![]() Shenandoah off Norfolk, Virginia (USA), 16 September 1975 | |
History | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Name | USS Shenandoah |
Namesake | Shenandoah River |
Builder | Todd Pacific Shipyards, Tacoma, Washington |
Laid down | 16 September 1944 |
Launched | 29 March 1945 |
Commissioned | 13 August 1945 |
Decommissioned | 1 April 1980 |
Stricken | 1 April 1980 |
Fate | Sold for scrapping, 1 March 1982 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Shenandoah-class destroyer tender |
Displacement | 11,755 long tons (11,944 t) |
Length | 492 ft (150 m) |
Beam | 69 ft 6 in (21.18 m) |
Draft | 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m) |
Speed | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
Complement | 1,035 |
Armament |
|
USS Shenandoah (AD-26) was one of ten planned destroyer tenders built at the tail end of World War II (orders for four of the ships were cancelled due to the cessation of hostilities). The lead ship in her class, she was the third United States naval vessel named for the Shenandoah River which runs through Virginia and West Virginia.
The third Shenandoah was laid down on 16 September 1944 by Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. of Tacoma, Washington, launched on 29 March 1945, sponsored by Mrs. Daniel Hunt, and commissioned on 13 August 1945.
Shenandoah completed her fitting out in December and sailed to the East Coast via the Panama Canal, where she reported for duty with Destroyer Force, United States Atlantic Fleet in January 1946. Until June 1947 she tended destroyers in various east coast ports, primarily at Norfolk, Virginia, her home port. The tender deployed on her first tour of duty with the 6th Fleet from June through August 1947. In the next 20 years, she was assigned 13 more tours in the Mediterranean Sea. In 1958, she was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal service in Lebanon.
Shenandoah's most publicized tour of duty was in 1964. She won international acclaim for her heroic rescue of the crew of the Dutch merchant ship Doris. The freighter broke loose from her moorings during the height of a storm and became impaled upon the rocks of Molo San Vincenzo in Naples ' outer harbor. A line was run to the freighter by the crew of the Shenandoah, and all aboard were rescued minutes before Doris rolled over and sank. The destroyer tender also won recognition in 1965 for her repairs to the bow of the aircraft carrier USS Shangri-La (CV-38) which had collided with a destroyer during maneuvers.
Shenandoah was awarded the Battle Efficiency Pennant for her competence in destroyer tending in 1952 and 1956 and the Meritorious Unit Commendation in 1970. She was awarded the Engineering "E" in 1958 and 1965, and the Supply "E" in 1962, 1963, and 1967. Shenandoah was again deployed with the 6th Fleet in 1968, 1970, and 1973. She returned to her home port on 15 December 1973 and into July 1974 was tending ships on the East Coast.
Shenandoah was decommissioned at Naval Station Norfolk, and simultaneously struck from the Naval Register on 1 April 1980. Transferred to the Maritime Administration for disposal, she was sold, 1 March 1982.
USS Barney (DD-956/DDG-6) was a Charles F. Adams-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy. She was the third Navy ship named for Commodore Joshua Barney USN (1759–1818).
USS Charles R. Ware (DD-865), was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy in service from 1945 to 1974. After her decommissioning, she was sunk as a target in 1981.
USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer of the United States Navy.
The second USS Dixie (AD-14) was the first of her class of destroyer tenders built just before the start of World War II for the U.S. Navy. Her task was to service destroyers in, or near, battle areas and to keep them fit for duty.
USS Warrington (DD-843) was a Gearing-class destroyer that served the U.S. Navy from the end of World War II to the Vietnam War, when she was damaged by two underwater explosions, causing her to be listed as "beyond repair" and excessed to the Navy of the Republic of China.
USS Myles C. Fox (DD/DDR-829) was a Gearing-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II and the years following. She was named for Myles C. Fox, a USMC lieutenant who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for actions during World War II.
USS Strong (DD-758), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for James H. Strong, a naval commander for Union forces during the American Civil War. At the Battle of Mobile Bay, he was the first to ram the Confederate ironclad Tennessee and received high commendation for his initiative and valor.
USS Stormes (DD-780) was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer that served in the United States Navy.
USS Rich (DD-820/DDE-820) was a Gearing-class destroyer in the United States Navy during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. She was the second ship named in honor of Lieutenant Ralph McMaster Rich (1916–1942), who was awarded the Navy Cross for his leadership as a naval aviator aboard USS Enterprise during the Battle of Midway.
USS Grand Canyon (AD-28) was a Shenandoah-class destroyer tender built at the tail end of World War II, and named for the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River.
USS William M. Wood (DD/DDR-715) was a Gearing-class destroyer in the United States Navy during the final year of World War II. She was in commission for 31 years, from 1945 through 1976, serving in both the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. She was the second Navy ship named for Navy Surgeon-General William M. Wood (1809–1880).
USS New (DD/DDE-818) was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for United States Marine Corps Private First Class John D. New (1924–1944), who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for "selfless conduct" in the Battle of Peleliu.
USS Basilone (DD/DDE-824) was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone (1916–1945), who was awarded the Medal of Honor for "extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action...." in the defense of Henderson Field during the 1942 Guadalcanal campaign.
USS Yellowstone was a Shenandoah-class destroyer tender named for Yellowstone National Park, the second United States Navy vessel to bear the name.
USS Tidewater (AD-31) was a Shenandoah-class destroyer tender in service with the United States Navy from 1946 to 1971. She was transferred to the Indonesian Navy as KRI Dumai (652) and served until 1984, when she was scrapped.
USS Waccamaw (AO-109) was a Cimarron-class replenishment oiler in the United States Navy. She was named after Waccamaw River. The original capacity was 146,000 barrels (23,200 m3).
USS Blair (DE-147) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946 and from 1951 to 1960. She was scrapped in 1974. Blair was named in honor of Chief Machinist's Mate Eugene Blair, who was awarded the Silver Star posthumously for his brave actions when his ship was attacked and bombed by Japanese planes near Port Darwin, Australia, in mid-February 1942.
USS Sierra (AD-18) was a Dixie-class destroyer tender built just before the start of World War II for the U.S. Navy. Her task was to service destroyers in, or near, battle areas and to keep them fit for duty.
USS Yosemite (AD-19) was a Dixie-class destroyer tender built during World War II for the U.S. Navy. Her task was to service destroyers in, or near, battle areas and to keep them fit for duty.
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entry can be found here.