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USS Yosemite (AD 19)

USS YOSEMITE was the fifth ship in the DIXIE - class of destroyer tenders and the fourth ship in the Navy named after the Yosemite National Park. Both decommissioned and stricken from the Navy list on January 27, 1994, the YOSEMITE spent the following almost 9 years laid-up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Fort Eustis, Va. The YOSEMITE was finally sunk as a target off the US east coast on November 18, 2003.

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS YOSEMITE. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

• Click here to view the list.

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• Click here to see which USS YOSEMITE memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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USS YOSEMITE Cruise Books:

• Mediterranean Cruise Book 1980
• Mediterranean Cruise Book 1988

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About the Ship's Coat of Arms:

USS YOSEMITE's official insignia depicts a scene viewed through a ship's portal of a mountain lion stretched in the foreground with the mountains of Yosemite National Park in the background. The YOSEMITE's nickname - "The Busy Lady" - is shown on the official insignia and indicates the ship's role as a repair facility ready and able to service units of the Atlantic Fleet at any time.

The YOSEMITE had been serving the fleet for more than 20 years when Warner Brothers introduced its Yosemite Sam character in 1966. As he became more popular, it became inevitable that the irascible, but lovable, character who shared the same name would become associated with the YOSEMITE. Before long, he became a mascot of sorts for the ship, and subsequently could be found on an unofficial version of the ship's insignia. Warner Brothers gave the YOSEMITE permission to reproduce Yosemite Sam's likeness for official command use in 1979. He could be found on everything from ship's patches to letterhead paper, though regulations prevented him from ever being used in the official insignia. Yosemite Sam will remain a colorful part of the YOSEMITE's tradition as long as there is a ship in the United States Navy that bears the name.

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History of USS YOSEMITE:

USS YOSEMITE was built by Tampa Shipbuilding Company in Tampa, Florida. Her keel was laid on January 19, 1942, approximately six weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had brought the United States into the war. Construction continued during the rapid expansion of American naval forces, when additional repair and support vessels were required to maintain the growing fleet. YOSEMITE was launched on May 16, 1943, sponsored by Lola W. Powers, wife of retired Commander Melville W. Powers, who was associated with the shipbuilding company. Work on her machinery, internal equipment, repair facilities, and living spaces continued after launching. She was commissioned at Tampa in March 1944, with Captain George Crosby Towner as her first commanding officer.

Following commissioning, YOSEMITE remained at Tampa for fitting-out and loading. On May 26, 1944, she shifted to the Clyde-Mallory docks, where she remained until June 19. During this period, the crew received stores, repair equipment, machinery, spare parts, ammunition, and other materials needed for operations overseas. She subsequently spent two days in Tampa Bay near Egmont Key conducting degaussing tests, compass adjustment, and calibration of her radio direction-finding equipment.

On June 21, 1944, YOSEMITE departed Tampa for Key West, Florida, completing a passage of approximately 443 nautical miles. She departed Key West on June 23, accompanied by USS WINSLOW (DD 359), and proceeded northward to Hampton Roads, Virginia, where she arrived on June 26. For the following ten days, she conducted shakedown training in Chesapeake Bay under the supervision of the Atlantic Fleet's Operational Training Command. The program provided opportunities to test her propulsion machinery, navigation equipment, communications, armament, and shipboard organization. She subsequently entered Norfolk for additional fitting-out. Modifications during this period included improvements to the ventilation systems serving the machinery spaces and combat information center.

On August 4, 1944, YOSEMITE departed for Fort Pond Bay, New York, accompanied by USS L. C. TAYLOR (DE 415), to embark torpedoes and associated equipment. The following voyage took her southward through the Caribbean. Departing on August 6, she proceeded by way of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, toward the Panama Canal Zone. After transiting the canal, she arrived at Balboa on August 13. Two days later, on August 15, YOSEMITE resumed her passage across the Pacific, arriving at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on August 29 after a voyage of approximately 4,692 nautical miles.

At Pearl Harbor, YOSEMITE moored at berth X-20 in the destroyer force anchorage and began her first operational assignment. On September 2, 1944, USS CALDWELL (DD 605) secured alongside, becoming the first ship to receive maintenance services from the new tender. During the following months, YOSEMITE's repair facilities were employed almost continuously. Her personnel worked on propulsion machinery, electrical installations, weapons, communications equipment, and other shipboard systems as vessels returned from Pacific operations or prepared for new assignments.

Pearl Harbor remained a major repair and logistics center as American naval forces advanced toward the Philippines and the Japanese home islands. While extensive shipyard facilities were available ashore, the concentration of vessels requiring maintenance placed considerable demands on the base. YOSEMITE supplemented these facilities by undertaking repairs that could be completed alongside rather than requiring ships to enter drydock or remain unavailable for prolonged periods. During approximately five months of operations at Pearl Harbor, she serviced 216 vessels, of which 126 were secured directly alongside her.

Between January 30 and February 15, 1945, YOSEMITE underwent a period of docking, loading, and preparation for deployment to a forward base. The movement reflected the continuing westward advance of the Pacific Fleet and the need to position maintenance facilities closer to the operational areas. On February 15, she departed Pearl Harbor for Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands, reaching the anchorage on February 22 after a passage of approximately 2,339 nautical miles. Eniwetok had been captured by American forces in February 1944 and subsequently developed into an important naval support base. During YOSEMITE's five-day stay, four vessels secured alongside for repairs, while another twelve received maintenance assistance. Although her visit was brief, it provided an opportunity to service ships operating along the central Pacific supply routes before proceeding to the principal forward anchorage at Ulithi.

On February 27, 1945, YOSEMITE departed Eniwetok as part of a seventeen-ship convoy bound for Ulithi Atoll in the western Caroline Islands. She arrived on March 3 after a passage of approximately 1,406 nautical miles. Ulithi had become one of the largest forward fleet anchorages in the Pacific and was extensively used to support operations against Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the Japanese home islands. Repair ships, ammunition vessels, oilers, supply ships, floating drydocks, and other auxiliaries operated together to provide services that otherwise would have required major shore installations.

YOSEMITE arrived at Ulithi during preparations for Operation Iceberg, the invasion of Okinawa scheduled to begin on April 1, 1945. Large numbers of destroyers and escorts required inspection, maintenance, and repairs before joining the forces assigned to the operation. During March, YOSEMITE's personnel serviced 73 ships and completed work associated with 1,689 separate repair requests. Twenty-one vessels were moored directly alongside her. The work involved a wide range of mechanical, electrical, weapons, and technical requirements.

Maintenance duties were accompanied by substantial provisioning responsibilities. During one twenty-day period, YOSEMITE supplied approximately sixty destroyers and escorts, a workload that required the tender herself to be reloaded three times. Throughout her approximately three-month stay at Ulithi, she serviced 144 vessels, including fifty that came alongside. The forward repair facilities helped maintain the availability of ships involved in the Okinawa campaign, where destroyers and smaller escorts were required for screening, patrol, antiaircraft defense, and other assignments.

On May 25, 1945, YOSEMITE departed Ulithi in convoy for Leyte Gulf in the Philippines. She arrived in San Pedro Bay on May 28, completing a passage of approximately 935 nautical miles. Leyte had become an important center for American naval logistics following the landings in October 1944, and the extensive anchorages around San Pedro Bay accommodated numerous repair and supply vessels. YOSEMITE immediately resumed maintenance and provisioning operations.

During nearly four months at San Pedro Bay, YOSEMITE serviced 163 vessels. Seventy-nine were berthed directly alongside her, while another eighty-four received assistance without being secured against the tender. Her personnel continued maintaining ships involved in the final operations against Japan. The surrender of Japan in August 1945 ended the fighting but did not immediately reduce the need for naval maintenance. American forces were preparing to occupy Japanese ports, transport personnel, repatriate prisoners of war, and establish naval support arrangements for the occupation.

On August 22, 1945, Captain Robert Henry Gibbs relieved Captain Towner as commanding officer of YOSEMITE. The change took place shortly after Japan announced its acceptance of the Allied surrender terms and before the tender's movement into Japanese waters. On September 14, 1945, YOSEMITE departed Leyte Gulf as part of a seven-ship convoy bound for Okinawa. She arrived on September 18 after a passage of approximately 1,039 nautical miles. The ship subsequently proceeded to Japan, entering Sasebo on September 22. Sasebo, on the island of Kyushu, had been a major Imperial Japanese Navy installation and became one of the naval bases used by American occupation forces.

At Sasebo, YOSEMITE established repair services for American vessels assigned to occupation duties. Her mission now centered on maintaining the ships required for patrols, transportation, administrative support, and other postwar operations. She subsequently operated at Yokosuka, another major Japanese naval base, during the early months of 1946. The maintenance requirements of the occupation force remained substantial as the wartime Pacific Fleet underwent demobilization and American naval units were reorganized for peacetime service.

On March 15, 1946, YOSEMITE departed Yokosuka for the United States. She crossed the Pacific, transited the Panama Canal in mid-April, and arrived at New York on April 22. Following her return to the Atlantic coast, YOSEMITE received an assignment that would define much of her postwar career. On June 17, 1946, at Portland, Maine, she became flagship of the Commander, Destroyers, Atlantic Fleet. This responsibility combined her normal maintenance duties with the accommodation, communications, administrative, and command facilities required by the senior officer responsible for the Atlantic Fleet's destroyer organization.

The Navy was then reducing its wartime strength while maintaining forces in both the Atlantic and Pacific. Large numbers of destroyers built during the war remained in service or were being placed in reserve, while others were assigned to training, patrol, and overseas operations. YOSEMITE provided maintenance support to the active destroyer force and served as a headquarters ship for its command staff. Except for interruptions associated with shipyard overhauls and occasional deployments, she retained the flagship assignment until 1962.

During the latter part of 1946, YOSEMITE operated from New England ports before establishing her principal base at Newport, Rhode Island, in December. Newport was an important destroyer operating and training base, and the tender's extensive workshops enabled her to support a succession of vessels without requiring them to undertake lengthy voyages to other repair facilities. Captain James Francis Benson assumed command on December 8, 1946, succeeding Captain Gibbs.

During 1947 and 1948, YOSEMITE remained principally at Newport, where she continued supporting the destroyers of the Atlantic Fleet. Her normal work consisted of planned maintenance, repair of defective equipment, and technical support for vessels preparing for or returning from operations. Occasional movements to other Atlantic and Caribbean ports interrupted the maintenance schedule, but Newport remained her principal station. Captain William Jenkins Longfellow assumed command on November 12, 1948.

During 1949, YOSEMITE continued her established duties while the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was being formed and the United States expanded its peacetime security commitments in Europe. The destroyers supported by the tender formed part of the forces available for Atlantic patrol, training, and overseas assignments. Captain Thomas Harry Templeton assumed command on September 14, 1949.

The outbreak of the Korean War on June 25, 1950, resulted in an expansion of American naval operations worldwide. Although YOSEMITE was not assigned to Korean waters, she continued maintaining Atlantic Fleet destroyers during a period of increased operational commitments. Captain Richard Alexander Larkin assumed command in September 1950, and Captain George Winfield Stott succeeded him on January 19, 1951.

During the early 1950s, YOSEMITE's maintenance responsibilities were affected by the modernization of existing destroyers and the introduction of increasingly sophisticated radar, sonar, fire-control, and communications equipment. The ship's repair departments were equipped to undertake work on many of these systems, supplementing the maintenance capabilities available at shore installations. Her proximity to the destroyer force at Newport allowed repairs and adjustments to be undertaken between training periods and operational assignments.

Captain Laurence Charles Baldauf assumed command on June 16, 1952, followed by Captain Eliot Olsen on June 17, 1953. During this period, YOSEMITE continued operating principally from Newport and nearby Melville, Rhode Island. Photographic records dating from approximately 1953 to 1956 show USS FRED T. BERRY (DD 858), USS HARWOOD (DD 861), USS McCAFFERY (DD 860), USS NORRIS (DD 859), and USS KEPPLER (DD 765) secured alongside the tender at Melville. These vessels represented the destroyer types regularly maintained by YOSEMITE during the decade.

Captain Frank Paull Mitchell Jr. assumed command on June 9, 1954, and Captain Otto William Spahr Jr. succeeded him on July 9, 1955. During the middle of the decade, Admiral Arleigh A. Burke used YOSEMITE as his flagship while serving as Commander, Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet. Burke subsequently became Chief of Naval Operations in August 1955. YOSEMITE continued her regular support schedule during 1956 and 1957. Captain Harry Grimshaw Moore assumed command on July 7, 1956. Commander Robert Michael Metzger temporarily succeeded him on May 24, 1957, and Captain Sidney Douglas Buxton Merrill assumed command on August 1.

In June 1958, YOSEMITE departed the United States for a deployment to northern European waters, her first overseas assignment since returning from Japan in 1946. The voyage was undertaken to support American naval vessels participating in a North Atlantic exercise. NATO naval exercises during this period were concerned with maintaining maritime communications between North America and Europe and coordinating the operations of allied surface, air, and antisubmarine forces.

On June 30, 1958, YOSEMITE entered the North Sea Canal in the Netherlands and passed through the open Hembrug railway bridge on the route between IJmuiden and Amsterdam. She remained at Amsterdam from June 30 through July 5. The visit was one of the documented European port calls associated with her deployment. Her overseas voyages during this period also took her to northern European ports, including Oslo, Norway, and Portsmouth, England. The tender provided maintenance support to participating naval units before returning to the United States and resuming her normal assignment at Newport.

On November 1, 1958, Captain Merrill was relieved as commanding officer. During the following year, YOSEMITE continued the pattern of alternating maintenance work at Newport with occasional overseas assignments. On March 17, 1959, YOSEMITE departed Newport for a deployment to the Mediterranean, where she was assigned to support units of the United States Sixth Fleet. The Sixth Fleet maintained a continuing American naval presence in the Mediterranean, operating with NATO allies and responding to developments in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

During the deployment, YOSEMITE provided repair and technical support to American naval vessels operating in the Mediterranean. She returned to Newport on July 24, 1959, and resumed her responsibilities as tender and flagship for the Atlantic Fleet destroyer force. Captain Donald Erzinger Willman assumed command on August 26.

During 1960, YOSEMITE continued operating from Newport and made visits to other Atlantic naval facilities. On April 1, 1960, she was photographed at Pier 5 West in the Boston Navy Yard, Massachusetts, where numerous American warships were berthed or undergoing maintenance. The visit took place during the Navy's continuing modernization of its cruiser and destroyer forces. Captain Lodwick Huston Alford assumed command on August 3, 1960.

During 1961, YOSEMITE continued the familiar cycle of repair work, inspections, and support to Atlantic Fleet vessels. Captain Lester Earle Hubbell assumed command on July 7. The continuing development of guided missiles, improved sonar equipment, and increasingly complex electronic systems affected the types of technical services required by the destroyer and cruiser forces. On April 1, 1962, the Navy combined the Atlantic Fleet's cruiser and destroyer organizations into a single Cruiser-Destroyer Force. YOSEMITE consequently became flagship of the Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet. Her role as a command platform continued, although the organization she supported now included both cruisers and destroyers. Captain Walter Donald Gaddis assumed command on July 13, 1962.

During October 1962, YOSEMITE became involved in the naval support arrangements associated with the Cuban Missile Crisis. The confrontation developed after American reconnaissance aircraft identified Soviet nuclear missile installations under construction in Cuba. President John F. Kennedy announced a naval quarantine of the island on October 22, and American naval forces were concentrated in the Caribbean to enforce the restrictions and monitor Soviet shipping. In response to the crisis, YOSEMITE departed Newport and proceeded southward by way of Norfolk to Kingston, Jamaica. From Kingston, she provided maintenance support to American destroyers and other vessels involved in the quarantine operation. The concentration of naval units around Cuba required repair facilities capable of sustaining ships away from their normal operating bases. YOSEMITE remained in the Caribbean during the confrontation and subsequent reduction of tensions. She returned to Newport in December 1962 and resumed her regular repair and flagship responsibilities.

During 1963, YOSEMITE continued operating from Newport, with occasional movements to Caribbean waters. The annual Springboard exercises conducted by the Atlantic Fleet provided opportunities for ships and aircraft to train in the warmer waters of the Caribbean during the winter months. YOSEMITE periodically accompanied these movements to provide maintenance services to participating surface combatants. Captain Robert Hastings White assumed command on July 7, 1963.

Throughout 1964, YOSEMITE remained primarily assigned to Newport, continuing the maintenance and administrative support of the Atlantic Fleet cruiser-destroyer organization. Her activities were interrupted by periodic overhauls, inspections, and local operations. Captain James Woodward Smith assumed command on July 2, 1964.

During 1965, YOSEMITE continued maintaining destroyers based at Newport. On September 22, 1965, she was photographed at the naval base with USS HARLAN R. DICKSON (DD 708), USS WILLIAM R. RUSH (DD 714), and FRED T. BERRY secured alongside. Captain Hanford Thornton Cruser III had assumed command on July 28, 1965.

In 1966, YOSEMITE was stationed at Pier One at Naval Station Newport. Contemporary photographs show her in company with the destroyer tender USS ARCADIA (AD 23) and the destroyer USS CHARLES J. BADGER (DD 657). Captain DeWitt Clinton Redgrave III assumed command on August 30, 1966.

During 1967, YOSEMITE continued her normal maintenance schedule. Photographic material from the latter part of the decade also shows USS JULIUS A. FURER (DEG 6) and USS VOGE (DE 1047) alongside the tender at Newport, with other destroyer escorts and destroyers berthed nearby. The growing importance of antisubmarine warfare and guided-missile systems increased the range of technical maintenance work undertaken by the repair departments. Captain Francis Bernard Shrake assumed command on June 26, 1967.

In 1968, YOSEMITE continued operations from Newport and undertook another period of duty in Caribbean waters. Photographic records show her anchored at St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands during that year. Her Caribbean assignments were associated with the support of Atlantic Fleet exercises and ship maintenance. Captain Daniel Joseph Morgiewicz assumed command on December 16, 1968.

In April 1969, YOSEMITE began another extended overseas deployment, ending approximately ten years in which her activities had been concentrated largely on Newport and the Caribbean. She departed Newport on April 7 and arrived at Naples, Italy, on April 19. At Naples, she relieved USS TIDEWATER (AD 31) in the destroyer tender assignment supporting the Sixth Fleet. During the Mediterranean deployment, YOSEMITE served as flagship for the Commander, Service Force, Sixth Fleet. This command coordinated logistical and maintenance support to American naval forces operating in the Mediterranean. The region remained strategically important because of NATO commitments, Soviet naval deployments, and political tensions in the Middle East and North Africa.

YOSEMITE provided maintenance services to destroyers, escorts, and other vessels operating with the Sixth Fleet. Among the ships photographed alongside her at Naples during the period were USS BRUMBY (DE 1044), USS ALLEN M. SUMNER (DD 692), and USS BARNEY (DDG 6). On July 10, 1969, YOSEMITE was photographed at Valletta, Malta, during a port visit. Malta occupied an important position on the central Mediterranean shipping routes and was frequently visited by American and NATO naval vessels. The tender subsequently returned to her support duties. On August 14, 1969, USS GRAND CANYON (AR 28) relieved YOSEMITE of her tender responsibilities. The Commander, Service Force, Sixth Fleet, transferred his flag to USS MISSISSINEWA (AO 144), and YOSEMITE departed for the United States on August 15. During the westward Atlantic crossing, YOSEMITE provided assistance to an injured West German merchant seaman from the tanker SS SINCLAIR VENEZUELA. The sailor had sustained serious burns and was transferred aboard the destroyer tender for medical treatment and transportation. After reaching Newport, YOSEMITE delivered him to the naval hospital.

On October 24, 1969, YOSEMITE's home port was officially changed from Newport, Rhode Island, to Mayport, Florida. She departed Newport on October 27 and arrived at Mayport on October 30. The transfer ended an association with Newport extending over approximately twenty-three years. Naval Station Mayport provided a base for Atlantic Fleet surface combatants operating along the southeastern coast of the United States and deploying to the Caribbean and Mediterranean. Following her arrival at Mayport, YOSEMITE immediately resumed maintenance duties. She also continued serving as flagship for elements of the Cruiser-Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet, including Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla 2 and, subsequently, Cruiser-Destroyer Group 12. The change of home port placed her closer to the ships operating from the Jacksonville area and those preparing for deployments from the southeastern United States.

During 1970, YOSEMITE remained principally at Mayport, supporting the repair and maintenance requirements of Atlantic Fleet surface combatants. The ongoing modernization of American destroyers, the introduction of new frigates, and developments in guided-missile and antisubmarine equipment required continued adjustments to tender maintenance procedures. Captain Jean Fitzgerald assumed command on July 13, 1970.

Throughout 1971 and the early part of 1972, YOSEMITE continued providing technical and logistical support at Mayport. Her work included intermediate maintenance for vessels between periods of deployment and major overhaul. Captain Fitzgerald was succeeded temporarily by Commander Harlan Henley Boyles on August 10, 1972. Captain James Sylvester Brunson assumed command on October 4. During the following year, YOSEMITE continued her normal support assignments. Photographic records from 1973 show her at Mayport with harbor tugs alongside, including ACCOHANOC (YTM 545), TOMAHAWK (YTB 789), and MIGADAN (YTM 549).

In early 1974, YOSEMITE continued supporting the surface forces based at Mayport. USS EDWARD McDONNELL (DE 1043), which had recently transferred its home port from Newport to Mayport, received an intermediate maintenance availability during March. The repair period was followed by the escort ship's return to training and operational duties. Captain William Raymond Yetman assumed command of YOSEMITE on April 24, 1974. During July, the tender began another deployment to the Mediterranean, where she was assigned to provide support to vessels of the Sixth Fleet. This deployment occurred against a background of political instability in the eastern Mediterranean, including the crisis on Cyprus and the subsequent Turkish military intervention.

During August 1974, YOSEMITE operated at Gaeta, Italy, supporting Sixth Fleet vessels. USS LITTLE ROCK (CLG 4), the guided-missile cruiser serving as flagship of the Sixth Fleet, underwent a tender availability at Gaeta from August 5 through August 19, with YOSEMITE present to provide maintenance support. The work involved the cruiser and her shipboard systems while she was operating from her principal Mediterranean base. Another vessel receiving repair support during the deployment was USS DAHLGREN (DLG 12). After reaching Augusta Bay, Sicily, on August 18, DAHLGREN underwent a maintenance availability alongside YOSEMITE that continued through August 30. The repair period took place after the guided-missile frigate had completed operations and port visits in the western Mediterranean and before she resumed further Sixth Fleet assignments.

The Cyprus crisis resulted in increased activity by American naval forces in the eastern Mediterranean during the summer of 1974. While YOSEMITE's responsibilities remained centered on maintenance and support, the presence of a forward-deployed repair ship was important to the continued operation of vessels assigned to the region. Her deployment continued during the autumn before she returned to Mayport in December 1974.

During 1975, YOSEMITE resumed her normal maintenance responsibilities at Mayport. Ships operating from the base received intermediate maintenance between Mediterranean deployments, training periods, and other assignments. Captain Frank Nebeker Hannegan assumed command on August 25, 1975.

Throughout 1976, YOSEMITE continued providing maintenance services at Mayport while American surface forces underwent organizational and technological changes. The Navy was introducing new classes of destroyers and frigates, while older ships continued to require mechanical and electronic repairs. The tender's workshops remained responsible for maintaining equipment across several generations of naval vessels. During December 1976, USS TATTNALL (DDG 19) underwent a tender availability alongside YOSEMITE after completing post-overhaul training and inspections. The guided-missile destroyer subsequently resumed operations during 1977.

Captain Richard Finlay Donnelly assumed command of YOSEMITE on March 7, 1977. Later that year, the tender departed Mayport for another extended Mediterranean assignment, beginning in September. Her primary responsibility was again to provide maintenance services to ships operating with the Sixth Fleet. During the latter part of 1977, YOSEMITE was stationed at Naples, supporting American destroyers and escorts operating in the Mediterranean. USS BARRY (DD 933) completed a succession of Sixth Fleet operations, including training with carrier forces and a port visit to Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, before ending the year alongside YOSEMITE at Naples for maintenance.

The Mediterranean remained an area of considerable American and Soviet naval activity during this period. Soviet surface combatants, submarines, and naval aviation units operated throughout the region, while American carrier groups and accompanying escorts conducted exercises, patrols, and surveillance operations. YOSEMITE's presence provided forward maintenance support for the ships involved in those activities. Her deployment continued into early 1978. Following completion of her assignment, YOSEMITE returned to Mayport and resumed normal tender duties on March 12, 1978.

The late 1970s also marked an important change in the composition of YOSEMITE's crew. Following changes to United States legislation and Navy personnel policies governing the assignment of women to ships, women officers began reporting to selected naval auxiliary vessels. Lieutenant Deborah A. Loewer was among the first women officers assigned to YOSEMITE. She served in several shipboard positions, including electrical division officer, operations officer, navigator, and administrative officer, and later became the first female surface warfare officer to attain flag rank in the United States Navy. The integration of women into operational shipboard assignments represented a significant institutional change for the Navy.

During 1979, YOSEMITE continued her regular operations at Mayport. TATTNALL underwent another maintenance availability alongside the tender from January 22 through February 15 before returning to exercises and inspections. The presence of the tender allowed maintenance work to be carried out immediately before the destroyer's return to sea. Captain Francisco Antonio Velazquez-Suarez assumed command on April 17, 1979. Throughout the remainder of the year, YOSEMITE continued providing support to Atlantic Fleet ships. Her operational schedule also included preparations for another Mediterranean deployment.

During the opening months of 1980, YOSEMITE undertook a further assignment to the Sixth Fleet, operating in the Mediterranean during a period of heightened international tension. The Iranian Revolution, the occupation of the United States Embassy in Tehran in November 1979, and the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan in December 1979 had increased American concern about developments in the Middle East and Southwest Asia. Although YOSEMITE remained a maintenance vessel rather than a combatant, her forward deployment supported naval units whose operational commitments were affected by these developments. The Sixth Fleet continued conducting exercises and patrols while American carrier forces were redistributed in response to crises outside the Mediterranean.

During April 1980, YOSEMITE was at Naples providing maintenance support to deployed surface combatants. USS KOELSCH (FF 1049) arrived at Naples on April 8 after operations in the Indian Ocean and waters around the Arabian Peninsula. The frigate underwent an intermediate maintenance availability with YOSEMITE from April 8 through April 22. The work preceded KOELSCH's return to the United States with the battle group centered on USS FORRESTAL (CV 59).

YOSEMITE completed the Mediterranean deployment in June 1980 and subsequently proceeded to Mobile, Alabama, for an extensive overhaul at Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company. The ship remained in the yard for approximately one year. The overhaul included improvements to engineering and deck equipment, repair facilities, and other shipboard installations. These modifications were intended to maintain her ability to service increasingly sophisticated surface combatants despite the age of her basic hull and propulsion machinery. Captain Tim Hal Roberts assumed command on July 10, 1981, during the period following the overhaul. With the ship returning to operational availability, attention shifted toward completing inspections, training, equipment testing, and the restoration of her normal maintenance capabilities.

During April 1982, YOSEMITE received her first contingent of enlisted women. Women had already served aboard in officer assignments, but the arrival of enlisted personnel expanded the integration of women throughout the ship's departments. The new personnel were assigned to duties within the ship's established organizational structure, and the number of women serving aboard subsequently increased. During the remainder of 1982, YOSEMITE continued maintenance operations at Mayport and prepared for further overseas assignments. The growing complexity of naval electronics, guided-missile systems, and propulsion equipment meant that destroyer tenders were required to maintain a wide range of technical capabilities. Repair work could involve equipment from World War II-era ships as well as systems installed in modern frigates and destroyers.

In 1983, YOSEMITE began a major deployment to the Indian Ocean. The assignment took her far beyond her normal Atlantic and Mediterranean operating areas and reflected the increased United States naval presence in the waters surrounding the Arabian Peninsula. The strategic importance of the northern Indian Ocean had increased following the Iranian Revolution, the Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan, and the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq War in September 1980. American naval forces maintained a continuing presence in the Arabian Sea and nearby waters, while arrangements for logistical support remained dependent upon a combination of shore facilities, supply ships, and mobile repair vessels.

YOSEMITE's deployment provided American warships with a maintenance capability close to their operating areas. The tender supported vessels deployed in the Indian Ocean and the northern Arabian Sea, including ships operating near Masirah Island, Oman. Masirah served as an important anchorage for American naval forces in the region. Captain Francis Joseph Boyle assumed command in July 1983. The deployment continued into 1984. Between February 10 and February 15, USS FRANCIS HAMMOND (FF 1067), operating with the battle group centered on USS MIDWAY (CV 41), received a tender availability with YOSEMITE at Masirah. FRANCIS HAMMOND had arrived in the area during January and was participating in operations in the North Arabian Sea. Maintenance facilities provided by YOSEMITE allowed the frigate to receive repairs before continuing its regional assignment. YOSEMITE returned to Mayport on March 21, 1984. The return was followed by maintenance, inspections, and preparations for further Atlantic Fleet operations.

Later in 1984, YOSEMITE sailed south to participate in ReadEx 2-84, a fleet readiness exercise conducted in waters near Puerto Rico. The exercise formed part of the Atlantic Fleet's program of training and operational evaluation. Although her principal responsibility remained fleet maintenance, the tender was required to maintain her own proficiency in navigation, communications, engineering, damage control, and shipboard organization.

In December 1984, YOSEMITE underwent an Operational Propulsion Plant Examination administered by the Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet, Propulsion Examining Board. The examination assessed the operation, maintenance, and readiness of the ship's propulsion machinery under revised evaluation procedures. Her completion of the examination was an important step in maintaining operational certification for a steam-powered ship approaching forty years of age.

During March 1985, YOSEMITE departed Mayport for Charleston, South Carolina. She temporarily assumed maintenance responsibilities normally performed by her sister ship USS SIERRA (AD 18), providing repair support to naval vessels based at Charleston. Captain Frank Gordon Horn assumed command on June 3, 1985. During the latter part of the year, YOSEMITE returned to Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company at Mobile for a ten-week overhaul. The work included repairs and modifications to engineering spaces, deck equipment, and other installations. The maintenance period prepared the tender for deployments scheduled during 1986, when she was expected to support the Sixth Fleet, Military Sealift Command, and naval forces associated with American rapid-deployment requirements.

During 1986, YOSEMITE resumed overseas operations, including a deployment to Mediterranean waters. The assignment occurred during a period of considerable political and military tension involving Libya and the United States. American naval forces conducted operations in the Mediterranean during the confrontation with the government of Muammar Gaddafi, including the wider naval activities surrounding the American air strikes against Libya in April 1986. YOSEMITE's responsibilities during the deployment remained centered on maintenance and repair support.

On September 1, 1986, YOSEMITE was photographed moored at Barcelona, Spain, documenting a port visit during her Mediterranean operations. The visit formed part of her overseas deployment schedule, which alternated maintenance assignments with movements between naval facilities and ports of call. Following her return to the United States, YOSEMITE continued her maintenance responsibilities at Mayport while preparing for the next operational cycle.

On July 31, 1987, Captain Floyston Allan Weeks assumed command. The ship subsequently undertook a program of training, maintenance, and refurbishment in preparation for another Mediterranean deployment. Particular attention was directed toward the ability of her repair departments to service modern warships and to meet the evolving requirements imposed on fleet tenders by the Chief of Naval Operations.

On February 29, 1988, YOSEMITE departed Mayport for the Mediterranean in company with the carrier battle group centered on USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69). Rather than waiting until arrival at a forward operating base to begin maintenance work, the tender dispatched repair teams to other ships during the Atlantic crossing. These teams performed technical assistance and repairs while the ships were underway, reducing the need to postpone work until reaching port.

On March 12, 1988, YOSEMITE was photographed underway in company with other American auxiliaries, including USS MOUNT BAKER (AE 34) and USS CALOOSAHATCHEE (AO 98). During the 1988 deployment, YOSEMITE continued supporting Sixth Fleet units as they operated throughout the Mediterranean. Her assignments included maintenance of destroyers, frigates, and other vessels, as well as specialized repair work performed by teams temporarily sent to ships away from the tender's immediate anchorage. The deployment occurred during the final years of the Cold War, when American and Soviet naval forces maintained extensive operations in the Mediterranean. The United States Sixth Fleet conducted exercises with NATO allies while also supporting national operations associated with developments in the Middle East and North Africa.

YOSEMITE visited several Mediterranean ports during the deployment. Photographic records document her at Palma de Mallorca, Spain, in July 1988. Among the ships photographed in the same port were USS DEWEY (DDG 45), USS THOMAS C. HART (FF 1092), and USS CAPODANNO (FF 1093). Other photographs from approximately 1987-1988 place YOSEMITE at Marseille, France, with CALOOSAHATCHEE and USS VREELAND (FF 1068) alongside. The repair work conducted during these assignments supplemented the maintenance facilities available at established American naval support bases in the Mediterranean.

After completing her Mediterranean assignment, YOSEMITE returned to Mayport and resumed her home-port maintenance schedule. During 1989, YOSEMITE continued operating between Mayport and overseas maintenance assignments. Captain Harland Roland Bankert Jr. assumed command on July 11, 1989. An important assignment during the latter part of the year involved preparations for the Malta Summit between President George H. W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The summit, held on December 2 and 3, 1989, followed the political changes taking place across Eastern Europe and formed part of the diplomatic process associated with the approaching end of the Cold War. USS BELKNAP (CG 26), serving as the American command and accommodation ship during the summit, required a variety of modifications and preparations for the presidential visit. YOSEMITE provided technical support through several of her specialized departments, including her carpentry facilities, printing department, and sail loft. Personnel from the tender assisted with work necessary to prepare BELKNAP for the event.

On December 3, 1989, following the conclusion of the summit, President Bush expressed his appreciation to the officers and crew of BELKNAP for their support. The cruiser's commanding officer subsequently acknowledged the assistance provided by YOSEMITE, particularly the ability of her repair departments to complete tasks within a restricted preparation period.

During early 1990, YOSEMITE continued supporting Sixth Fleet vessels in the Mediterranean. CAPODANNO arrived at Naples on February 10 for a maintenance availability alongside the tender. The work continued through February 21 and involved more than 200 individual maintenance jobs. CAPODANNO subsequently returned to her operational schedule.

The early months of 1990 coincided with major changes in European security following the opening of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 and the political transformation of several Eastern European countries. American naval forces continued operating in the Mediterranean while NATO governments adjusted to the changing relationship with the Soviet Union.

During 1990, YOSEMITE received the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award for the Atlantic Fleet. The award recognized selected Navy vessels for performance in operational readiness and related areas. She also continued to accumulate fleet maintenance and Battle Efficiency awards during the latter part of her career.

During 1991, YOSEMITE remained involved in Atlantic Fleet maintenance activities while preparations were undertaken for another deployment to the Middle East. The region required substantial logistical support, particularly for ships remaining in the Persian Gulf after the conclusion of major hostilities of the Gulf War. Captain Charles Marion Tuck assumed command on August 2, 1991. During October, YOSEMITE departed Mayport for what became her final major overseas deployment, proceeding toward the Persian Gulf to support American naval forces engaged in postwar security and maritime interdiction operations.

The deployment took place during the continued enforcement of United Nations sanctions against Iraq. American and allied naval units operated in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters to monitor shipping, enforce restrictions, and maintain a military presence following the Gulf War. Mine countermeasures vessels also remained active because naval mines laid during the conflict continued to present a danger to shipping. YOSEMITE operated from ports in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, providing repair and maintenance support to vessels assigned to the region. Bahrain was an important center for American naval activities in the Persian Gulf, and its port facilities accommodated numerous support ships and surface combatants.

On December 1, 1991, YOSEMITE was photographed in port at Bahrain with USS ROBERT E. PEARY (FF 1073) secured alongside. The frigate was among the vessels supported by the tender during the deployment. Contemporary photographs also document YOSEMITE in company with USS LA SALLE (AGF 3), which was serving as a command ship for American naval forces in the Middle East. During December 1991, USS GUARDIAN (MCM 5), a mine countermeasures ship operating in the Persian Gulf, received a fleet maintenance availability alongside YOSEMITE at Manama, Bahrain. GUARDIAN arrived on December 2 and remained in the maintenance period until December 13.

During January 1992, YOSEMITE continued providing maintenance support in the Persian Gulf. USS BAINBRIDGE (CGN 25), which had been operating in the region during the postwar period, received repair assistance from the tender before departing the Gulf. BAINBRIDGE had participated in regional operations, including the multinational exercise Red Reef III, and passed eastbound through the Strait of Hormuz on February 4 after completing its maintenance. YOSEMITE's deployment continued during the opening months of 1992. Her responsibilities were associated with the sustained presence of American naval forces in the Gulf and the continuing requirements for maintenance, repair, and technical assistance. She completed the deployment and returned to Mayport in March 1992.

Following her return, YOSEMITE resumed the support of Atlantic Fleet ships while the Navy reviewed its force structure in the aftermath of the Cold War. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991 had changed the strategic environment, and reductions in naval force levels placed increasing emphasis on operating costs, maintenance requirements, and the replacement or retirement of older ships. YOSEMITE nevertheless continued providing repair support during 1992. Her repair departments remained capable of servicing the destroyers and frigates operating from Mayport, while the ship herself continued undergoing inspections and local training.

On November 9, 1992, YOSEMITE departed Mayport in company with USS SPRUANCE (DD 963) during a period of fleet training. The operations included naval gunfire support training in the vicinity of Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, and activities associated with the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center in the Bahamas. SPRUANCE returned to Mayport on November 18 after completing the scheduled training period. The exercise represented one of YOSEMITE's documented late-career movements outside her principal maintenance berth.

During 1993, YOSEMITE continued servicing ships at Mayport while the Navy considered the future of its older auxiliary vessels. Her original steam propulsion machinery and much of her basic hull structure dated from World War II, although successive overhauls had modernized numerous internal systems and technical facilities. A further overseas deployment had been planned for July 1993, but it was canceled. The cancellation reflected the approaching end of the tender's active service rather than the completion of another operational assignment. By this time, YOSEMITE had served in the Navy for almost half a century.

On July 7, 1993, Lieutenant Commander Deborah Lynn Salfer assumed command of YOSEMITE. During the remaining months of the year, preparations proceeded for decommissioning. These activities included the gradual termination of repair assignments, removal or transfer of equipment and stores, administrative work associated with the disposition of personnel, and preparations for the ship's transfer to inactive status. On January 27, 1994, YOSEMITE was decommissioned at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, and simultaneously struck from the Naval Vessel Register. At the time of her retirement, YOSEMITE was the oldest continuously commissioned ship in the United States Navy. She had consequently been authorized to fly the First Navy Jack, bearing the rattlesnake and the words "Don't Tread on Me". Following her decommissioning, this distinction passed to USS JASON (AR 8).

After decommissioning, YOSEMITE was transferred to inactive custody and eventually laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet on the James River near Fort Eustis, Virginia. She remained under Navy ownership while her future disposition was considered. Records maintained by the Maritime Administration show that she entered the reserve-fleet administrative system on April 12, 1994, with disposal planning under consideration. During the following years, YOSEMITE remained inactive. Her machinery and systems were no longer maintained for operational service, and equipment could be removed for use elsewhere or for disposal. On May 6, 1999, she was recorded as being moved for stripping work, and administrative records document the completion of this phase by July 18, 2001.

By the beginning of 2003, YOSEMITE had been selected for disposal through a naval sinking exercise. Preparations included the removal of equipment and materials and the work required to make the former tender suitable for use as a target. On February 19, 2003, the inactive YOSEMITE was photographed under tow on the Elizabeth River while moving from the James River reserve fleet toward Norfolk Naval Shipyard at Portsmouth, Virginia. She subsequently remained at the shipyard for preparation. Photographs taken on August 22, 2003, document her presence at Norfolk Naval Shipyard during the final months before disposal.

On November 18, 2003, the former YOSEMITE was sunk as a target during a United States Navy training exercise in the western Atlantic, east of the American coastline. The official sinking report records the time as 20:37 UTC, at approximately 35° 54.7' north latitude and 70° 04.1' west longitude. The recorded water depth was approximately 2,340 fathoms.

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