USS Guardian (YAGR-1) - The Honor of "being The First"

The Honor of "being The First"

The first ocean radar station ship was put up into service by the Navy, Guardian conducted shakedown in Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, and surrounding waters, reporting to Newport, Rhode Island, her home port, 2 June 1955.

Equipped with highly sensitive radar gear to enable her to detect, track, and report any aircraft penetrating the continental United States, Guardian was attached to the Eastern Continental Air Defense Command. She and her sister ships spend 3 or 4 weeks at a time off the U.S. East Coast on radar picket duty, even in the heaviest winter weather in the North Atlantic Ocean.

In addition to radar picket duty, Guardian participated in ASW exercises with both American and Canadian naval units and in local operations out of Newport and Key West, Florida. Her designation was changed to AGR-1 on 28 September 1958.