USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg

USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg (T-AGM-10) was a United States Navy General G. O. Squier-class transport ship in service from 1944 to 1958. She was then transferred to the United States Air Force and renamed USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg in 1963. She was finally struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1993 and after serving in two more roles, was sunk as an artificial reef in 2009.

History

The ship was originally named USS General Harry Taylor (AP-145) and was a General G. O. Squier-class transport ship built during World War II. She served in the Pacific Theatre and was decommissioned in 1946. She was then transferred to the United States Army and renamed USAT General Hoyt S. Vandenberg in 1947.

In 1950, she was transferred back to the Navy and placed in service as USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg (T-AGM-10). She served in this role until 1958, when she was placed in reserve.

In 1963, she was transferred to the United States Air Force and renamed USAF General Hoyt S. Vandenberg. She served in this role until 1968, when she was returned to the Navy and placed in service as USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg (T-AGM-10).

In 1993, she was finally struck from the Naval Vessel Register and in 1998, she was transferred to the Maritime Administration.

In 2007, she was purchased by the Artificial Reefs of the Keys and in 2009, she was sunk as an artificial reef off the coast of Key West, Florida.

Legacy

Today, the USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg serves as a popular site for scuba diving and snorkeling. She is the second largest artificial reef in the world, after the USS Oriskany.

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