USNS John McDonnell (T-AGS-51)

History
United States
Name	USNS John McDonnell
Namesake	Capt. John McDonnell
Awarded	10 November 1988
Builder	Halter Marine Moss Point, Mississippi.
Laid down	3 August 1989
Launched	13 December 1990
In service	15 November 1991
Out of service	25 August 2010
Stricken	25 August 2010
Identification	callsign NJMD
Honors and; awards	Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2), Southwest Asia Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal (2)
Status	Awaiting disposal
General characteristics
Displacement	2,054 tons full
Length	208 ft 5 in (63.53 m)
Beam	45 ft (14 m)
Draft	34 ft 10 in (10.62 m) maximum
Propulsion	1 GM EMD 12-645E6 diesel; 2,500 horsepower (1.9 MW) sustained; 1 auxiliary diesel; 230 horsepower (172kW); 1 shaft.
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h)
Range	Not Disclosed
Complement	22 Civilians, 11 Scientists
Armament	Unarmed

USNS John McDonnell (T-AGS-51) is an oceanographic survey ship operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command.

The John McDonnell has been used by the military as primary a scientific ship. Its role has varied but is mostly dominated with the task of surveying the worlds underwater geological features using side scan radar. This information provides valuable navigation information and charts for both military and civilian ships to navigate unfamiliar territory. These ships were built to fill in the holes in the navigation charts. The John McDonnell has even aided in the location of two downed F-16s in the Northern Persian Gulf in 1993 and the wreckage of a Navy helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz in 1994. Two years later, it located a crashed F-14 in the Central Persian Gulf. In 2008, it helped locate a crashed Philippine C-130 Hercules in the Davao Gulf.

The Navy deactivated the ship on 25 August 2010 and as of August 2013, the General Services Administration is offering the ship at auction.

References

This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.