Henry (SSBN-599).
  Following further modifications at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in the fall of 1960, Observation Island returned to Port Canaveral in December to continue fleet ballistic missile support work and systems test and evaluation. She received the Navy Unit Commendation 15 December; launched the new A-2 Polaris 1 March 1961; and supported the first submerged A-2 launch from USS Ethan Allen (SSBN-608) 23 October 1961.
  In late 1961 Observation Island served as a survey ship on the Atlantic Missile Range, and in January 1962 she again put in at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, this time for modifications preparatory to launching the new A-3 Polaris. Returning to Port Canaveral in March, she supported ballistic missile submarines through the following autumn, when she steamed for two months of operations on the Pacific Missile Range.
  Observation Island was back at Port Canaveral by Christmas 1962, and until June 1963 she expanded her role of oceanographic survey in the Atlantic Range. She conducted the first successful at-sea launches of the A-3 Polaris 17 and 21 June. President John F. Kennedy came on board 16 November 1963 to observe a Polaris launch, six days before his assassination.
  Observation Island was redesignated AG-154 on 1 April 1968. She commenced an extensive ten month conversion 24 June at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in preparation for support of the Poseidon C-3 missile program. The summer of 1969 found her once again at Port Canaveral, ready to resume experimental missile launchings, to assist in the training of submarine crews, to assist in ballistic missile submarine shakedown operations at Cape Kennedy, and to support other important phases of the development and deployment of the fleet ballistic missile weapons system.
  While the Observation Island was stationed at Port Canaveral, adjacent to NASA at Cape K
caption: USS Observation Island and USS Robert E. Lee (SSBN-601) in the 1960s.
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