From Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. VI (1976), pp. 231

(AK-87: dp. 1,677, l. 269'10", b. 42'6", dr. 20'9", s. 10 k.; cpl. 83; a. 13"; cl. Enceladus; T. N3-M-A1)

Sagitta (AK-87) was laid down as MC Hull 650 on 24 January 1944 by Penn-Jersey Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.; launched on 9 July 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Frank L. Hare, and transferred to the Army on 18 July 1944.

Transferred from the Army to the Navy under assignment to the Military Sea Transportation Service on 26 April 1952, Sagitta operated as a summer DEW line resupply ship out of New York City from 1952 through 1959. She steamed annually to St. Johns and Argentia, Newfoundland, and to Goose Bay, Labrador. She also voyaged to Cartwright, Labrador, annually except in 1954; to Makkovick, Labrador, annually from 1957 through 1959; to Resolution Island, Northwest Territories, annually except in 1952 and 1957, and to Narsarsauk, Greenland, in June 1954 and 1957. During the winters, she carried cargo to Bermuda; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Cristobal, Panama Canal Zone, annually from 1953 through 1955, and to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in 1956. Occasionally sailing across the Atlantic, she visited Piraeus, Greece, from 9 to 12 February 1957, and Port Lyautey, Morocco, from 2 to 6 February 1958.

Transferred to the Maritime Administration on 23 February 1960, she remained in the National Defense Reserve Fleet until 25 April l966 when she was transferred to the Army for duty, first at Fort Eustis, Va.; and then, from 1968 into 1974, at Curtis Bay, Md. where she provides stevedore training.