USS Interdictor (AGR-13)

• Converted Liberty Ship: USS Interdictor (AGR-13) started life as the Liberty Ship Charles A. Draper, built in 1944 for World War II cargo duties before her conversion to a radar picket ship. • Radar Picket Role: She served as a Guardian-class radar picket ship, patrolling the Atlantic as part of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line against potential Soviet bomber attacks during the Cold War. • Recommissioned in 1957: The ship was recommissioned on 7 December 1957, after conversion at Charleston Navy Yard, to bolster America's early warning system. • Home Port - Davisville, Rhode Island: Her home port throughout her Navy service was the Naval Facility in Davisville, Rhode Island. • Continuous Patrols: USS Interdictor conducted patrols at sea for weeks at a time, with a primary mission of detecting and reporting incoming aircraft to continental defense networks. • All-Weather Operations: The ship and her crew endured harsh North Atlantic weather, as their radar coverage was required regardless of storms or sea conditions. • Crew Nickname: Sailors aboard AGR ships like Interdictor were sometimes called "seagoing radar men" due to their vital and specialized mission. • Decommissioning: She was decommissioned in August 1965, as advances in radar and missile technology made ocean picket ships obsolete. • Final Fate: After decommissioning, the Interdictor was transferred to the Maritime Administration and eventually sold for scrapping in 1975. • Legacy: The USS Interdictor and her sister ships played a crucial but often overlooked role in Cold War air defense, forming a vital link in the chain of continental security during a tense era.