Outpost YAGR-10

Outpost
(YAGR-10: dp. 11,365, 1. 441', b. 59', dr. 22', s. 11 k., cpl. 330; cl. Guardian)

Outpost (YAGR-10) was originally built as liberty ship SS Francis J. O'Gara, by the J. A. Jones Construction Co. Panama City, Fla. and turned over to the Maritimc Commiesion 30 June 1945.

The Calmer Steamship Corp. operated O'Gara for the Maritime Commission from 30 June 1945 until 4 June 1946. O'Gara's cruises during this period included one to the West Coast of the United States and one to various European porte.

On 4 June 1946 O'Gara was laid up in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet of the United States Maritime Commission. From 28 January 1947 until 14 January 1948 O'Gara was operated by the Waterman Steamship Co. and then the South Atlantic Steamship Co. During this period she made cruises to Europe, the Near East, and the Orient. On 20 January 1'348 O'Gara was laid up in the Mobile, Alahama reserve fleet of the Maritime Commission.

On 22 May 1956 the Navy acquired O'Gara to be converted into an Oeean Station Radar Ship. She was assigned the Navy hull number YAGR-10 and named Outpost.

Outpost was towed from Mobile, Ala. to the U.S. Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, Penn., where conversion was begun to equip her with the eletronie detection equipment and eommurueation gear necessary for her role with the Continnetal Air Defense Command.

Outpost commissioned 6 February 1957, Lt. Comdr. John Leslie Murphy in command.

After shakedown training out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, O?dpost reported to her homeport, Davisville, R.I., 3 June. On 28 June the ship steamed seaward on her first patrol and on 30 June relieved Brister (DER-327) on picket station. The ship returned to Davisville 19 July, but by 24 July was underway for another patrol setting the pattern of patrols interrupted by short periods in port.

Outpost made a total of six patrols in 1957. These patrols continued into 1958. Outpost's designation was changed to AGR-10 28 September 1958.

During the first half of 1961 Outpost steamed on station. But in August she steamed south to Florida and the Bahamas. From October 1961 to January 1962 she underwent overhaul at Boston.

Oulpost continued her Atlantic patrols in 1962, buttoning up for wartime steaming during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The onset of 1963 found Outpost steaming on station as before. In late July the ship visited Halifax, Nova Seotia.

From August through the end of 1963 Outpost maintained a record of no misses in reporting air contacts. She visited HaLfax again in November before putting into her homeport for the holidays. Early in 1964 she resumed her patrols and continued this pattern of operation until decommissioning 1 July 1965. She was returned to the Maritime Administration 4 February 1966 and into 1970 is assigned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet and berthed in the Hudson River.