About this Unit
USS Belmont (AGTR-4) was a technical research ship commissioned by the United States Navy in 1964. Originally built as the commercial cargo ship SS Iran Victory in 1944, she was later converted for military use and reclassified for electronic intelligence gathering during the Cold War. Belmont operated primarily in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, monitoring communications and electronic signals, and played a role in intelligence collection during events such as the Six-Day War in 1967. She was decommissioned in 1970 and subsequently struck from the Naval Vessel Register.
Historical Facts
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Unique Mission: USS Belmont (AGTR-4) was a technical research ship, primarily used for intelligence gathering and electronic surveillance during the Cold War, under the guise of "oceanographic research."
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Converted Cargo Ship: The vessel was originally constructed as the commercial cargo ship SS Iran Victory in 1944, and later converted by the U.S. Navy to serve as a technical research ship in 1963.
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Part of the "AGTR" Fleet: Belmont was one of only five ships designated AGTR (Auxiliary General Technical Research), specially outfitted for electronic intelligence (ELINT) operations.
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Role in the Six-Day War: USS Belmont was operating in the Mediterranean Sea during the 1967 Six-Day War, monitoring communications in the region at the same time as the more famous USS Liberty incident.
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Cryptologic Crew: In addition to its regular Navy crew, Belmont often carried a large contingent of NSA and cryptologic personnel for signals intelligence (SIGINT) duties.
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Cold War Hotspots: Belmont's missions took her to global hotspots, including the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and off the coast of Africa, often shadowing Soviet naval movements.
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Notable Incident: In 1968, Belmont played a role in monitoring Soviet naval activity following the North Korean capture of the USS Pueblo, another intelligence-gathering ship.
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Disguised Communications: To maintain secrecy, many of her communications and mission details were classified; the ship often used cover stories and coded messages.
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Decommissioning: USS Belmont was decommissioned in 1970 due to budget constraints and advances in satellite intelligence technology, ending her unique intelligence-gathering service.
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Final Fate: After decommissioning, she was sold for scrap in 1971, marking the end of a brief but notable career during a critical period of Cold War history.
