USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164).

 USNS Kingsport (T-AG-164) began its career as Kingsport Victory (T-AK-239), which served as a cargo vessel during World War II. The ship was laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet after transfer to the Maritime Commission on 29 September 1947. On 8 August 1948 the ship was withdrawn from reserve to become USAT Kingsport Victory under charter to the Army until transfer to the Navy.[1] The ship was involved in a legal case, JOHANSEN, v. UNITED STATES,[2] involving rights of Army civilian crew in personal injury cases. Kingsport Victory was acquired by the United States Navy from the Maritime Commission on 1 March 1950, and carried military cargo for the next eleven years as USNS Kingsport Victory (T-AK-239). On 24 September 1961, she was delivered to the Portland, Oregon facilities of Willamette Iron & Steel Company where she underwent conversion to a satellite communication ship. On 14 November 1961 she was renamed Kingsport and reclassified AG-164.

Designed for use by the United States Army Satellite Communications Agency in the defense satellite communications programs, Project ADVENT, Kingsport Victory underwent extensive alteration during conversion. A special high frequency radio station was installed for ship-to-shore communications. She received advanced tracking and telemetry equipment and anti-roll stabilization tanks. In addition, a 30-foot, gyro-stabilized, computer-oriented, triaxial, parabolic antenna was installed on her afterdeck. Housed in a 53-foot, plastic, air-pressurized radome, this antenna permitted precision tracking of a high altitude satellite at any angle above the horizon.