USS Oxford (AGTR-1)

The USS Oxford (AGTR-1) was a technical research ship (a type of auxiliary general technical research ship) of the United States Navy. Originally built as a Liberty ship during World War II and named Samuel Eliot Morison, she was later converted into a signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection platform.

The Samuel Eliot Morison (MC hull 2317) was laid down on 30 November 1944 by the New England Shipbuilding Corporation of South Portland, Maine, launched on 8 January 1945, and delivered on 22 January 1945. She served briefly as a merchant vessel before being acquired by the Navy.

In 1961, she was converted to an AGTR and renamed USS Oxford (AGTR-1). Her mission was to gather electronic intelligence through signals monitoring. She operated primarily in the Pacific, particularly in areas close to the Soviet Union and North Korea, during the Cold War.

The Oxford was equipped with a large array of specialized antennas and electronic equipment for intercepting and analyzing radio communications, radar signals, and other electronic emissions. The crew consisted of a mix of naval personnel and civilian technicians responsible for the ship's mission.

Decommissioned in 1969, the USS Oxford was later sold for scrapping.