USS Compass Island (AG-153)

• Unique Role: USS Compass Island (AG-153) was not a combat ship, but a technical research vessel for the U.S. Navy, primarily focused on navigation systems and electronic equipment testing. • Converted Liberty Ship: Originally built as the Liberty ship William H. Vernon in 1945, she was later converted for Navy use in 1953 and renamed Compass Island. • Polaris Missile Program: The ship played a pivotal role in the development and testing of navigation systems for the U.S. Navy’s Polaris ballistic missile submarines during the Cold War. • First Ship with SINS: USS Compass Island was the first vessel equipped with the Ship’s Inertial Navigation System (SINS), a crucial technology that allowed submarines to navigate accurately while submerged. • Homeport: Her operational base was New York City, and she was frequently seen at the Brooklyn Navy Yard throughout her service. • Space Race Connection: The inertial navigation technologies refined and tested aboard Compass Island contributed to later developments in the U.S. space program, including Apollo missions. • Unusual Assignment: Unlike most Navy ships, Compass Island rarely left the East Coast, as her missions were specialized and required proximity to research institutions and naval laboratories. • Crew Composition: Her crew included not just Navy sailors, but also civilian scientists and engineers from both the military and private sector contractors. • Decommissioning: After many years of technological contributions, USS Compass Island was decommissioned in 1971 and eventually scrapped in 2003. • Legacy: The technologies and techniques pioneered aboard Compass Island remain foundational in modern submarine navigation and inertial guidance systems.