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USS Milwaukee (AOR 2)

USS MILWAUKEE was the second ship in the WICHITA - class of replenishment oilers and the fourth vessel of the United States Navy to bear the name of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Decommissioned on January 27, 1994, and stricken from the Navy list on April 8, 1997, the MILWAUKEE was subsequently berthed at the James River Reserve Fleet, Fort Eustis, Va., awaiting final disposal. She was sold for scrapping to Bay Bridge Enterprise, Chesapeake, Va., in January 2009.

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Crew List:

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

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USS MILWAUKEE Cruise Books:

• Mediterranean Cruise Book 1976-77

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Accidents aboard USS MILWAUKEE:

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USS MILWAUKEE History:

The contract for USS MILWAUKEE was awarded to General Dynamics Corporation on June 2, 1965, and her keel was laid at the company's Quincy shipyard in Massachusetts on November 29, 1966. She was launched on January 17, 1969, sponsored by Mrs. Henry W. Maier, the wife of Milwaukee's mayor. Following fitting-out and preliminary machinery tests, she conducted builder's trials during the summer of 1969. On July 31, she was photographed underway off Quincy during her pre-commissioning trial period. USS MILWAUKEE was commissioned at Boston Naval Shipyard in Charlestown, Massachusetts, on November 1, 1969, with Captain James Whitney Martin as her first commanding officer.

Following commissioning, USS MILWAUKEE completed the equipment checks, trials and training required before assuming regular fleet duties. Her initial operating period included the establishment of her Atlantic Fleet support arrangements and the qualification of her engineering and replenishment personnel. The ship's responsibilities required close coordination with receiving vessels, particularly during simultaneous transfers of fuel and solid cargo. In addition to maintaining course and speed during replenishment operations, her crew had to operate the fuel-transfer equipment, cargo rigs and aviation facilities under varying sea conditions. The ship subsequently entered the normal Atlantic Fleet cycle of maintenance, training and operational assignments. During 1970, these activities prepared her for extended service with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean.

In early 1971, USS MILWAUKEE began her first documented extended Mediterranean deployment. The Sixth Fleet maintained a substantial naval presence in the region during the Cold War, with aircraft carriers, guided-missile ships, destroyers, amphibious vessels and supporting auxiliaries operating throughout the Mediterranean. These forces conducted routine patrols, combined exercises with NATO navies and contingency operations associated with developments in southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. USS MILWAUKEE's duties consisted primarily of delivering fuel and stores to ships remaining at sea for extended periods. Among the aircraft carriers she supported was USS FORRESTAL (CVA 59), whose Mediterranean deployment extended from January 5 through July 2, 1971. Photographic documentation from the carrier's cruise records an underway replenishment with USS MILWAUKEE. The operation formed part of the logistical support provided to American carrier formations operating far from their homeports.

USS MILWAUKEE's first Mediterranean assignment continued into the summer of 1971. The ship conducted replenishment operations with Sixth Fleet units, participated in training exercises and used regional naval facilities for supplies and maintenance. Captain Harold L. Terry relieved Captain Martin as commanding officer on May 15, 1971. Following the completion of her Mediterranean duties, USS MILWAUKEE returned to Atlantic Fleet operations. During the latter part of 1971, she also operated in the North Atlantic, supporting naval exercises and the movement of American warships in northern European waters. These operations took place within the wider framework of NATO maritime training, which emphasized the protection of Atlantic sea routes, the coordination of allied naval forces and the ability to sustain large formations away from their national bases.

During the first months of 1972, USS MILWAUKEE continued operational training and maintenance in the western Atlantic. She subsequently returned to the Mediterranean for another Sixth Fleet assignment, conducting replenishment operations with American warships and participating in the regular exercise schedule of the fleet. Captain William David Shaughnessy relieved Captain Terry as commanding officer on July 22, 1972.

The ship's Mediterranean activities continued during the following months and included support for fleet auxiliaries and combat units operating in the central and eastern Mediterranean. On October 14, 1972, USS MILWAUKEE conducted a documented refueling operation involving the ammunition ship USS GREAT SITKIN (AE 17). The operation took place during a period of extensive logistical activity south of Crete. On the same day, USS GREAT SITKIN also received stores by helicopter from the combat stores ships USS SAN DIEGO (AFS 6) and USS SYLVANIA (AFS 2). These transfers between auxiliary vessels allowed fuel and cargo to be redistributed at sea without requiring each ship to return independently to port.

Later in 1972, USS MILWAUKEE undertook a deployment to the western Pacific and participated in the final phase of American naval operations connected with the Vietnam War. The military situation in Southeast Asia had changed substantially following North Vietnam's Easter Offensive, which began on March 30, 1972. The United States responded with expanded air and naval operations, including Operation Linebacker, while negotiations continued over an agreement to end American direct military involvement. Aircraft carriers and surface combatants operating in the South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin required regular deliveries of fuel, ammunition and provisions, and fleet replenishment ships formed an important part of the Seventh Fleet's support organization.

USS MILWAUKEE's recorded Vietnam campaign participation began on November 12, 1972, and continued intermittently into February 1973. Documented qualifying periods included November 12 through November 14, November 24 through December 10, and December 18 through December 30, 1972, as well as additional service during February 1973, including February 19 and February 20. During this period, American naval forces were engaged in the final stages of the air campaign against North Vietnam. Operation Linebacker II began on December 18, 1972, and continued through December 29, involving intensive American air operations during the final peace negotiations. The Paris Peace Accords were signed on January 27, 1973, providing for a ceasefire, the withdrawal of American combat forces and the return of prisoners of war. American naval operations in the region continued during the implementation of the agreement. USS MILWAUKEE received one Vietnam campaign star for her qualifying service.

Following her return from the western Pacific, USS MILWAUKEE resumed Atlantic Fleet duties. During the latter part of 1973 and the beginning of 1974, the ship underwent a period of maintenance and overhaul work. Her propulsion machinery, engineering equipment, replenishment installations and other shipboard systems required inspection and servicing following several years of operational use. After the maintenance period, USS MILWAUKEE resumed operational training, including exercises in the Caribbean. In April 1974, her training activities included operations at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the Navy maintained facilities used for refresher training, damage-control exercises and operational-readiness evaluations. Captain Joseph John Barth Jr. relieved Captain Shaughnessy as commanding officer on June 22, 1974.

During the remainder of 1974 and the first half of 1975, USS MILWAUKEE continued supporting Atlantic Fleet units through underway replenishment, training and maintenance. Her operations were associated with the regular preparation of carrier battle groups and other formations for deployment to the Mediterranean. The ship also maintained the equipment necessary for the transfer of aviation fuel, ship fuel, ammunition and refrigerated cargo during prolonged periods at sea. Captain Richard Taliaferro Wright relieved Captain Barth as commanding officer on July 30, 1975. USS MILWAUKEE subsequently prepared for another Sixth Fleet deployment, which would include several unusual assignments in addition to her normal replenishment duties.

During the first half of 1976, USS MILWAUKEE completed maintenance and deployment preparations in the western Atlantic. A contemporary Navy photograph records the ship underway in Chesapeake Bay in January 1976. Later that year, she departed for a Mediterranean deployment associated with the aircraft carrier USS NIMITZ (CVN 68), which was undertaking its first extended deployment to the Mediterranean. USS NIMITZ left Norfolk on July 7, 1976, beginning a cruise that would continue until February 7, 1977. The carrier and its escorts were assigned to normal Sixth Fleet operations, including exercises, surveillance and the maintenance of an American naval presence in the Mediterranean. USS MILWAUKEE supported the deployed forces through the delivery of fuel, provisions and other supplies. Photographs from her 1976-1977 cruise document a simultaneous replenishment involving USS NIMITZ and the guided-missile destroyer USS CLAUDE V. RICKETTS (DDG 5), demonstrating the ability of the replenishment oiler to service more than one receiving ship during a single evolution. Other documented replenishment operations during this general period involved allied naval vessels, including the British frigate HMS ANDROMEDA (F 57).

During the 1976 deployment, USS MILWAUKEE received an assignment connected with the transportation of Egyptian antiquities to the United States. The governments of Egypt and the United States had arranged for the exhibition Treasures of Tutankhamun to tour American museums as part of the cultural cooperation associated with the American Bicentennial. The exhibition consisted of 55 objects from the tomb of Tutankhamun, which had been discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. The collection included funerary objects, jewelry, furniture and other artifacts of considerable historical and cultural importance. The exhibition arrangements had developed from an agreement between the two countries in 1974, during a period when diplomatic relations between Egypt and the United States were improving following the Arab-Israeli conflicts of the preceding years.

USS MILWAUKEE collected the carefully packed exhibition objects at Alexandria, Egypt, during the deployment. The artifacts were then transported by sea to Naples, Italy, where they were transferred to USS SYLVANIA. The combat stores ship subsequently carried the collection across the Atlantic to Norfolk, Virginia, arriving in September 1976. USS MILWAUKEE therefore completed the Mediterranean portion of the voyage rather than transporting the collection directly to the United States. The exhibition opened at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., on November 17, 1976, and subsequently traveled to other American museums, including institutions in Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Seattle, New York and San Francisco. The transportation assignment was separate from USS MILWAUKEE's regular replenishment duties and formed part of the logistical support provided by the Navy for the international exhibition.

After completing the transport of the antiquities, USS MILWAUKEE resumed her normal Sixth Fleet responsibilities. The 1976-1977 deployment included repeated replenishment operations with aircraft carriers and their escorts, as well as port visits and maintenance periods in the Mediterranean. Her responsibilities included supporting vertical replenishment operations, which permitted the delivery of cargo without requiring receiving vessels to maneuver alongside. Helicopter transfers were particularly useful when several ships required supplies during a limited period or when the nature of the cargo made airborne transfer more suitable.

A fatal aviation accident involving the replenishment force occurred on December 17, 1976. A CH-46D Sea Knight helicopter assigned to Detachment 2 of Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 6 and operating from USS SAN DIEGO crashed into the Mediterranean during nighttime vertical replenishment operations associated with the USS NIMITZ task group. The helicopter suffered an engine failure during the operation. Three members of the helicopter crew, including both pilots, were rescued by USS MILWAUKEE, while a fourth crew member, Russell Eugene Ward, was killed. USS MILWAUKEE subsequently continued her assigned replenishment duties. The carrier deployment concluded in February 1977, and USS MILWAUKEE returned to Atlantic Fleet operations. During the following months, the ship underwent maintenance and participated in training in preparation for another assignment in northern European waters. Captain Cecil B. Hawkins Jr. relieved Captain Wright as commanding officer on June 10, 1977.

Later in June 1977, USS MILWAUKEE joined the United States naval delegation associated with the international fleet review commemorating the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The celebrations marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Queen's accession to the British throne and brought together warships from the Royal Navy and numerous foreign navies. The American delegation included the nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser USS CALIFORNIA (CGN 36), the guided-missile destroyer USS CONYNGHAM (DDG 17), the guided-missile frigate USS JULIUS A. FURER (FFG 6), the nuclear-powered submarine USS BILLFISH (SSN 676), the amphibious transport USS FRANCIS MARION (LPA 249), the frigate USS JESSE L. BROWN (FF 1089), and USS MILWAUKEE.

The principal fleet review took place at Spithead, off Portsmouth, England, on June 28, 1977. The American ships carried out different assignments during the celebrations. USS CALIFORNIA and USS BILLFISH represented the United States in the actual royal fleet inspection, while USS MILWAUKEE and the other participating vessels conducted goodwill visits to northern European ports. The deployment combined naval representation, allied cooperation and opportunities for professional exchanges between naval personnel. For USS MILWAUKEE, the assignment differed from her normal carrier-support duties because the schedule included ceremonial and diplomatic activities rather than primarily operational replenishment.

During the return voyage from northern European waters in July 1977, USS MILWAUKEE served as a platform for naval aerial-target operations. Records of Utility Squadron 6 document the launching and control of the unit's final KD2R-5 aerial target drone from the ship during this period. The drone was used in naval training associated with the development and evaluation of weapons and defensive systems. After completing the European assignment, USS MILWAUKEE returned to Norfolk and resumed her normal Atlantic Fleet operating schedule.

In September 1977, USS MILWAUKEE departed for a three-week deployment to the Caribbean Sea in support of Atlantic Fleet exercises. During the voyage, she visited Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, and St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands. The exercises involved the replenishment and support of naval units operating in the Caribbean and provided an opportunity to maintain shiphandling and supply-transfer proficiency outside the normal homeport operating areas. USS MILWAUKEE conducted another separate three-week Caribbean deployment in October 1977, again supporting Atlantic Fleet training and making use of regional ports. Roosevelt Roads was an important American naval facility for operations in the Caribbean, while St. Thomas provided opportunities for crew liberty between periods at sea.

During 1978, USS MILWAUKEE continued the normal cycle of maintenance, training and overseas service. An availability during the early part of the year was followed by additional fleet operations and preparations for renewed Sixth Fleet assignments. The ship operated in the Mediterranean later in the year, supporting American naval forces through the transfer of fuel and supplies. On November 1, 1978, USS MILWAUKEE was photographed at anchor in the harbor of Genoa, Italy, providing a documented port visit during this deployment. Her activities in the Mediterranean took place at a time when the Sixth Fleet maintained a regular presence in response to Cold War naval competition and regional political developments. American warships continued operating throughout the Mediterranean while conducting exercises with allied navies and monitoring Soviet naval activity. USS MILWAUKEE supported these operations through replenishment at sea and periodic visits to shore facilities.

Captain Arthur M. Page relieved Captain Hawkins as commanding officer on January 15, 1979. USS MILWAUKEE continued her Atlantic Fleet service during the year, conducting replenishment operations, training and maintenance. Her duties involved regular coordination with surface combatants, aircraft carriers and auxiliary vessels preparing for or returning from Mediterranean deployments. The ship's operating schedule also included periods at Norfolk for engineering work and the loading of fuel and supplies.

On January 3, 1980, USS MILWAUKEE was involved in a collision while moored at Norfolk, Virginia. The Malaysian tanker SANTO PRESTIGE lost propulsion power and struck the replenishment oiler on her port side. The impact caused a gash approximately 40 feet long and 15 feet high in the hull of USS MILWAUKEE. No personnel were reported injured. The damaged area required assessment and repair before the ship could resume normal operations.

Following the necessary repairs, USS MILWAUKEE resumed Atlantic Fleet assignments. Captain Donald Adrian Baker relieved Captain Page as commanding officer on May 30, 1980. During this general period, the ship continued conducting replenishment operations in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. A Navy photograph from around 1980 records USS MILWAUKEE carrying out simultaneous underway replenishment with USS NIMITZ and the combat stores ship USS CONCORD (AFS 5).

During 1981, USS MILWAUKEE participated in Atlantic Fleet and NATO naval exercises, including operations in northern European waters. The international security environment remained dominated by the Cold War, and NATO maintained a regular program of exercises intended to test maritime communications, anti-submarine warfare, fleet defense and the movement of forces between North America and Europe. Logistics vessels were required to support participating ships over considerable distances, particularly during exercises conducted in the North Atlantic, Norwegian Sea and waters near the Baltic approaches.

By September 30, 1981, USS MILWAUKEE was operating with an international naval formation off Denmark. The American ships associated with the formation included the destroyer USS JOHN RODGERS (DD 983), the guided-missile cruiser USS RICHMOND K. TURNER (CG 20), the guided-missile destroyer USS LUCE (DDG 38), and USS JESSE L. BROWN. Allied units included the West German guided-missile destroyer FGS ROMMEL (D 187) and the Danish frigate HDMS NIELS JUEL (F 354). The ships departed the anchorage on October 1 and continued exercise operations in the Baltic Sea beginning on October 2. USS MILWAUKEE provided logistical support for the formation during these movements. The exercises formed part of NATO's wider effort to coordinate allied naval operations in waters close to the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact countries.

After completing the Baltic operations, the American ships began the return passage toward the Atlantic. The deployment history of USS JOHN RODGERS records that the returning formation, including USS MILWAUKEE, was underway for the Atlantic crossing by October 13, 1981. The naval movements were part of the regular program of exercises intended to test NATO's ability to operate and sustain surface forces in northern European waters. USS MILWAUKEE subsequently returned to her normal Atlantic Fleet operating cycle.

During the early part of 1982, USS MILWAUKEE prepared for another Mediterranean deployment. Captain Lawrence Richard Magner relieved Captain Baker as commanding officer on February 25, 1982. The ship subsequently resumed Sixth Fleet operations, conducting underway replenishments and making port visits in southern European waters. Her deployment included Villefranche-sur-Mer, France, where she was photographed moored to the former Sixth Fleet mooring buoy during 1982. The anchorage near Nice had long been used by American warships visiting the French Riviera, providing access to shore facilities and opportunities for crew liberty. USS MILWAUKEE continued supporting naval units operating in the western and eastern Mediterranean during the deployment.

During 1983, USS MILWAUKEE remained engaged in Sixth Fleet replenishment duties. Photographic records document the ship anchored off Naples, Italy, during the year. Naples was an important support location for the Sixth Fleet, providing access to American and Italian naval facilities and serving as a principal port for fleet logistics and maintenance. USS MILWAUKEE also conducted replenishment operations with amphibious vessels, including the amphibious transport dock USS AUSTIN (LPD 4), during this general period.

The strategic situation in the eastern Mediterranean had become increasingly complicated following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in June 1982. American, British, French and Italian forces participated in the Multinational Force in Lebanon, established in connection with efforts to stabilize the situation following the departure of Palestine Liberation Organization forces from Beirut. American naval ships operated off Lebanon to support the Marine contingent ashore and to maintain the ability to respond to developments in the region. USS MILWAUKEE's presence with the Sixth Fleet placed her within the naval logistics organization supporting these deployments. The situation deteriorated considerably during 1983 as fighting intensified around Beirut. On October 23, a suicide bombing destroyed the American Marine barracks near Beirut International Airport, killing 241 American servicemen. Naval operations associated with the Lebanese crisis continued after the attack. USS MILWAUKEE's documented role during this broader period remained the provision of fuel and other supplies to deployed vessels.

In early 1984, USS MILWAUKEE participated in cold-weather naval exercises in the North Atlantic and Arctic approaches. One of the notable operations was Sharem 55, an anti-submarine warfare exercise conducted in waters north of Iceland, between the Greenland ice region and Jan Mayen. The exercise examined the problems associated with detecting and tracking submarines in cold northern waters, including conditions near the edge of pack ice. USS MILWAUKEE provided logistical support and operated with a surface force that included the destroyer USS SPRUANCE (DD 963), the frigates USS BOWEN (FF 1079) and USS THOMAS C. HART (FF 1092), and the frigate USS McCLOY (FF 1038). Helicopter operations and at-sea replenishment were among the activities associated with sustaining the force in the northern operating area.

Following a port visit to Trondheim, Norway, from March 23 through March 26, 1984, USS SPRUANCE proceeded to the Arctic exercise area. Sharem 55 continued into April and concluded on April 14. USS MILWAUKEE was among the support units assigned to the operation. The Arctic exercise environment differed substantially from the Mediterranean and Caribbean waters in which she normally operated. Low temperatures, icing, restricted visibility and heavy seas complicated flight operations and the handling of fuel-transfer equipment and cargo rigs. The exercise provided experience in operating a replenishment vessel under conditions expected in a northern Atlantic contingency. The participating ships also tested procedures for supporting anti-submarine warfare operations near the ice edge, an area considered important in NATO planning because of Soviet submarine movements between northern bases and the Atlantic Ocean.

Following the completion of her northern Atlantic assignment, USS MILWAUKEE returned to Norfolk and resumed maintenance and training. Captain Edward Stephen Finn relieved Captain Magner as commanding officer on August 4, 1984. The remainder of the year involved further Atlantic Fleet duties and preparation for subsequent deployments. During 1985, USS MILWAUKEE continued participating in fleet-support operations, exercises and maintenance. Her assignments included cold-weather and anti-submarine warfare training associated with Atlantic Fleet operations in northern waters. The ship remained part of the logistical organization available to support American carrier formations and NATO naval exercises throughout the North Atlantic and Mediterranean.

In 1986, USS MILWAUKEE deployed again to the Mediterranean in support of a carrier battle group centered on USS FORRESTAL. The carrier departed Mayport, Florida, on June 2, 1986, for a deployment that continued until November 10. The associated naval formation included the guided-missile cruiser USS WAINWRIGHT (CG 28), the guided-missile destroyers USS MacDONOUGH (DDG 39) and USS SELLERS (DDG 11), and the frigates USS CONNOLE (FF 1056) and USS THOMAS C. HART. The ammunition ship USS SURIBACHI (AE 21) also supported the deployed forces. The participating ships conducted Sixth Fleet operations, multinational exercises and training throughout the Mediterranean, with individual units operating independently or in smaller formations as required.

The deployment took place during a particularly tense period in relations between the United States and Libya. In March 1986, American naval forces had conducted operations near the Gulf of Sidra, which Libya claimed as territorial waters. Following further tensions and a terrorist attack in West Berlin that the United States attributed to Libya, American aircraft carried out strikes against targets in Libya on April 15, 1986, under Operation El Dorado Canyon. USS FORRESTAL's deployment followed these events, and the Sixth Fleet continued maintaining substantial forces in the region. The carrier entered the Mediterranean in mid-June and conducted operations in the central and eastern Mediterranean. USS MILWAUKEE supported the operating ships through the regular delivery of fuel, ammunition and provisions. The deployment also involved training exercises intended to improve coordination between American and allied naval units, including operations associated with Exercise Display Determination.

Captain Rodney C. Franz relieved Captain Finn as commanding officer on August 20, 1986, while the deployment period was underway. USS MILWAUKEE continued her Sixth Fleet support duties during the remainder of the cruise before returning to the Atlantic Fleet. After the deployment, the ship underwent the normal cycle of post-deployment maintenance, crew training and equipment inspections.

During 1987, USS MILWAUKEE continued operating from Norfolk and supporting Atlantic Fleet exercises and deployment preparations. Her replenishment assignments included training with surface combatants and carrier battle groups in the western Atlantic. The wider operational environment was influenced by increasing American naval commitments in the Persian Gulf, where the Iran-Iraq War had developed into a sustained campaign against commercial shipping. Although USS MILWAUKEE's primary assignments remained with the Atlantic Fleet, the demands of supporting naval formations operating across the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean continued to shape the replenishment force's training and deployment schedule.

Captain Carter Beaumont Refo relieved Captain Franz as commanding officer on April 15, 1988. Shortly afterward, USS MILWAUKEE participated in another extended deployment associated with USS FORRESTAL, whose overseas cruise began on April 25 and ended on October 7, 1988. The accompanying surface force included USS SPRUANCE, the guided-missile destroyers USS SEMMES (DDG 18) and USS DAHLGREN (DDG 43), and the frigates USS ELMER MONTGOMERY (FF 1082) and USS PHARRIS (FF 1094), among other ships. The deployment involved extensive naval operations in the Mediterranean and adjacent operating areas and occurred while the Iran-Iraq War was approaching its final months. American naval forces were continuing to protect designated commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf under Operation Earnest Will, which had begun in July 1987.

During the 1988 cruise, USS MILWAUKEE conducted repeated underway replenishment operations with USS FORRESTAL and her escorts. On June 16, 1988, a documented replenishment evolution involved USS MILWAUKEE, USS FORRESTAL and USS SEMMES. The ship's ability to service several vessels during one replenishment evolution was particularly useful when a carrier formation needed to maintain its schedule without repeated separations of individual ships from the group. USS MILWAUKEE also continued transferring supplies to other naval units operating in the region.

In September 1988, USS MILWAUKEE participated in further exercises associated with American and NATO naval forces. On September 4, she replenished USS FORRESTAL during Exercise West Wind 88. Later that month, she supported the major NATO exercise Teamwork 88, which involved allied naval and air forces operating in northern European waters and the North Atlantic. The exercise was designed to test the coordination of NATO naval forces during large-scale operations, including the defense of sea routes and the deployment of reinforcements. On September 15, 1988, USS MILWAUKEE was photographed replenishing USS FORRESTAL during Teamwork 88, with the guided-missile cruiser USS MOBILE BAY (CG 53) operating nearby.

Following the conclusion of the 1988 exercise and deployment cycle, USS MILWAUKEE returned to Norfolk for maintenance and training. She continued supporting Atlantic Fleet units through the end of the year. During 1989, the ship remained active in fleet replenishment operations and preparations for further overseas assignments. Captain Larry Lee Ernst relieved Captain Refo as commanding officer on October 24, 1989. The ship continued operating during a period of significant international change, as communist governments in Eastern Europe collapsed and the long-standing political division of Europe began to weaken. Despite these developments, the United States Navy maintained its normal program of overseas carrier deployments and NATO exercises.

During the latter part of 1989 and into 1990, USS MILWAUKEE continued Sixth Fleet and Atlantic Fleet support assignments. These involved replenishment operations, training and visits to established naval facilities in the Mediterranean and western Atlantic. Her duties remained concentrated on the transfer of fuel, provisions and ammunition to combat vessels operating at sea. The ship's activities also included maintenance periods intended to preserve the reliability of her steam propulsion plant and replenish the spare parts and equipment needed for continued operations.

On September 25, 1990, USS MILWAUKEE was photographed receiving fuel at the Craney Island fuel facilities in Virginia. Craney Island, located in the Hampton Roads area, was an important petroleum storage and distribution facility supporting United States naval operations. Loading fuel at such facilities formed part of the logistical cycle that enabled replenishment ships to return to sea and supply deployed warships. During 1990, the Navy was also expanding its commitments in Southwest Asia following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on August 2. Operation Desert Shield brought substantial American naval forces into the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea and surrounding waters. These operations increased the general demand for naval logistics support across the Atlantic and Mediterranean commands.

Captain Richard G. Coleman relieved Captain Ernst as commanding officer on January 10, 1991. During the following months, USS MILWAUKEE supported American naval units operating in the Mediterranean. Her duties included the provision of fuel and stores to aircraft carriers, amphibious ships and other vessels assigned to Sixth Fleet operations. The principal combat phase of Operation Desert Storm began on January 17, 1991, when coalition forces launched air operations against Iraq following its occupation of Kuwait.

Later in 1991, USS MILWAUKEE supported another Mediterranean deployment centered on USS FORRESTAL. The carrier departed Mayport on May 30, 1991, for what became her final operational deployment, returning on December 23. The deployment took place after the conclusion of the principal combat operations of the Persian Gulf War and coincided with multinational activities associated with the humanitarian and security situation in northern Iraq. Operation Provide Comfort had been established in April 1991 to assist Kurdish refugees and provide security for humanitarian operations following the Iraqi government's suppression of uprisings. American naval and air forces maintained a presence in the eastern Mediterranean in support of related operations. USS MILWAUKEE supplied fuel and other stores to ships operating with the deployed formations.

On July 2, 1991, USS MILWAUKEE conducted a documented underway replenishment with the amphibious assault ship USS WASP (LHD 1) in the Mediterranean Sea. USS WASP had departed Norfolk on June 20 for her first overseas deployment. Photographs taken during the replenishment show personnel aboard the amphibious assault ship handling the distance line between the two vessels as they maneuvered alongside one another. The operation formed part of the logistical support provided to the amphibious formation during its initial deployment.

On July 17, 1991, USS MILWAUKEE participated in a further documented replenishment operation involving USS WASP and the amphibious transport dock USS PONCE (LPD 15). Photographs from the operation show USS MILWAUKEE conducting simultaneous underway replenishment with both amphibious ships in the Mediterranean. Other vessels of the amphibious formation were operating nearby. The evolution provided a further example of the replenishment oiler's ability to transfer supplies to more than one receiving ship while underway.

On July 19, 1991, USS MILWAUKEE participated in an extended search operation following the loss of an aircraft from USS FORRESTAL. At approximately 2:30 p.m., an A-6E Intruder assigned to Attack Squadron 176 crashed into the sea in international waters approximately two miles northwest of Avgo Nisi, near Crete, while conducting a routine training mission. Both members of the crew ejected. The bombardier-navigator, Lieutenant John W. Musaus, was rescued and subsequently received medical treatment for injuries to his left arm and leg. The pilot, Lieutenant Steven J. Cullen, was missing.

USS FORRESTAL, the guided-missile cruiser USS YORKTOWN (CG 48), the guided-missile frigate USS DE WERT (FFG 45), USS MILWAUKEE and Greek forces participated in the search. The operation extended over approximately 1,600 square miles and continued for nearly two days. Despite the efforts of the participating ships and aircraft, Lieutenant Cullen was not recovered, and searchers were unable to locate debris from the aircraft. After the search concluded, the naval formation resumed its assigned Mediterranean operations.

During the remainder of the 1991 deployment, USS MILWAUKEE continued providing logistical support to Sixth Fleet ships. The carrier group's activities included training and operations associated with the American naval presence in the eastern Mediterranean. USS FORRESTAL also participated in Exercise Display Determination during October 1991, part of the recurring NATO exercise program intended to coordinate naval and air forces operating in the Mediterranean. USS MILWAUKEE continued her support duties during the deployment before returning to Atlantic Fleet operations toward the end of the year.

During 1992, USS MILWAUKEE remained in active service with the Atlantic Fleet, supporting replenishment training and other naval operations while preparations for her eventual retirement progressed. Captain David Pierce Polatty III relieved Captain Coleman as commanding officer on March 4, 1992, becoming the ship's final commanding officer. The end of the Cold War had brought major changes to American naval planning, including reductions in force structure and the retirement of older vessels. Fleet auxiliaries were affected by these changes as the Navy reviewed its future replenishment requirements and the composition of its active support force.

USS MILWAUKEE continued operating during 1992 and 1993, conducting maintenance, training and fleet-support assignments. Her remaining activities included service in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. Photographic documentation from this final period records the ship at anchor near Palma de Mallorca, Spain, around 1993. Palma had long been a regular destination for Sixth Fleet vessels because of its anchorage facilities and opportunities for crew liberty.

By the beginning of 1994, USS MILWAUKEE had completed more than twenty-four years of commissioned service. USS MILWAUKEE was decommissioned on January 27, 1994, with Captain Polatty as her final commanding officer. Her recorded awards included the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, two Navy Meritorious Unit Commendations, three Navy Battle Efficiency Awards, the Navy Expeditionary Medal for qualifying operations associated with Libya and Lebanon, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for operations associated with those regions, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one campaign star, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon, together with additional recognition recorded during her commissioned service.

Following decommissioning, the former USS MILWAUKEE was placed in inactive status. During this period, she was held with other former naval vessels at facilities associated with the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. The vessels were being retained pending decisions concerning their future disposition. Ex-USS MILWAUKEE was formally struck from the Naval Vessel Register on April 8, 1997, ending her status as a vessel retained on the Navy's register.

On August 9, 2000, the former USS MILWAUKEE entered the James River Reserve Fleet in Virginia under a reimbursable custody agreement. The reserve fleet was maintained by the United States Maritime Administration and held inactive naval and merchant vessels awaiting possible disposal or other administrative action. On February 24, 2001, the Maritime Administration accepted title to the former replenishment oiler for disposal. She remained laid up in the James River anchorage near Fort Eustis during the following years, no longer maintained for operational naval service. On January 14, 2009, the Maritime Administration awarded a contract for the sale of the former USS MILWAUKEE to Bay Bridge Enterprises of Chesapeake, Virginia, for $56,410. The vessel was sold for dismantling and recycling. On February 10, 2009, she departed the James River Reserve Fleet under the disposal contract and was transferred to the dismantling facility. The former USS MILWAUKEE was subsequently broken up during 2009.

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