David Gombotz

USS Compass Island (AG-153) was a United States Navy auxiliary vessel commissioned in 1956, originally converted from the Liberty ship SS Garden Mariner. Designed as a navigational research ship, she played a crucial role in developing and testing the shipboard inertial navigation systems that would later be used in the Navy’s ballistic missile submarine fleet. Compass Island was instrumental in supporting the Polaris missile program by providing a stable platform for cutting-edge navigation experiments. She was decommissioned in 1971, after making significant contributions to naval navigation and missile guidance technologies.

USS Compass Island (AG-153) was a specialized auxiliary ship of the United States Navy, commissioned in 1956. Originally constructed as a cargo vessel named SS Garden Mariner, she was converted to serve as a navigational research ship. Compass Island played a critical role in the development and testing of the Navy’s inertial navigation systems, which were vital for the emerging Polaris ballistic missile submarines during the Cold War. The ship served as a mobile platform for advanced electronic and navigational equipment until she was decommissioned in 1971.