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USS Wichita (AOR 1)

USS WICHITA was the lead ship of the WICHITA - class of replenishment oilers and the second United States Navy ship named for the city of Wichita, Kansas. Decommissioned on March 12, 1993, and stricken from the Navy list on February 15, 1995, WICHITA was subsequently laid up at the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet in Benicia, Ca., awaiting final disposal. On February 4, 2013, she was sold for scrapping to International Shipbreaking Limited in Brownsville, Texas.

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Crew List:

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

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USS WICHITA Cruise Books:

• WestPac Cruise Book 1975-76
• WestPac Cruise Book 1983-84
• WestPac Cruise Book 1989-90
• Final Cruise Book 1993

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Accidents aboard USS WICHITA:

Date	Where	Events
July 16, 1980	Gulf of Oman	A CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter assigned to a detachment operating from USS WICHITA crashes during flight operations associated with replenishment activities involving the frigate USS DAVIDSON (FF 1045). Three members of the helicopter crew are killed: Lieutenant junior grade Paul J. Cappellino, Aviation Electronics Technician Third Class Philip Zahlout and Aviation Structural Mechanic Third Class Robert Malvica.
November 21, 1981	70 miles west of San Diego, Calif.	A UH-46D Sea Knight helicopter, Bureau Number 154035, assigned to Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 11, is crashes after operating from USS WICHITA. All four personnel aboard were killed. The accident occurred during night flight operations and resulted in the loss of the helicopter.
July 18, 1983	100 miles west of San Diego, Calif.	USS RANGER (CV 61) collides with USS WICHITA during refueling. RANGER's flight deck elevator is damaged, but no injuries are reported. USS WICHITA damages its refueling capability. The port fueling riggins are put out of commission, including the loss of all fuel hoses. Also part of WICHITA's aft superstructure is crushed on the starboard side. The photos below are from USS WICHITA's cruise book 1983-84 and document the collision:

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USS WICHITA History:

The contract for USS WICHITA was awarded to General Dynamics Corporation on June 2, 1965, and her keel was laid at the company's shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts, on June 16, 1966. She was launched on March 16, 1968, sponsored by Mrs. Howard B. Yeager, and commissioned on June 7, 1969, with Captain Robert R. Deibler as her first commanding officer.

Following commissioning, USS WICHITA underwent fitting-out work at Boston Naval Shipyard. On June 17, 1969, she departed Boston for the Pacific coast, making stops at San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, before transiting the Panama Canal. She arrived at Long Beach, California, on July 19, 1969, establishing her first homeport. During the following four months, the ship remained primarily at Long Beach for post-construction work, equipment adjustments and inspections. In December 1969, she began standardization trials and shakedown training, testing her propulsion machinery, cargo-handling equipment, communications systems and underway replenishment arrangements. In February 1970, she entered a two-month post-shakedown availability at Long Beach. After completing the necessary repairs and modifications, she resumed operations in April, conducting type training, damage-control exercises and replenishment training in the southern California operating areas. These preparations included exercises with other Pacific Fleet auxiliaries, among them the ammunition ship USS KILAUEA (AE 26), with which USS WICHITA practiced cargo transfers at sea.

On June 22, 1970, USS WICHITA departed Long Beach for her first deployment to the western Pacific. At the time, the United States was still heavily involved in the Vietnam War, and the Seventh Fleet maintained aircraft carriers and numerous escort vessels in the South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin. Although the withdrawal of American ground forces was already underway, carrier aircraft continued conducting combat operations over Southeast Asia, requiring substantial quantities of aviation fuel, ammunition and other supplies. USS WICHITA passed to the operational control of Commander, Seventh Fleet, on July 4, 1970, and arrived at Subic Bay in the Philippines on July 11.

Following adjustments to her fuel and cargo loads, she departed for her first replenishment assignment in the waters off Vietnam. During the deployment, she completed five major operational cycles supporting ships at Yankee Station, the designated carrier operating area in the Gulf of Tonkin. Each cycle involved receiving supplies at Subic Bay, proceeding to the operating area, replenishing combat ships and returning to the Philippine base for additional cargo and maintenance. Her recorded Vietnam campaign participation included July 21 to July 29, August 7 to August 15, September 4 to September 17, October 11 to October 24, November 3 to November 18, and November 29 to December 17, 1970, followed by another qualifying period from January 4 through January 8, 1971.

During her first deployment, USS WICHITA demonstrated the operational capabilities of the new replenishment oiler design under wartime conditions. Her activities included simultaneous transfers of fuel and solid cargo, as well as the temporary adaptation of cargo-handling arrangements to meet the particularly heavy ammunition requirements of carrier operations. She supplied American warships operating along the Vietnamese coast and in the Gulf of Tonkin, including the destroyer USS BRINKLEY BASS (DD 887), with which a replenishment operation was photographed during the war. Her customers also included Allied vessels, among them the Australian guided-missile destroyer HMAS PERTH (D 38), which received supplies from USS WICHITA on several occasions. During the deployment, the ship replenished nearly 250 vessels and transferred more than 500,000 barrels of ship fuel, approximately 250,000 barrels of aviation fuel, 10,000 tons of ammunition and more than 450 tons of provisions. These figures reflected the extensive logistical demands placed on the Seventh Fleet during the air campaign over Vietnam.

A particularly concentrated series of replenishment operations took place on October 14, 1970, when Typhoon Joan threatened American naval forces operating in the western Pacific. As ships of Task Force 77 prepared to move away from the approaching storm, USS WICHITA supplied eleven vessels during a single night. These transfers allowed the receiving ships to obtain necessary fuel and supplies before leaving the threatened operating area. The operation required repeated shiphandling and replenishment evolutions within a limited period. Outside her operational commitments, USS WICHITA made two liberty visits to Hong Kong and returned regularly to Subic Bay for cargo loading, repairs and maintenance. Captain Jack M. Stevens relieved Captain Deibler as commanding officer on September 22, 1970, during the deployment. After completing her final operational assignments in January 1971, USS WICHITA returned across the Pacific and arrived at Long Beach on February 2, 1971, concluding her first overseas deployment.

During the following six months, USS WICHITA operated primarily from Long Beach, conducting refresher training, underway replenishment exercises, inspections and visits to ports in the United States and Canada. She also participated as a support ship in tests involving the Navy's new Mark 48 heavyweight torpedo, which was being developed for use against submarines and surface vessels. The ship's remaining time in port and at sea was devoted to machinery maintenance, damage-control training and preparations for another extended deployment.

USS WICHITA departed Long Beach on August 7, 1971, for her second western Pacific deployment and arrived at Subic Bay on August 24. She began her first operational replenishment cycle on August 31, returning to the waters off Vietnam to support ships engaged in carrier operations and coastal patrols. In addition to vessels operating on Yankee Station, she supplied ships participating in Operation Market Time, the continuing naval effort to intercept maritime movements of weapons and supplies to communist forces in South Vietnam. Her recorded Vietnam campaign participation during this phase included August 30 to September 16, September 26 to October 28, November 4 to November 23, and November 30, 1971. During the deployment, USS WICHITA also conducted replenishment activities involving her sister ship USS KANSAS CITY (AOR 3), which had recently entered service with the Pacific Fleet.

Following two major replenishment periods off Vietnam, USS WICHITA visited Sattahip, Thailand, in late October 1971. She returned to Subic Bay on October 28, received additional supplies and departed for Yankee Station on November 3. During November, she continued replenishing aircraft carriers, escorts and vessels engaged in coastal operations, alternating between the carrier operating areas and the waters associated with Operation Market Time. On November 23, she again proceeded toward Yankee Station. Captain William H. McCracken relieved Captain Stevens as commanding officer on December 2, 1971. During this period, USS WICHITA also consolidated supplies from other Seventh Fleet auxiliaries, including the ammunition ship USS HALEAKALA (AE 25) and the fleet oiler USS PONCHATOULA (AO 148), allowing her to continue providing several categories of supplies to combat ships operating at sea.

On December 10, 1971, USS WICHITA received orders to leave her normal replenishment area and join Task Force 74, which had been assembled in response to the Indo-Pakistani War. The conflict had developed from the political crisis and independence movement in East Pakistan, where the eventual defeat of Pakistani forces led to the creation of Bangladesh. Open warfare between India and Pakistan had begun on December 3, and the United States ordered a naval contingency force into the Indian Ocean. The formation centered on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS ENTERPRISE (CVAN 65) and included the amphibious assault ship USS TRIPOLI (LPH 10), the guided-missile destroyer USS DECATUR (DDG 31), the guided-missile frigate USS KING (DLG 10), and the destroyers USS McKEAN (DD 784) and USS ORLECK (DD 886), together with other vessels. The deployment took place against the background of Cold War rivalry, with the Soviet Union maintaining close relations with India while the United States supported Pakistan diplomatically. Task Force 74 was assigned to contingency operations and the maintenance of an American naval presence rather than direct participation in the fighting.

USS WICHITA joined the force near the approaches to the Singapore Strait and continued westward through the Singapore and Malacca Straits into the Indian Ocean. Her assignment was to supply fuel, ammunition and provisions to the ships of the formation during their extended operations far from normal Seventh Fleet support facilities. The war ended with the surrender of Pakistani forces in East Pakistan on December 16, 1971, but Task Force 74 remained in the region into January 1972. During the deployment, USS WICHITA supported USS ENTERPRISE, USS TRIPOLI and their escorts through repeated underway replenishments. American naval activity in the area coincided with the presence of Soviet naval units, reflecting the strategic importance both governments attached to developments in South Asia.

On December 31, 1971, USS WICHITA proceeded northwestward into the Arabian Sea accompanied by the destroyer USS RICHARD B. ANDERSON (DD 786). The purpose of this movement was to receive additional fuel from the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker RFA PEARLEAF (A 77). The replenishment took place on January 2, 1972, when USS WICHITA received approximately 1.7 million gallons of naval fuel oil. This transfer enabled her to continue supplying Task Force 74 without returning to a distant shore facility. On January 4, USS TRIPOLI received supplies from USS HALEAKALA, and on January 5 the amphibious assault ship was replenished by USS WICHITA. On January 6, USS WICHITA conducted another underway replenishment with USS ENTERPRISE. These operations formed part of the final phase of Task Force 74's Indian Ocean assignment before the force began returning toward Southeast Asia.

USS WICHITA left the Indian Ocean operating area in early January 1972 after an extended period at sea. Following a brief replenishment assignment off Vietnam, she proceeded to Subic Bay for maintenance and upkeep, remaining there from January 17 through January 28. Her recorded Vietnam campaign participation also included January 10 through January 13. USS WICHITA returned to Yankee Station in February, with additional recognized campaign-service periods from February 3 to February 6 and February 12 to February 23. After completing another series of replenishment operations, she visited Hong Kong for approximately five days beginning on February 23. She subsequently returned to Subic Bay, loaded additional cargo and conducted a final abbreviated period of operations off Vietnam, including qualifying service from March 7 through March 10. USS WICHITA departed Subic Bay on March 14, 1972, for the return voyage to California and arrived at Long Beach on March 31.

During her second western Pacific deployment, USS WICHITA had conducted 328 underway replenishment evolutions, transferring more than 53 million gallons of fuel, approximately 13,000 tons of ammunition and over 1,100 tons of provisions and other supplies. The ship traveled approximately 60,000 miles during the eight-month deployment, which had included both Vietnam War operations and the unexpected deployment to the Indian Ocean. Following her return to the United States, she underwent the customary post-deployment leave and upkeep period. Additional repair work was conducted at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco. The interval between deployments was relatively short, and preparations soon began for another assignment to the Seventh Fleet.

On July 17, 1972, USS WICHITA departed Long Beach for her third western Pacific deployment and arrived at Subic Bay on August 4. The military situation in Vietnam had changed significantly following North Vietnam's Easter Offensive, launched on March 30, 1972. The United States had responded with expanded air and naval operations, including the Linebacker bombing campaign, increasing the demand for aviation fuel, ammunition and logistical support. During the following six months, USS WICHITA completed six major replenishment voyages to the waters surrounding Vietnam. Her operating pattern consisted of repeated passages between Subic Bay and the Gulf of Tonkin, with occasional port visits to Hong Kong and Sattahip, Thailand. Among the aircraft carriers she replenished during this deployment were USS SARATOGA (CV 60) and USS ORISKANY (CVA 34).

USS WICHITA's recorded Vietnam campaign participation during her third deployment included August 11 to September 1, September 7 to September 23, October 2 to October 24, November 6 to November 19, December 10 to December 22, 1972, and December 29, 1972, through January 26, 1973. A final period was recorded from February 1 through February 3, 1973. Throughout these assignments, USS WICHITA transferred fuel, ammunition and provisions to ships operating in the Gulf of Tonkin and South China Sea while returning to Subic Bay for loading and repairs. The Paris Peace Accords were signed on January 27, 1973, providing for an American military withdrawal and a ceasefire, although fighting within Vietnam continued. As American combat operations declined, the requirements placed on the Seventh Fleet gradually changed. USS WICHITA eventually departed the western Pacific and returned to Long Beach on March 16, 1973, completing her third deployment in support of the war. She ultimately received four Vietnam campaign stars for her service.

Following several months of maintenance, training and local operations along the California coast, USS WICHITA prepared for her fourth western Pacific deployment. Captain James F. Varley relieved Captain McCracken as commanding officer on August 17, 1973. The deployment took place after the withdrawal of American combat forces from Vietnam and involved peacetime replenishment duties with the Seventh Fleet. It also extended into the Indian Ocean, where American naval forces were increasing their operational presence. This activity coincided with the October 1973 Arab-Israeli War, the subsequent international oil crisis and continuing Cold War competition between American and Soviet naval forces.

During November and December 1973, USS WICHITA supported a carrier task group centered on USS ORISKANY. Other vessels associated with the formation included the guided-missile destroyer USS BUCHANAN (DDG 14) and the destroyer escort USS ROBERT E. PEARY (DE 1073). While the carrier and escorts departed Subic Bay on November 26, USS WICHITA followed on December 6 to undertake the group's replenishment requirements. The task group subsequently operated in the Indian Ocean, conducting exercises, maintaining a naval presence and preparing for port visits in East Africa.

Shortly before Christmas 1973, USS WICHITA provided fuel to another group of American warships operating in the Indian Ocean. The destroyer escorts USS KOELSCH (DE 1049) and USS BRUMBY (DE 1044), which had reached the region after sailing around southern Africa, joined the guided-missile destroyer USS CHARLES F. ADAMS (DDG 2) and the destroyer escort USS McCANDLESS (DE 1084). All four ships received fuel from USS WICHITA before proceeding to Port Louis, Mauritius, where they arrived on December 24, 1973.

The deployment also included arrangements for a Christmas visit to Mombasa, Kenya, by USS ORISKANY, USS BUCHANAN, USS ROBERT E. PEARY and USS WICHITA. Kenyan authorities approved the proposed visit on December 17, 1973, for the period December 22 through December 27. USS WICHITA was scheduled to arrive approximately two days after the other ships. Following the Christmas period, USS WICHITA continued replenishment operations in the Indian Ocean and western Pacific before returning across the Pacific to Long Beach, where she arrived on March 26, 1974.

After a post-deployment standdown and a short period of operations off California, USS WICHITA entered Long Beach Naval Shipyard on June 28, 1974, to begin her first regular overhaul. The work included inspections, repairs and maintenance of her propulsion machinery, auxiliary systems, hull equipment and replenishment installations. After several years of repeated extended deployments, the overhaul provided an opportunity to restore and service equipment that had been subjected to sustained operational use. USS WICHITA remained at the shipyard until January 1975. On January 24, her assigned homeport was changed from Long Beach to San Francisco. Four days later, on January 28, she completed the overhaul and returned to sea for post-overhaul trials. During the following months, USS WICHITA conducted machinery and equipment testing, made a visit to Acapulco, Mexico, and completed refresher training in the San Diego operating area. She arrived at her new homeport of San Francisco on April 4, 1975.

On May 6, 1975, USS WICHITA departed San Francisco for her fifth deployment to the western Pacific. Captain Roger E. Sheets relieved Captain Varley as commanding officer on May 27. USS WICHITA arrived at Subic Bay on May 24 and began another extended period of Seventh Fleet replenishment operations. The deployment followed the collapse of the South Vietnamese government and the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, which had ended the Vietnam War. Although the combat operations that had characterized her earlier deployments were over, the Seventh Fleet continued maintaining aircraft carriers, surface combatants and supporting vessels throughout the western Pacific. USS WICHITA conducted repeated underway replenishments and visited Hong Kong, Sasebo and Yokosuka, Japan, as well as Subic Bay. Her operations included supplying fuel, provisions and other stores to ships engaged in fleet exercises, patrols and routine deployments in the Philippine Sea, South China Sea and waters near Japan.

USS WICHITA continued her replenishment assignments until November 26, 1975, when she departed Subic Bay for the return passage to the United States. During the homeward voyage, she made a stop at Pearl Harbor in early December for logistical requirements and crew liberty. She arrived in San Francisco on December 15, concluding approximately seven months of overseas service.

During 1976, USS WICHITA remained primarily in the eastern Pacific, operating from San Francisco and conducting type training, operational-readiness exercises, inspections and upkeep. Her replenishment equipment was exercised regularly to maintain crew proficiency in transferring fuel and cargo while ships maneuvered alongside one another at sea. Captain James A. MacKenzie relieved Captain Sheets as commanding officer on September 11, 1976. By the end of the year, preparations were underway for another deployment to the western Pacific.

Following refresher training, USS WICHITA departed California on April 12, 1977, for her sixth western Pacific deployment. She arrived at Subic Bay on May 4 and resumed operational service with the Seventh Fleet. During the first part of the deployment, her duties were concentrated in the Philippine operating areas, with Subic Bay providing the principal facilities for loading fuel and supplies and conducting maintenance. On July 26, her operational activities shifted northward. For the remainder of the deployment, USS WICHITA operated primarily in the East China Sea and Sea of Japan, using Sasebo and Yokosuka as her main support ports. These waters were important operating areas for American naval forces maintaining a presence near Japan, the Korean Peninsula and the Soviet Far East. USS WICHITA supplied vessels conducting exercises and operational patrols while continuing her own readiness training and maintenance. She departed Yokosuka on November 6, 1977, and arrived at Alameda, California, on November 21, completing the deployment.

After a post-deployment leave and upkeep period, USS WICHITA resumed training and fleet-support operations along the American west coast. During the first part of 1978, she participated in exercises, operational-readiness inspections, naval reserve training and visits to American and Canadian ports. Captain Dana A. Pederson relieved Captain MacKenzie as commanding officer on March 28, 1978. USS WICHITA subsequently participated in Rimpac 78, a multinational naval exercise conducted in the Hawaiian operating areas. The exercise brought American and allied naval forces together for coordinated training involving aircraft carriers, surface combatants and supporting vessels. USS WICHITA's role was to provide replenishment support while exercising the procedures required to sustain a multinational force at sea. She visited Pearl Harbor on April 5 and April 6, 1978, to load stores and provide a short liberty period for her crew. She subsequently returned to sea for further exercise operations and made another visit to Pearl Harbor later in April at the conclusion of her assigned Rimpac activities.

For the remainder of 1978, USS WICHITA continued eastern Pacific operations, alternating between training, maintenance and preparations for another major shipyard period. On November 2, 1978, she entered Triple A Shipyard at Hunters Point, San Francisco, for a scheduled overhaul lasting approximately nine months. The work involved the repair and refurbishment of machinery, engineering installations and other equipment after several years of extensive operational use. During the summer of 1979, USS WICHITA completed the overhaul and returned to Alameda. From the latter part of 1979 into March 1980, she conducted sea trials, engineering tests and refresher training intended to restore full operational readiness after the prolonged yard period. During this general period, USS WICHITA received a Navy Battle Efficiency Award. Captain Anthony A. Less relieved Captain Pederson as commanding officer on December 21, 1979.

In 1980, USS WICHITA undertook another western Pacific deployment that included an extended assignment in the Indian Ocean. The deployment occurred during a period of increasing political and military tension in Southwest Asia. The Iranian Revolution had overthrown the government of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1979, and American diplomatic personnel were being held hostage in Tehran following the seizure of the United States Embassy on November 4, 1979. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 had further increased American concerns about developments in the region. United States naval forces consequently maintained an expanded presence in the northern Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, requiring replenishment ships capable of supporting prolonged operations far from American naval bases.

USS WICHITA's 1980 deployment included port visits and logistical stops at Pearl Harbor, Subic Bay, Singapore, Diego Garcia, Masirah Island in Oman and Pattaya, Thailand. Diego Garcia was becoming an increasingly important American support facility in the Indian Ocean, while the waters around Masirah and the Gulf of Oman provided access to operating areas near the Arabian Peninsula. USS WICHITA spent approximately 109 days operating in the Indian Ocean, transferring fuel and other supplies to American naval vessels. Her crew received the Navy Expeditionary Medal for qualifying service associated with the American naval presence in the region.

A fatal helicopter accident occurred on July 16, 1980, while USS WICHITA was operating in the Gulf of Oman. A CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter assigned to a detachment operating from the ship was lost during flight operations associated with replenishment activities involving the frigate USS DAVIDSON (FF 1045). Three members of the helicopter crew were killed: Lieutenant junior grade Paul J. Cappellino, Aviation Electronics Technician Third Class Philip Zahlout and Aviation Structural Mechanic Third Class Robert Malvica.

During the same deployment, USS WICHITA became involved in the rescue of Vietnamese refugees at sea. Large numbers of people were still attempting to leave Vietnam by boat, frequently making dangerous passages across the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand. USS WICHITA assisted Vietnamese refugees encountered during her operations and subsequently received the Humanitarian Service Medal for her participation in the rescue. During the return phase of the deployment, the ship also experienced a mechanical failure involving a stern tube bearing. One propeller shaft had to be secured, restricting the ship to single-shaft propulsion and reducing her available speed. The machinery problem prolonged the return passage to Alameda. Following her return, USS WICHITA resumed maintenance and operational training in the eastern Pacific. During this general period, her activities included visits to Vancouver, British Columbia, and Mexican ports, together with exercises and replenishment duties in the southern California operating areas.

During 1981, USS WICHITA continued providing logistical support to Pacific Fleet formations operating between California and Hawaii. Captain Bert D. Terry relieved Captain Less as commanding officer on July 10, 1981. On August 20, USS WICHITA conducted an underway replenishment with her sister ship USS KANSAS CITY in the southern California operating area. The operation took place during a period when mechanical problems had delayed USS KANSAS CITY's scheduled departure for the western Pacific. USS WICHITA also supported other naval units conducting deployment preparations, fleet exercises and operational training.

Another fatal aviation accident occurred on November 21, 1981, during helicopter operations approximately 70 miles west of San Diego. A UH-46D Sea Knight helicopter, Bureau Number 154035, assigned to Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 11, was lost after operating from USS WICHITA. All four personnel aboard were killed. The accident occurred during night flight operations and resulted in the loss of the helicopter. USS WICHITA subsequently continued her Pacific Fleet duties, alternating between maintenance and operational assignments.

On February 12, 1982, USS WICHITA departed Naval Air Station Alameda for operations at sea. Later that year, she undertook another deployment to the western Pacific. A contemporary Navy announcement issued in April 1982 identified the ship as participating in a scheduled six-month deployment involving exercises with Seventh Fleet units and allied naval forces. Her assignments continued to include underway replenishment and the delivery of fuel, ammunition and provisions to ships operating in the western Pacific.

Captain Jerry L. Unruh relieved Captain Terry as commanding officer on January 7, 1983. During the first half of the year, USS WICHITA conducted maintenance and training in preparation for another major deployment. She subsequently deployed with the battle group centered on the aircraft carrier USS RANGER (CV 61), which departed San Diego on July 15, 1983. The battle group included the guided-missile cruiser USS HORNE (CG 30), the guided-missile destroyer USS LYNDE McCORMICK (DDG 8), the destroyers USS FIFE (DD 991) and USS FLETCHER (DD 992), the frigate USS MARVIN SHIELDS (FF 1066), and the fast combat support ship USS CAMDEN (AOE 2).

Shortly after leaving California, the battle group was redirected toward Central America. The region was experiencing considerable political instability, including the conflict in Nicaragua and insurgencies in neighboring countries. The United States was conducting naval exercises and maintaining a military presence in waters near Central America as part of its regional security policy. USS RANGER and her escorts were assigned to operations near the Central American coast, while USS WICHITA provided the fuel and supplies necessary to sustain the formation.

On July 18, 1983, USS WICHITA collided with USS RANGER during an underway replenishment evolution. The two vessels came into contact while maneuvering for replenishment, causing damage to both ships. USS RANGER sustained damage to an aircraft elevator, while USS WICHITA suffered damage to her replenishment installations and part of her aft superstructure. The collision disabled port-side fueling equipment and damaged hoses, kingposts and associated replenishment arrangements. No injuries were reported. The incident substantially reduced USS WICHITA's ability to perform normal replenishment operations until repairs could be carried out.

USS WICHITA subsequently proceeded to Subic Bay, where she underwent approximately three weeks of repairs. The repair period interrupted her original assignment with the USS RANGER battle group. While the carrier continued its deployment toward the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, USS WICHITA remained in the western Pacific and was assigned to other operational duties.

On September 1, 1983, Soviet fighter aircraft shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 after the civilian Boeing 747 had entered Soviet airspace near Sakhalin Island. All 269 passengers and crew members aboard were killed. The incident caused serious international tensions and led to an extensive search for the aircraft, its flight recorders and other wreckage in the waters near Sakhalin and Moneron Island. American, Japanese and South Korean forces participated in the search, while Soviet naval and civilian vessels also operated in the area. The American operation was conducted in the northern Sea of Japan under the direction of Task Force 71. As the initial search failed to locate survivors, the mission changed from search and rescue to search and salvage on September 10.

Following completion of her repairs at Subic Bay, USS WICHITA was assigned to provide logistical support to American ships participating in the operation. The search vessels were required to remain in the northern Sea of Japan for extended periods while conducting surface and underwater searches, often in proximity to Soviet naval units. USS WICHITA supplied fuel, provisions and other cargo, supporting the continued presence of the American search force. On September 17, 1983, she conducted a documented vertical replenishment operation with the rescue and salvage ship USS CONSERVER (ARS 39). Other ships participating in the wider American search effort included the destroyer USS ELLIOT (DD 967), the frigate USS BADGER (FF 1071), the guided-missile cruiser USS STERETT (CG 31), and the fleet oiler USNS HASSAYAMPA (T-AO 145).

USS WICHITA remained associated with the search effort for approximately 45 days. The operation was complicated by political disagreements between the United States and Soviet Union concerning the circumstances of the aircraft's destruction and access to the suspected wreckage area. Search vessels operated under difficult conditions while attempting to locate and recover material from the aircraft. By maintaining the supplies of participating units, USS WICHITA allowed the search force to continue operating without frequent returns to Japanese ports.

The wider 1983-1984 deployment included operations and port visits across the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Locations documented in accounts of USS WICHITA's deployment included Pearl Harbor, Guam, Subic Bay, Singapore, Chinhae in South Korea, Pattaya in Thailand, Hong Kong, Yokosuka and Nagasaki in Japan. These movements reflected the ship's changing assignments, including the repairs following the collision, support for the Korean Air Lines search and subsequent Seventh Fleet replenishment duties. USS WICHITA eventually returned to California during 1984 and resumed maintenance and training. Captain Haywood G. Sprouse relieved Captain Unruh as commanding officer on June 22, 1984.

During the remainder of 1984 and the first half of 1985, USS WICHITA continued Pacific Fleet replenishment duties, maintenance and deployment preparations. Her training included engineering exercises, underway replenishment operations, helicopter procedures and operational-readiness evaluations. In July 1985, she deployed again to the western Pacific and Indian Ocean in support of a battle group centered on the aircraft carrier USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63). The carrier's deployment began on July 24 and ended on December 21, 1985. The formation, known as Battle Group Bravo, included the guided-missile cruisers USS HORNE and USS FOX (CG 33), the guided-missile destroyer USS HOEL (DDG 13), the destroyer USS FIFE, the frigates USS BADGER and USS COOK (FF 1083), the combat stores ship USS MARS (AFS 1), and the ammunition ship USS SHASTA (AE 33), among other assigned units.

During the deployment, USS WICHITA supplied fuel and stores to the carrier group as it operated across the western Pacific and Indian Ocean. The American naval presence in the northern Indian Ocean continued to be influenced by instability in the Persian Gulf region, the Iran-Iraq War and the Soviet military presence in Afghanistan. USS WICHITA's replenishment duties included frequent operations with USS KITTY HAWK and her escorts. The carrier's operational records document replenishment activities involving USS WICHITA on August 8, August 11, August 15, August 18 and August 29, 1985, with additional operations during the following months. USS WICHITA also coordinated the receipt and transfer of supplies with the other logistics vessels supporting the formation. Captain Joseph J. Dantone Jr. relieved Captain Sprouse as commanding officer on December 10, 1985, shortly before the conclusion of the deployment.

During 1986, USS WICHITA returned to the normal cycle of Pacific Fleet maintenance, training and replenishment support. Her activities were concentrated on the eastern Pacific operating areas while preparations progressed for another overseas deployment. The ship continued supporting carrier battle group exercises and conducting the training necessary to maintain her engineering, cargo-handling and aviation capabilities. Captain Thomas S. Slater relieved Captain Dantone as commanding officer on March 12, 1987.

In July 1987, USS WICHITA began another western Pacific and Indian Ocean deployment as part of the logistical support structure associated with Battle Group Echo. The formation included the aircraft carrier USS RANGER and the battleship USS MISSOURI (BB 63). Other naval units operating with the battle group or associated forces included the nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser USS LONG BEACH (CGN 9), the guided-missile cruisers USS BUNKER HILL (CG 52) and USS GRIDLEY (CG 21), the destroyers USS LEFTWICH (DD 984) and USS JOHN YOUNG (DD 973), USS HOEL, USS BUCHANAN, and the frigate USS CURTS (FFG 38). Supporting logistics vessels included USS KANSAS CITY, USNS HASSAYAMPA and USS SHASTA.

The 1987 deployment coincided with a substantial increase in American naval activity in the Persian Gulf. Iran and Iraq had been at war since September 1980, and attacks against commercial shipping had become a major feature of the conflict. In response to threats against Kuwaiti tankers, the United States initiated Operation Earnest Will, under which selected Kuwaiti vessels were reflagged under the American flag and escorted by American warships. The first escorted tanker transit began on July 22, 1987. American naval forces operated in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman and northern Arabian Sea, maintaining surveillance, conducting escort operations and preparing to respond to threats against shipping. USS WICHITA supported the naval presence through the delivery of fuel and other supplies to ships operating in the region.

The operating environment remained tense throughout the deployment. Naval mines, attacks against merchant shipping and the activities of Iranian and Iraqi forces complicated the movement of vessels through the Persian Gulf. On October 19, 1987, American warships carried out Operation Nimble Archer, an attack against Iranian offshore oil platforms following an Iranian missile strike against the reflagged tanker SEA ISLE CITY. USS WICHITA's established role during the deployment was logistical support. Her replenishment duties contributed to the sustained operation of American naval forces in the region. The deployment concluded in December 1987, with USS RANGER returning to the United States on December 29.

During 1988, USS WICHITA again operated with the Pacific Fleet, undertaking maintenance, training and replenishment assignments. Captain Dennis V. McGinn relieved Captain Slater as commanding officer on December 16, 1988. During the first half of 1989, USS WICHITA prepared for another major deployment through fleet exercises, inspections and underway replenishment training. On June 20, 1989, she conducted a documented replenishment operation with the frigate USS FRANCIS HAMMOND (FF 1067) during a Composite Training Unit Exercise off the California coast. These exercises prepared individual ships and their crews for coordinated operations as part of larger naval formations.

USS WICHITA departed California in September 1989 for what became her final extended western Pacific deployment. She operated with naval forces associated with USS ENTERPRISE and USS LONG BEACH and participated in PacEx 89, a major Pacific Fleet exercise involving several aircraft carrier battle groups and units of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. The exercise extended across a large area of the northern Pacific, including waters near the Aleutian Islands, and tested the ability of American naval forces to operate together over considerable distances. USS WICHITA provided replenishment support for participating ships while exercising the coordination of fuel and cargo transfers during a large fleet operation.

Following PacEx 89, USS WICHITA continued westward with her assigned naval forces. The deployment included a visit to Hong Kong in October 1989 and Subic Bay in November. During December, USS WICHITA visited Pattaya, Thailand, and Singapore. Between these port calls, she continued supplying fuel, provisions and other cargo to ships conducting operational training and deployments. The cruise took place during a period of major international political change, including the collapse of communist governments in Eastern Europe and the opening of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. American naval forces nevertheless continued their existing operational deployments throughout the Pacific and Indian Ocean.

In January 1990, USS WICHITA operated in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, supporting the carrier group centered on USS ENTERPRISE. The formation was undertaking a deployment that would conclude on the American east coast rather than returning to its former Pacific homeport. USS WICHITA continued providing fuel and supplies while the ships operated in the waters near the Arabian Peninsula. The logistics arrangements included the delivery of supplies by United States Air Force transport aircraft for onward shipment to naval vessels. On January 16, 1990, and again on January 27 and January 28, supplies delivered by C-141 Starlifter aircraft were transferred through the logistical system supporting USS WICHITA and USS ENTERPRISE. These arrangements allowed stores originating outside the immediate operating area to be delivered to the carrier while it remained at sea.

On January 30, 1990, USS WICHITA detached from USS ENTERPRISE and USS LONG BEACH near Masirah, Oman, and proceeded south toward Diego Garcia. The carrier and cruiser continued their deployment toward the Atlantic, while USS WICHITA remained in the Indian Ocean for further logistical duties. During February, USS WICHITA made several visits to Muscat, Oman, associated with fuel, supplies and maintenance requirements. Accounts of the deployment record approximately five calls at Muscat during the month. Her subsequent itinerary also included Ko Phuket, Thailand, and Subic Bay. USS WICHITA eventually proceeded eastward across the Pacific and arrived at Pearl Harbor in March 1990. During the Hawaiian port call, she completed preparations for the final passage to California and embarked family members of crew personnel for a Tiger Cruise. USS WICHITA subsequently returned to Oakland, California, completing her final extended western Pacific and Indian Ocean deployment.

Following her return, USS WICHITA continued operating with the Pacific Fleet. Captain Paul A. Romanski relieved Captain McGinn as commanding officer on June 28, 1990. The ship underwent maintenance and equipment work during the following period and continued conducting replenishment training in the eastern Pacific. By the final years of her career, USS WICHITA carried two Phalanx close-in weapon systems, providing a point-defense capability against aircraft and incoming missiles.

During 1991 and 1992, USS WICHITA's service was concentrated primarily in the eastern Pacific. Her operations included shorter deployments, fleet-support assignments and visits to ports along the American and Canadian Pacific coasts and in Mexico. Documented destinations associated with this final period included Victoria, British Columbia; Portland, Oregon; and the Mexican ports of Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. These voyages combined operational training, maintenance requirements and crew liberty. USS WICHITA also participated in activities supporting United States Coast Guard counter-narcotics operations. During some eastern Pacific assignments, Coast Guard law-enforcement personnel embarked aboard the ship, allowing naval resources to support maritime surveillance and interdiction efforts against drug trafficking. USS WICHITA provided the shipboard facilities and operational support, while law-enforcement activities remained the responsibility of the embarked Coast Guard personnel.

Captain Charles K. Crandall Jr. relieved Captain Romanski as commanding officer on January 24, 1992, becoming USS WICHITA's final commanding officer. During his tenure, the ship continued her remaining Pacific Fleet assignments while preparations for retirement progressed. The end of the Cold War and changes in the United States Navy's force structure led to reductions in the number of ships maintained in active commission, including older fleet auxiliaries. USS WICHITA was selected for decommissioning after almost twenty-four years of active service.

By the beginning of 1993, USS WICHITA had completed twelve western Pacific deployments and supported naval operations extending from the waters off Vietnam to the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf region. During her career, she had transferred more than 500 million gallons of fuel and approximately 100,000 tons of supplies to ships of the Seventh Fleet, according to figures released by the Navy in February 1993.

USS WICHITA was decommissioned on March 12, 1993, with Captain Crandall as her final commanding officer. Her recorded decorations included three Navy Meritorious Unit Commendations, five Navy Battle Efficiency Awards, the Navy Expeditionary Medal for qualifying operations in the Iran and Indian Ocean area, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for Persian Gulf service, the Vietnam Service Medal with four campaign stars, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

On March 13, 1993, the former USS WICHITA was taken under tow to Bremerton Naval Shipyard in Washington, where equipment was removed as part of the inactivation process. She subsequently proceeded toward the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, California, where she was placed in storage on April 7, 1993, at Row G, Berth 7. The reserve fleet was maintained by the United States Maritime Administration and served as a storage location for former naval and merchant vessels awaiting possible further use or disposal. The former USS WICHITA remained at Suisun Bay after her retirement and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on February 15, 1995. Administrative title was transferred to the Maritime Administration on December 18, 1998.

For approximately two decades after decommissioning, the former USS WICHITA remained laid up at Suisun Bay. During this period, she was subject to the preservation, inspection and disposal arrangements applicable to vessels held in the reserve fleet. Her machinery and equipment were no longer maintained for operational naval service, and the vessel was eventually designated for dismantling. On February 4, 2013, she was sold for recycling to International Shipbreaking Limited in Brownsville, Texas. In preparation for her final voyage, the former replenishment oiler was moved to Pier 70 in San Francisco on February 8, 2013, for cleaning and environmental preparations. She departed the San Francisco area under tow by the tug ROUGHNECK on March 16, 2013, and arrived at Brownsville on April 28. The former USS WICHITA was subsequently dismantled and recycled.

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USS WICHITA Image Gallery:

The two stern photos of the WICHITA were taken by me and show the ship laid-up at Suisun Bay, Calif., on March 27, 2010.

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