During the Cold War—a time of intense geopolitical tension and technological rivalry—a quiet fleet of American ships carried out vital intelligence missions far from the public eye. Among them was the USNS Private Jose F. Valdez (T-AG-169), a ship with a unique purpose and an enduring legacy.

Named in honor of Private First Class Jose F. Valdez, a World War II Medal of Honor recipient who gave his life in service to his country, the Valdez was a U.S. Navy technical research ship operating primarily during the 1960s. Though classified in function, the vessel played a significant role in America’s global signals intelligence (SIGINT) operations during the height of the Cold War.

From Warship to Spy Ship

Originally launched on October 27, 1944 as Round Splice, the ship was completed by the American Ship Building Company in Chicago, Illinois, and delivered to the U.S. Army on February 16, 1945. She was later transferred to the Navy, renamed USNS Private Jose F. Valdez, and repurposed for technical intelligence collection.

Her redesignation as a “technical research ship” served as a cover for her real mission: intercepting and analyzing foreign communications, tracking military movements, and gathering electronic signals in support of the National Security Agency (NSA) and U.S. military intelligence.

The Ghost of the African Coast

From 1961 to 1969, the Valdez was deployed primarily off the west coast of Africa—a region of growing strategic interest during the Cold War as the Soviet Union and the United States competed for influence in newly independent nations. Operating under the veil of secrecy, the ship conducted surveillance and intelligence collection in international waters.

Her unique mission earned her the nicknames “Galloping Ghost of the Ivory Coast” and “Grey Ghost of the African Coast”—a nod to both her stealthy operations and her African theater of deployment. Equipped with a complex suite of antennas, receivers, and encryption tools, she silently listened to the airwaves, feeding intelligence back to analysts in Washington.

Aboard the Valdez

While not a combat ship in the traditional sense, life aboard the Valdez was far from easy. The crew—made up of sailors, cryptologists, linguists, and electronics technicians—endured long deployments with minimal shore leave. The classified nature of their work meant secrecy and discipline were paramount.

Still, those who served aboard her took pride in their mission. They knew their work—though invisible to most—played a critical role in countering Soviet influence, monitoring regional conflicts, and protecting American interests abroad.

Final Chapter

After nearly a decade of Cold War service, the Valdez was returned to the Maritime Administration on November 7, 1969. She was officially struck from the Naval Vessel Register on August 15, 1976, and sold for scrap on July 27, 1977 to Consolidated-Andy Inc. in Brownsville, Texas. By the end of that year, the once-silent ship was dismantled, its mission complete.

Enduring Legacy

The USNS Private Jose F. Valdez represents a unique chapter in U.S. Navy and intelligence history. She wasn’t armed with guns or missiles—but with antennas and analysts, she fought a different kind of battle, one for information and strategic advantage.

Though she no longer sails, her legacy lives on through the thousands of classified reports she helped generate and through the service members who carried out her mission with professionalism and quiet dedication.

PFC Jose F. Valdez, USA

In honoring PFC Jose F. Valdez through the ship that bore his name, the Navy linked two legacies—one of battlefield heroism, the other of quiet vigilance in defense of national security. Together, they remind us that sacrifice and service come in many forms—some seen, many unseen, but all essential.

CITATION

He was on outpost duty with five others when the enemy counterattacked with overwhelming strength. From his position near some woods 500 yards beyond the American lines he observed a hostile tank about 75 yards away, and raked it with automatic rifle fire until it withdrew. Soon afterward he saw three Germans stealthily approaching through the woods. Scorning cover as the enemy soldiers opened up with heavy automatic-weapon fire from a range of 30 yards, he engaged in a firefight with the attackers until he had killed all three. The enemy quickly launched an attack with two full companies of infantrymen, blasting the patrol with murderous concentrations of automatic and rifle fire and beginning an encircling movement which forced the patrol leader to order a withdrawal. Despite the terrible odds, Pfc. Valdez immediately volunteered to cover the maneuver, and as the patrol one by one plunged through a hail of bullets toward the American lines, he fired burst after burst into the swarming enemy. Three of his companions were wounded in their dash for safety and he was struck by a bullet that entered his stomach and, passing through his body, emerged from his back. Overcoming agonizing pain, he regained control of himself and resumed his firing position, delivering a protective screen of bullets until all others of the patrol were safe. By field telephone he called for artillery and mortar fire on the Germans and corrected the range until he had shells falling within 50 yards of his position. For 15 minutes he refused to be dislodged by more than 200 of the enemy; then, seeing that the barrage had broken the counterattack, he dragged himself back to his own lines. He died later as a result of his wounds. Through his valiant, intrepid stand and at the cost of his own life, Pfc. Valdez made it possible for his comrades to escape, and was directly responsible for repulsing an attack by vastly superior enemy forces.