Scanner YAGR-5

Scanner

(YAGR-5: dp. 8,760, 1. 441'6", b. 56'11", dr. 27', s. 11 k.; cpl. 137; a. 2 3"; cl. Guardian; T. S-EC2-S C5; MCE-2344)

Scanner (YAGR-5) was laid down on 24 January 1945 by the J. A. Jones Construction Co., Panama City Fla., as Liberty ship, Edwin D. Howard, launched on 27 February 1945, sponsored by Mrs. John E. Davidson; and delivered on 14 March 1945 to the Aleoa Steamship Co. She was acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Administration on 10 June 1955, renamed Scanner, converted to a radar picket ship at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard; and commissioned on 30 January 1956, Lt. Comdr. H. H. Pruett in command.

Scanner departed Norfolk on 28 March 1956 for her home port, San Francisco, and commenced her first patrol in the Pacific in July 1956 with the seaward extension of America's early warning defense system. Fitted with sophisticated electronic search and tracking equipment, Scanner could detect, track, and report enemy aircraft at great distances, and control highspeed interceptor aircraft in event of attack. She also carried out weather reporting duties during her three to four week-long cruises.

Scanner was redesignated AGR-5 effective 28 September 1958. She was decommissioned on 21 July 1965 at San Francisco and turned over to Maritime Administration Fleet custody on 26 July at Suisun Bay, Calif. Struck from the Navy list on 1 September 1965, she was transferred permanently to the Maritime Administration on 4 February 1966 and remains in the Suisun Bay reserve fleet into 1974.