USNS Vanguard

**USNS Vanguard** (T-AGM-19) is a missile range instrumentation ship operated by the United States Navy under the Military Sealift Command. Originally built as a World War II-era cargo ship in 1945 and launched as SS *Transcolumbia*, she was later acquired and converted by the Navy in 1963 for use in the U.S. Air Force’s Missile Test Project. USNS Vanguard played a key role in tracking and collecting data for missile and space launches, particularly supporting the Apollo and Gemini programs during the height of the space race. The vessel continued in service into the 1980s, demonstrating the critical importance of maritime platforms in supporting America’s missile and space endeavors.