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USS El Paso (LKA 117)

USS EL PASO was the fifth and final CHARLESTON - class amphibious cargo ship. She was the second United States Navy ship to bear the name El Paso and was named for El Paso County, Texas, and its county seat, the city of El Paso. In the early 1980s, the EL PASO was transfered to the Naval Reserve Force, but returned to the active fleet shortly afterwards because of the need for additional sealift capacity. Decommissioned on April 21, 1994, the EL PASO was transfered to the Military Sealift Command in 1995 and moved to Bethlehem Steel, Sparrows Point, MD., for the Military Sealift Command conversion. However, this conversion was cancelled and the EL PASO was placed out of service on October 23, 1996. EL PASO was subsequently laid up at the Naval Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility at Philadelphia, Penn. Stricken from the Navy list on August 15, 2015, the ship was later sold for scrapping and arrived under tow at Brownsville, Tx., on October 17, 2023. There, she was scrapped by All Star Metals.

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS EL PASO. 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 EL PASO memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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USS EL PASO Cruise Books:

• Mediterranean and Indian Ocean Cruise Book 1980-81

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Accidents aboard USS EL PASO:

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USS EL PASO History:

USS EL PASO was laid down as AKA 117 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company at Newport News, Virginia, on October 22, 1968. During construction, the Navy redesignated its attack cargo ships, and on January 1, 1969, her classification changed from AKA 117 to LKA 117. She was launched on May 17, 1969, sponsored by Mrs. John Tower, wife of Senator John Tower of Texas, and was delivered to the Navy on December 20, 1969. USS EL PASO was commissioned at Norfolk, Virginia, on January 17, 1970, with Captain Otto D. Tiderman in command. Norfolk became her home port, and she joined the Atlantic Fleet amphibious force.

The first months after commissioning were devoted to fitting out, trials, training, and preparation for operational employment. Her first year in commission quickly brought USS EL PASO into a major international contingency. During September 1970, the political and military situation in Jordan deteriorated sharply in the crisis commonly known as Black September. Fighting between the Jordanian armed forces and Palestinian organizations, together with the hijacking of several international airliners, caused the United States to reinforce naval forces in the eastern Mediterranean in case American citizens had to be evacuated or other intervention became necessary. On September 27, 1970, the Department of Defense announced that USS EL PASO and USS GUAM (LPH 9), carrying an augmented Marine battalion landing team, had joined the Sixth Fleet. No American amphibious landing in Jordan became necessary.

Her early operational record also included participation in Exercise Deep Express 70. At the same time, Marine Corps planning documents continued to associate USS EL PASO with the Caribbean amphibious organization. During October 1970, she was listed among the shipping connected with Landing Force Caribbean 3-70, together with USS LA SALLE (LPD 3), USS GRANT COUNTY (LST 1174), USS PLYMOUTH ROCK (LSD 29), and USS LORAIN COUNTY (LST 1177), although USS EL PASO herself was temporarily committed to the Mediterranean contingency. By November, she was returning to the United States and was scheduled to reach Norfolk on November 15, 1970.

During 1971, USS EL PASO became firmly integrated into the Atlantic Fleet's Caribbean amphibious rotation. She supported Landing Force Caribbean and the Marine battalion landing teams assigned to the standing Caribbean contingency force. By the spring, she was supporting Battalion Landing Team 3/6 and its associated aviation and logistics elements. The Caribbean deployment provided both a ready amphibious force for regional contingencies and a continuing training environment for landing operations, cargo handling, boat operations, and coordination between Navy and Marine Corps units. On June 21, 1971, USS CHARLESTON (LKA 113) got underway to relieve USS EL PASO in the Caribbean commitment.

Her 1971 activities also included Operation Deep Furrow 71, one of the major NATO exercises conducted in the Mediterranean region. Deep Furrow exercises involved allied naval, air, amphibious, and ground forces and were designed to practice the reinforcement and defense of NATO's southeastern flank.

The ship earned substantial recognition during her early years. She received the Battle Efficiency award for 1971 and was also recognized for food-service excellence with the Ney Award. Her early service additionally brought several departmental excellence awards, reflecting the emphasis placed on readiness during the first years after commissioning.

In January 1972, USS EL PASO participated in the cold-weather amphibious exercise Snowy Beach off the coast of Maine. The exercise was intended to test the ability of Atlantic Fleet amphibious forces and embarked Marines to operate under severe winter conditions rather than in the more familiar Caribbean or Mediterranean environments. USS EL PASO operated with USS GUADALCANAL (LPH 7), and both ships were documented refueling from USS PAWCATUCK (AO 108) during the exercise. The wider operation combined amphibious maneuver, ship-to-shore movement, logistics, and cold-weather training along the Maine coast.

Later in 1972, USS EL PASO returned to the Mediterranean. On April 26, she was part of the Sixth Fleet landing force supporting the 32nd Marine Amphibious Unit. At that time, the amphibious organization included USS GUADALCANAL, USS RALEIGH (LPD 1), USS SAGINAW (LST 1188), USS PLYMOUTH ROCK, and USS EL PASO. The precise composition of the force changed during the deployment as individual ships rotated. USS EL PASO remained documented with the Mediterranean landing force into June. Her duties during this deployment remained centered on the transportation of Marines, vehicles, ammunition, landing craft, and equipment while maintaining the ability to support an amphibious landing, evacuation, or other contingency mission on relatively short notice. The deployment took place during a period of continuing Arab-Israeli tension and substantial Soviet naval activity in the Mediterranean, while NATO remained concerned with the security of its southern and southeastern approaches.

USS EL PASO also completed another Caribbean Amphibious Ready Group deployment during 1972, identified in Navy records as Caribbean ARG 2-72. These recurring Caribbean periods formed an important part of her readiness cycle between the longer Mediterranean deployments.

At the beginning of 1973, USS EL PASO undertook another Caribbean Amphibious Ready Group deployment, Caribbean ARG 1-73. On January 31, she was listed with USS FRANCIS MARION (LPA 249), USS PLYMOUTH ROCK, and USS LA MOURE COUNTY (LST 1194). During the year, she also participated in Exercises Doria Salute V, Rum Punch, and Veritas VI. These exercises continued the combination of national, bilateral, and multinational training that characterized the ship's peacetime employment.

Later in 1973, USS EL PASO prepared for another extended Mediterranean deployment. She departed Norfolk on November 15, 1973, and arrived at Morehead City, North Carolina, on November 16 to embark Marines and their equipment. She joined Mediterranean Amphibious Ready Group 3-73 supporting the 32nd Marine Amphibious Unit. Other ships associated with the force included USS IWO JIMA (LPH 2), USS RALEIGH, USS HERMITAGE (LSD 34), and USS LA MOURE COUNTY. The timing of the deployment was significant. The October 1973 Arab-Israeli War had ended only weeks earlier, and the United States and Soviet Union had recently confronted one another over the possibility of further intervention in the Middle East. Although the principal fighting had ceased before USS EL PASO reached the Mediterranean, the Sixth Fleet remained heavily involved in maintaining an American naval presence during the uncertain postwar period.

USS EL PASO crossed the Atlantic and reached Rota, Spain, on November 26, 1973. She then proceeded into the Mediterranean, reaching Souda Bay, Crete, on December 1. She remained there through December 6 before continuing to Livorno, Italy, where she stayed from December 10 through December 16. She next operated around Porto Scudo, Sardinia, from December 18 through December 23 during amphibious training associated with the late-1973 exercise cycle. USS EL PASO arrived at Toulon, France, on December 24 and remained there through January 4, 1974. She then shifted to Saint-Raphael, France, where she remained from January 4 through January 13. From January 15 through January 31 she was at Palma de Mallorca, Spain. These port periods were interspersed with amphibious training, maintenance, and preparations for further exercises.

The ship operated at Gythion, Greece, from February 4 through February 7, 1974, and then proceeded to Naples, Italy, remaining there from February 9 through February 16 for upkeep and repairs. She was at Carboneras, Spain, from February 20 through February 27 for further amphibious activity and visited Alicante from February 28 through March 2. USS EL PASO then returned to Porto Scudo, Sardinia, where she operated from March 4 through March 9. She next visited San Remo, Italy, from March 12 through March 18 and Golfe-Juan, France, from March 19 through March 26. USS EL PASO was at Brindisi, Italy, on March 28 and March 29 and later operated again in the Adriatic, including a stay at Trieste from April 6 through April 17 and another period at Brindisi from April 20 through April 26.

During this deployment, USS EL PASO participated in Exercise Dark Image 74 and in the major NATO exercise Dawn Patrol 74. Dawn Patrol brought together allied naval forces in the Mediterranean and included amphibious operations intended to test NATO coordination on the alliance's southern flank. Marines associated with USS AMERICA (CV 66) were embarked in USS EL PASO for an amphibious phase of the exercise and went ashore from the cargo ship while aircraft from USS AMERICA provided close air support.

USS EL PASO again operated around Sardinia in May and was at Porto Scudo from May 7 through May 11. She passed westward through the Strait of Gibraltar on May 13 and entered Rota for the final phase of the deployment. After crossing the Atlantic she arrived at Morehead City on May 31 to disembark Marines and equipment and returned to Norfolk on June 1, 1974.

The months following the deployment included maintenance and preparations for subsequent operations. A substantial repair and maintenance period followed during the transition from 1974 into 1975. USS EL PASO subsequently conducted refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during the spring of 1975 as she prepared for another Mediterranean deployment.

USS EL PASO departed Norfolk on July 28, 1975, and arrived at Morehead City on July 29 to embark elements of the 32nd Marine Amphibious Unit and their equipment. The deployment became another extensive Sixth Fleet cruise. The amphibious organization included USS SHREVEPORT (LPD 12), USS INCHON (LPH 12), USS HERMITAGE, USS FAIRFAX COUNTY (LST 1193), USS SPARTANBURG COUNTY (LST 1192), and USS EL PASO. The group operated as the Sixth Fleet's ready amphibious force and conducted an intensive series of exercises. USS EL PASO's own historical record credited her with participation in seven amphibious exercises during the deployment.

During August 1975, she operated along the Spanish coast and visited Palma de Mallorca before continuing eastward. From September 10 through September 15, the amphibious force conducted training around Gythion, Greece. The exercise included transit, surface assault, maneuver ashore, re-embarkation, and simulated fire-support phases. The force subsequently moved toward Turkey for NATO Exercise Deep Express 75. By late September, USS EL PASO and the other ships were operating in the Saros Bay area. Deep Express involved multinational forces and was intended to practice NATO operations on the alliance's southeastern flank, an area of particular strategic importance because of the approaches to Turkey, Greece, the eastern Mediterranean, and the Black Sea region. Landing craft from USS EL PASO participated in the amphibious phases.

The deployment continued through the autumn with additional exercises and port visits in the central and western Mediterranean. USS EL PASO operated from Italian, French, and Spanish ports while alternating between amphibious training, upkeep, and Sixth Fleet contingency readiness. By January 7, 1976, USS EL PASO was at Rota during the final phase of the deployment. The outgoing 32nd Marine Amphibious Unit was relieved there by the 34th Marine Amphibious Unit on January 21. Mediterranean Amphibious Ready Group 2-75 was scheduled to leave Sixth Fleet operational control on January 23, and USS EL PASO departed the area for the Atlantic crossing. Severe winter weather affected the homeward voyage. USS EL PASO reached Morehead City on February 2, 1976, where the embarked Marines and their equipment were unloaded, and returned to Norfolk on February 3.

During the months that followed, USS EL PASO resumed Caribbean and Atlantic Fleet operations. Her documented training included Exercise Aloud Charlie, Exercise Solid Shield 76, and Resmaulex. These exercises restored the ship to the normal Atlantic Fleet readiness cycle following the lengthy Mediterranean deployment. The ship had also earned the Golden Anchor Award for Fiscal Year 1975, recognizing retention performance, and her Combat Information Center received a gold "E" reflecting a fifth consecutive award for excellence in that area.

USS EL PASO deployed again in November 1976 and served as flagship for Amphibious Squadron Six. The deployment became another Mediterranean cruise. The amphibious force supporting the 34th Marine Amphibious Unit included USS GUAM, USS TRENTON (LPD 14), USS FORT SNELLING (LSD 30), USS HARLAN COUNTY (LST 1196), and USS EL PASO. The group maintained the normal Sixth Fleet amphibious readiness posture during the winter of 1976-1977. On March 15, 1977, USS EL PASO and USS HARLAN COUNTY were at Livorno, Italy.

From March 19 through March 26, the amphibious force participated in National Week XXII in the central Mediterranean. This was followed from March 27 through April 2 by an amphibious exercise around Vatika, Greece. USS EL PASO subsequently visited Barcelona, Spain, where she was documented on April 6. The outgoing 34th Marine Amphibious Unit was relieved at Rota on April 29, after which the amphibious ships began their return across the Atlantic. The force reached the Morehead City area on May 11, allowing the embarked Marines and equipment to be disembarked before the ships proceeded to their home ports.

Only a few weeks after returning to Norfolk, USS EL PASO was involved in an unusual harbor incident. On June 6, 1977, strong winds caused several Navy ships at Norfolk to part their moorings. USS EL PASO and USS CALIFORNIA (CGN 36) were among the affected ships. USS EL PASO sustained minor damage during the incident.

She remained active with the Atlantic Fleet during 1978 and again received the Battle Efficiency award for that year. Later in 1978, she entered a major overhaul at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Chester, Pennsylvania. By October 19, she was already in the shipyard undergoing a complete overhaul valued at approximately eight million dollars. Contemporary plans anticipated her return to Norfolk during the spring of 1979. The overhaul occupied a substantial portion of the transition from 1978 into 1979.

USS EL PASO subsequently returned to operational service and prepared for another extensive deployment. She departed Norfolk on August 27, 1980, and proceeded to Morehead City on August 28 to embark Marines and their equipment. The deployed amphibious organization subsequently included USS SAIPAN (LHA 2), USS NEWPORT (LST 1179), and USS EL PASO, supporting the 34th Marine Amphibious Unit. Rather than proceeding immediately to the Mediterranean, the force first moved to northern European waters for NATO exercises. USS EL PASO participated in Teamwork 80, which included amphibious operations in the Trondelag Fjord region of Norway. The exercise practiced NATO reinforcement of Norway and the alliance's northern flank, an area of major strategic importance because of its proximity to Soviet bases on the Kola Peninsula and the sea routes linking the North Atlantic with the Norwegian Sea.

Her 1980 deployment also included Exercise United Effort 80. After the northern European phase, USS EL PASO visited Antwerp, Belgium, from October 4 through October 10. She then proceeded south to Lisbon, Portugal, remaining there from October 13 through October 19, and reached Rota on October 20. The strategic circumstances of the deployment had changed substantially. American hostages seized in Tehran in November 1979 remained in captivity, the Soviet Union had intervened in Afghanistan, and the Iran-Iraq War had begun on September 22, 1980. The United States consequently maintained substantial naval forces in and around the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea.

USS EL PASO transited the Suez Canal southbound on October 27, 1980, leaving the Mediterranean for the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. She crossed the Equator on November 4 and arrived at Mombasa, Kenya, on November 6. She remained there through November 10 before continuing eastward. USS EL PASO arrived at Diego Garcia on November 16 and remained there through November 20. Diego Garcia was becoming increasingly important as a logistics and support base for U.S. forces in the Indian Ocean, particularly because of the instability created by events in Iran, Afghanistan, and the Persian Gulf. USS EL PASO's deployment formed part of the wider American naval presence in the region.

After completing the Indian Ocean portion of the deployment, USS EL PASO returned westward and passed northbound through the Suez Canal on December 7. She arrived at Naples on December 11 and remained there through December 14. From December 16 through December 22 she operated near Capo Teulada, Sardinia, during amphibious training. USS EL PASO spent December 23, 1980, through January 5, 1981, at Palma de Mallorca. She returned to Naples on January 7 and remained there through January 19 for repairs and upkeep. From January 20 through January 30, she operated from Tunis, Tunisia, during further amphibious training. The American hostages in Iran were released on January 20, ending the crisis that had shaped much of the strategic background of the deployment. The ship proceeded to Gibraltar from February 2 through February 5 and then visited Tangier, Morocco, from February 5 through February 7. USS EL PASO returned to Rota on February 7 and remained there until February 12 before beginning the Atlantic crossing. She reached Morehead City on February 24 and returned to Norfolk on February 25, 1981.

Later in 1981, USS EL PASO entered a new phase when she was transferred into the Naval Reserve Force structure. Navy historical documentation states that the transfer occurred in 1981 and describes a return to the active fleet in 1982. Contemporary Marine Corps documentation, however, continued to identify USS EL PASO as a Naval Reserve Force ship into early 1983 and noted that extended employment could require mobilization of Selected Reservists.

By the spring of 1983 she was preparing for one of the most consequential deployments of her career. Mediterranean Amphibious Ready Group 2-83 deployed from May 10 through December 7 with the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit. The principal amphibious ships included USS IWO JIMA, USS AUSTIN (LPD 4), USS PORTLAND (LSD 37), USS HARLAN COUNTY, and USS EL PASO. The deployment took place during the Lebanese Civil War, which had been further complicated by Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon, the withdrawal of Palestine Liberation Organization forces from Beirut, the continued presence of Israeli and Syrian forces, and the deployment of an American-French-Italian-British multinational peacekeeping force.

The amphibious group reached the eastern Mediterranean in May 1983. The 24th Marine Amphibious Unit assumed responsibility for the American multinational-force position around Beirut International Airport on May 30. USS EL PASO remained part of the amphibious force offshore, carrying equipment and supplies and providing logistical support to the deployed Marines. Conditions deteriorated during the summer and autumn as fighting between Lebanese factions intensified. American positions increasingly came under fire. Sixth Fleet ships provided command facilities, logistics, evacuation capability, and, when specifically ordered, naval gunfire.

On October 23, 1983, a suicide truck bomb destroyed the headquarters building occupied by the Marines at Beirut International Airport. The attack killed 241 American service members. The 24th Marine Amphibious Unit was relieved on November 19. USS EL PASO, USS AUSTIN, and USS HARLAN COUNTY had departed the Lebanon area for Rota on November 18 as the outgoing force began its westward movement. Mediterranean Amphibious Ready Group 2-83 completed its deployment on December 7.

USS EL PASO remained heavily involved in major NATO exercises after the Lebanon deployment. From February 28 through March 22, 1984, she participated in Teamwork 84, a large exercise intended to practice the reinforcement and defense of Norway. The amphibious force included USS MOUNT WHITNEY (LCC 20), USS SAIPAN, USS NASSAU (LHA 4), USS INCHON, USS RALEIGH, USS AUSTIN, USS PONCE (LPD 15), USS SPIEGEL GROVE (LSD 32), USS PENSACOLA (LSD 38), USS CHARLESTON, USS EL PASO, USS SUMTER (LST 1181), USS SPARTANBURG COUNTY, and other supporting ships. The exercise culminated in amphibious activity in Norway during March. USS EL PASO's role centered on transporting and landing Marine equipment, vehicles, ammunition, and supplies under cold-weather conditions.

Her 1984 operating program also included Exercises United Effort 84, Rawhide 84, and Crisis 84. These exercises reflected the wide range of amphibious and contingency requirements assigned to Atlantic Fleet ships during the later Cold War. USS EL PASO also maintained ties with her namesake community. In November 1984, representatives of the ship participated in an adopt-a-school relationship with Coldwell Elementary School in El Paso, Texas.

During 1985, USS EL PASO took part in CNO Project K310 before beginning another Mediterranean deployment late in the year. She departed her home port on November 21, 1985, as part of Mediterranean Amphibious Ready Group 1-86 with the 26th Marine Amphibious Unit embarked. Amphibious Squadron Six included USS GUADALCANAL, USS PONCE, USS EL PASO, USS HERMITAGE, and USS MANITOWOC (LST 1180). The ships entered Sixth Fleet operational control on December 4. USS EL PASO participated in a series of Mediterranean exercises, including Sardian 86, Distant Hammer 86, and Galer 86. The wider security environment was particularly tense. Terrorist attacks in Europe and the Middle East and the deteriorating relationship between the United States and Libya shaped Sixth Fleet operations during the deployment. American aircraft struck targets in Libya in April 1986 during Operation El Dorado Canyon. The amphibious group completed its Sixth Fleet commitment on May 23, 1986, and USS EL PASO returned to the United States on June 4 after slightly more than six months overseas.

By this stage of her career, USS EL PASO had been fitted with two Mark 15 20-millimeter Phalanx close-in weapon systems, providing a modern short-range defensive capability against aircraft and missiles. Official photography taken later in 1986 documents the installations. USS EL PASO then participated in NATO Exercise Northern Wedding 86, which ran from late August through September 19. Northern Wedding involved approximately 150 ships and tens of thousands of personnel from NATO nations. It was designed to test the reinforcement and defense of northern Europe and included operations across the North Atlantic, Norwegian Sea, approaches to the Baltic, and Norwegian coastal areas.

The exercise culminated in major amphibious operations in Norway. USS EL PASO again served as one of the amphibious ships transporting Marine personnel, vehicles, supplies, and heavy equipment. Her participation closely resembled her role in Teamwork 84, reinforcing NATO's northern flank during a simulated wartime contingency.

During 1988, USS EL PASO undertook several distinct missions. Early in the year, she participated in Coast Guard Law Enforcement operations. A Coast Guard HH-65A Dolphin helicopter and its detachment operated from USS EL PASO for approximately six weeks as part of the Navy-Coast Guard effort to support maritime law enforcement and drug-interdiction operations. This represented a notably different use of the amphibious cargo ship from her traditional Marine-support mission. USS EL PASO also participated in Exercises Dragon Hammer 88 and Tartapuga PHIBLEX 88. From March through August, she deployed with Mediterranean Amphibious Ready Group 1-88 supporting the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Other ships associated with the group included USS IWO JIMA, USS TRENTON, USS HERMITAGE, and USS HARLAN COUNTY. The amphibious force conducted Sixth Fleet operations and training throughout the Mediterranean. Although the Cold War was approaching its final years, the Mediterranean remained operationally important because of instability in Lebanon, continuing terrorism concerns, and the requirement to maintain forces capable of evacuation, reinforcement, and limited intervention missions.

During 1989, USS EL PASO prepared for another Mediterranean deployment with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Predeployment activity included amphibious and special-operations training in the Caribbean. On August 25, while operating around the Vieques training area, Marines practiced a simulated response to the seizure of a ship, including helicopter insertion onto USS EL PASO. USS EL PASO also participated in Tunisian PHIBLEX 89, another exercise in the continuing series of amphibious training events conducted with regional and allied forces.

Her next Mediterranean deployment began on October 11, 1989. The first day was marked by the most serious peacetime weapons accident associated with the ship. Approximately 80 miles southeast of Norfolk, USS EL PASO was conducting a live-fire exercise involving one of her Phalanx close-in weapon systems while operating with USS IWO JIMA. Rounds fired by USS EL PASO struck the bridge area of USS IWO JIMA. One officer aboard USS IWO JIMA was killed and one enlisted sailor was injured. The incident occurred during a training exercise shortly after the ships had begun their planned six-month deployment.

USS EL PASO continued across the Atlantic and operated with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Sixth Fleet through the winter of 1989-1990. The deployment included the standard combination of Marine training, multinational exercises, contingency readiness, upkeep periods, and port visits. The geopolitical environment changed rapidly while the ship was overseas. Communist governments collapsed across Eastern Europe during 1989, and the Berlin Wall opened in November. These events signaled the approaching end of the Cold War, although regional instability in the Mediterranean and Middle East continued to require an American amphibious presence. USS EL PASO returned to the United States during the spring of 1990 after approximately six months overseas. The remainder of 1990 was spent within the Atlantic Fleet training, maintenance, and readiness cycle.

The following year brought the ship into operations connected with the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War. Major combat operations in Operation Desert Storm ended in February 1991, but uprisings against the Iraqi government were followed by severe repression, particularly in Kurdish areas of northern Iraq. Hundreds of thousands of civilians fled toward Turkey and Iran. The United States and allied nations responded with Operation Provide Comfort, beginning in April 1991, to provide humanitarian assistance and establish conditions that allowed displaced people to return.

USS EL PASO participated in Operation Provide Comfort. On June 11, 1991, she was documented at anchor in Iskenderun Bay, Turkey. Iskenderun was an important maritime access point for transporting supplies and military support into southeastern Turkey. USS EL PASO's cargo capacity made her useful for the movement and handling of vehicles, equipment, humanitarian supplies, and other material required by the operation. Later in June, USS EL PASO returned to the normal amphibious deployment cycle. On June 29, she was documented underway in the Atlantic with elements of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked for a Mediterranean deployment. Other principal amphibious ships included USS WASP (LHD 1), USS PONCE, and USS SUMTER.

The group operated with the Sixth Fleet during the second half of the year and participated in Exercise Display Determination 91. The deployment came during a period in which the Warsaw Pact had ceased to function and the Soviet Union was approaching dissolution, but regional contingencies continued to require forward-deployed amphibious forces.

During 1992, USS EL PASO remained in the Atlantic Fleet while the Navy began a substantial post-Cold War reduction in ships and personnel. Despite her age, she continued operating and preparing for further deployment. A fatal accident occurred aboard the ship during 1992. A Boatswain's Mate Second Class was operating a forklift while flight-deck safety nets were being removed. The forklift went over the edge of the flight deck and fell onto a barge approximately 30 feet below. The sailor suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by the ship's medical officer.

Captain Christopher W. Cole assumed command of USS EL PASO on November 13, 1992. Under his command, the ship prepared for what would become her final major overseas deployment with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Amphibious Squadron Two. The principal ships of the deployed force included USS WASP, USS NASHVILLE (LPD 13), USS BARNSTABLE COUNTY (LST 1197), and USS EL PASO. The final deployment began in March 1993 and lasted through September. It took USS EL PASO across the Atlantic, through the Mediterranean and Red Sea, into the Indian Ocean, waters off Somalia, and the Persian Gulf.

Somalia had become the focus of a major international humanitarian and security operation following the collapse of its central government, civil war, widespread famine, and attacks on humanitarian relief distribution. The United States-led Unified Task Force began Operation Restore Hope in December 1992 to establish a secure environment for humanitarian assistance. During March 1993, the amphibious task force containing USS EL PASO became part of Naval Forces Somalia. USS EL PASO's traditional cargo mission remained directly relevant. Operations in Somalia required substantial quantities of vehicles, engineering equipment, supplies, and Marine material to be moved through areas where shore infrastructure was limited or damaged. Her landing craft and cargo-handling capability therefore complemented the aviation and command capabilities of the newer amphibious ships in the force.

The American-led Unified Task Force formally transitioned responsibility to the United Nations Operation in Somalia II in May 1993. After her Somalia operations, USS EL PASO continued into the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. On May 22, 1993, USS EL PASO was documented at Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates. At the end of May, the amphibious force remained in the United Arab Emirates area. The group was scheduled to leave during the first week of June. The presence of the amphibious force in the Persian Gulf came only two years after the liberation of Kuwait and formed part of the continuing American military presence intended to support regional security and the enforcement of postwar restrictions on Iraq.

During the summer, the amphibious group began its return toward the Mediterranean and Atlantic. By August 2, USS WASP, USS EL PASO, and USS BARNSTABLE COUNTY were at Rota, while USS NASHVILLE was following. The force was scheduled to leave Sixth Fleet operational control on August 6 as it continued westward. By September, USS EL PASO had returned to the Virginia area, completing the last major deployment of her career.

USS EL PASO remained commissioned for several more months while the Navy continued the rapid post-Cold War reduction of older amphibious ships. The CHARLESTON-class design had been developed around extensive cargo holds, booms, and landing craft, while newer amphibious assault ships combined large aviation facilities, well decks, improved command-and-control systems, and greater flexibility within a single hull.

USS EL PASO was decommissioned on April 21, 1994, after more than 24 years of commissioned service. Following decommissioning, the Navy initially considered retaining the ship in another capacity. In 1995, EL PASO was assigned to the Military Sealift Command and moved to the former Bethlehem Steel facility at Sparrows Point, Maryland. A conversion was planned that would have allowed the ship to operate with a mixed civilian and Naval Reserve crew. The proposed conversion was ultimately cancelled. EL PASO was subsequently moved to Philadelphia and formally placed out of service on October 23, 1996. She then entered long-term inactive status at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia.

The former amphibious cargo ship remained there for almost two more decades. During this period, the Navy periodically reviewed her status and possible disposition. On August 31, 2015, USS EL PASO was formally stricken from the Naval Vessel Register. EL PASO remained at Philadelphia into the early 2020s. In October 2023, she was removed from the inactive-ship facility and towed to Brownsville, Texas, for dismantling by All Star Metals.

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USS EL PASO Image Gallery:

The photo below was taken by Thomas Zera and shows the EL PASO at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., in July 1986.

The photos below were taken by me on November 7, 2008, and show the EL PASO laid up at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Note the Military Sealift Command markings.

The photos below were taken by me on October 26, 2010, and show the EL PASO still laid up at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the EL PASO laid up at the former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on October 7, 2018.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the EL PASO laid up at the former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on May 27, 2022.

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