High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! USNS Private Jose F. Valdez (T-AG-169) , named after World War II Medal of Honor recipient PFC Jose F. Valdez, was a technical research ship in operation during the 1960s. The "Galloping Ghost of the Ivory Coast" or "Grey Ghost of the African Coast", as she was affectionately called by her crew, was deployed around Africa from 1961 until 1969. The Private Jose F. Valdez, was launched as Round Splice on 27 October 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Guy R. Porter, and transferred to the American Ship Building Company, Chicago, Illinois, for completion on 15 December 1944. The ship was delivered to the U.S. Army for operation on 16 February 1945. Round Splice, owned by the Maritime Commission and operated by the Army Transportation Service during and after World War II, and was renamed Private Jose F. Valdez in 1947.