Conversion To Radar Picket
Nine years later, in June 1956, she was brought out of the U.S. Maritime Commission's reserve fleet for conversion to a radar picket ship and active service with the Navy. She was moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she completed her conversion at the naval shipyard.
On 7 August 1956, she received a new name and her Navy hull designation to become Vigil (YAGR-12). She completed conversion early in 1957 and was placed in service on 5 March 1957, Lt. Comdr. Stanley Abstetar, USNR, in command.
During Vigil's eight-year naval career, she was assigned to the Continental Air Defense Command and served as one of that organization's radar picket ships operating as seaward extensions of its radar coverage system. The ship operated out of Davisville, Rhode Island, during her entire period of service and spent on the average of 200 days per year actually engaged in picket patrols in waters off the coast of New England.
On 28 September 1958, she was redesignated AGR-12, thereby dropping her yard craft designation and becoming a commissioned auxiliary.
Read more about this topic: USS Vigil (AGR-12)
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