America which had installed the system during the Batista era. The Oxford had been able to listen in on the Cuban secret police, the Cuban navy, air defences, and civil aviation. On 15 September 1962, radar technicians on board the Oxford were able to detect the presence of Soviet P-12 radar known to NATO as "Spoon Rest". This suggested that the Soviets had secretly upgraded the target tracking and acquisition systems in Cuba. On 27 October 1962, "Black Saturday", the Oxford discovered a breakthrough in the Soviet defenses on the island when it detected radar signals from SAM missile sites near Mariel. This discovery would soon alter both low flying RF-8 Crusader and RF-101 Voodoo photo missions and high altitude U-2 spy plane reconnaissance flights over the island. A "first" in moon bounce communications One of Oxford's publicized operations took place 15 December 1961 when she became the first ship to receive a message from a shore based facility via the moon successfully. Next she departed Norfolk, Virginia, 4 January 1962 for a South Atlantic Ocean deployment, returning four months later. Another four month South Atlantic deployment followed in May 1963, after which Oxford underwent overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia. January 1964 brought refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, and from 22 February until 10 June 1964 Oxford conducted further "research operations" in South Atlantic and Pacific Ocean waters. Redesignated AGTR-1 Oxford (AG-159) was redesignated technical research ship (AGTR–1) on 1 April 1964. She departed 4 August on yet another South Atlantic cruise, conducting research not only in electromagnetic reception, but also in oceanography and related areas. She returned to Norfolk 1 December. Oxford steamed for Africa 3 February 1965, calling at Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Lagos, Nigeria, and Durban, South Africa. A message arrived 26 May reassigning the ship to the U.S. Pacific Fleet, with a new homeport at San Diego, California. She stood out of Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, 16 June for a one-month deployment to the South China Sea, and thus set the pattern for her operations into 1969. Decommissioning Oxford decommissioned and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register 19 December 1969 at Yokosuka, Japan. Awards and decorations The USS Oxford was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation along with the . The citation reads (in part): See also Technical research ship References External links USS Oxford NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AG-159 /