USS Oxford ( AGTR - 1 ) USS " Oxford " ( AGTR - 1 / AG - 159 ) was an " Oxford " - class technical research ship acquired by the U . S . Navy for the task of conducting research in the reception of electromagnetic propagations . The second ship to be named " Oxford " by the Navy , " AGTR - 1 " , a Liberty ship , was laid down 23 June 1945 under Maritime Commission contract by the New England Shipbuilding Corp . , Portland , Maine . ; launched 31 July as " Samuel R . Aitken " ( MCE – 3127 ) ; sponsored by Mrs . Margaret C . Aitken ; and delivered to the Maritime Commission 25 August . As " Samuel R . Aitken " she served the merchant fleet , first with the Moore - McCormack Steam Ship Lines and then with the Arnold Bernstein Line . She was laid up 10 April 1948 in the National Defense Reserve Fleet , Wilmington , North Carolina . Conversion from merchantman to technical research ship AG - 159 . In October 1960 " Samuel R . Aitken " was towed to the New York Naval Shipyard , Brooklyn , New York . for conversion . Named Oxford ( " AG – 159 " ) on 25 November 1960 , she commissioned at New York 8 July 1961 , Comdr . Howard R . Lund in command . She reported to Norfolk , Virginia , 11 September for duty with the Service Force , Atlantic Fleet , and shortly thereafter conducted shakedown out of Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . " Oxford " was designed to conduct research in the reception of electromagnetic propagations . Equipped with the latest antenna systems and measuring devices , she is a highly sophisticated and mobile station which can steam to various parts of the world to participate in the Navy ’ s comprehensive program of research and development projects in communications . Because of the immediate or potential military applications of her work , much of " Oxford ’ s " employment is classified . A “ first ” in moon bounce communications . One of " Oxford ’ s " publicized operations took place 15 December 1961 when she became the first ship to receive a message from a shore based facility via the moon successfully . Next she departed Norfolk , Virginia , 4 January 1962 for a South Atlantic Ocean deployment , returning four months later . Another four month South Atlantic deployment followed in May 1963 , after which " Oxford " underwent overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard , Portsmouth , Virginia . January 1964 brought refresher training at Guantanamo Bay , and from 22 February until 10 June " Oxford " conducted further research operations in South Atlantic and Pacific Ocean waters . Redesignated AGTR - 1 . " Oxford " ( " AG - 159 " ) was redesignated technical research ship ( " AGTR – 1 " ) on 1 April 1964 . She departed 4 August on yet another South Atlantic cruise , conducting research not only in electromagnetic reception , but also in oceanography and related areas . She returned to Norfolk 1 December . " Oxford " steamed for Africa 3 February 1965 , calling at Las Palmas , Canary Islands , Lagos , Nigeria , and Durban , South Africa . A message arrived 26 May reassigning the ship to the U . S . Pacific Fleet , with a new homeport at San Diego , California . She stood out of Subic Bay , Philippine Islands , 16 June for a one month deployment to the South China Sea , and thus set the pattern for her operations into 1969 . Decommissioning . " Oxford " decommissioned and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register 19 December 1969 at Yokosuka , Japan .