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USS Edenton (ATS 1)

USS EDENTON was the first of three Rescue and Salvage Ships built for the US Navy by a British shipyard. Decommissioned after 25 years of service on March 29, 1996, the EDENTON was transfered to the US Coast Guard on November 18, 1997, and was subsequently stricken from the Navy list on December 29, 1997. After conversion, the EDENTON was commissioned by the Coast Guard on July 10, 1999, and is now serving as USCGC ALEX HALEY (WMEC 39).

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Crew List:

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

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USS EDENTON History:

USS EDENTON was the lead ship of the EDENTON-class of salvage and rescue ships of the United States Navy. Built by Brooke Marine Limited at Lowestoft, England, she was named after the town of Edenton, North Carolina. The decision to build the first ships of the new class in the United Kingdom formed part of wider American and British defense procurement arrangements during the 1960s. The construction of American naval auxiliaries in British shipyards was associated with reciprocal military procurement discussions between the two governments. Brooke Marine Limited at Lowestoft was selected to construct EDENTON and her two sister ships, USS BEAUFORT (ATS 2) and USS BRUNSWICK (ATS 3). The order for EDENTON was placed on August 19, 1966.

EDENTON's keel was laid at the Brooke Marine yard on March 28, 1967. Construction continued throughout the remainder of the year and into 1968. She was launched on May 15, 1968, becoming the first vessel of the new class to enter the water. Fitting-out subsequently continued as her propulsion machinery, towing equipment, diving systems, and specialized salvage installations were completed and tested. The Navy had originally considered constructing additional vessels of the same general type, but only three EDENTON-class ships were completed. The projected fourth and fifth ships were eventually canceled on March 1, 1973.

Following completion and delivery, EDENTON was brought to the United States for final preparations. She was commissioned at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia, on January 23, 1971, with Lieutenant Commander Jack Carlton Furr as her first commanding officer. She joined the Service Force, United States Atlantic Fleet, and was assigned to Service Squadron Eight at Little Creek, Virginia. During the early months of 1971, EDENTON underwent shakedown training, machinery trials, and the evaluation of her specialized equipment. These activities provided opportunities to test her towing arrangements, propulsion machinery, diving installations, salvage winches, and shipboard organization under operational conditions. Her crew also received training in the procedures required to prepare and execute towing and salvage assignments, including the handling of heavy wires, the deployment of anchors and beach gear, and the coordination of diving teams with personnel operating the ship's lifting equipment.

The Navy's adoption of the salvage and rescue ship designation for the ATS type reflected the broader range of duties performed by EDENTON and the other vessels of her class. The designation distinguished them from conventional fleet tugs while acknowledging the continued importance of long-distance towing in their operational responsibilities.

During the remainder of 1971, EDENTON completed her initial operational work-up and entered the regular service schedule of the Atlantic Fleet. Her home port at Little Creek placed her close to the major naval installations of Hampton Roads, including Norfolk Naval Base and Norfolk Naval Shipyard. This location allowed her to respond to salvage emergencies in Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic coast while remaining available for overseas assignments.

On September 15, 1972, Commander Tad Arlen Derf relieved Lieutenant Commander Furr as commanding officer. EDENTON continued operating with the Atlantic Fleet, conducting salvage training, diving operations, and towing assignments. The development of her operational procedures was particularly important because she was the first commissioned vessel of a new class, and experience gained through her initial assignments contributed to the employment of the other EDENTON-class ships.

One of EDENTON's first extensively documented salvage assignments took place in the spring of 1973 following the loss of a Navy patrol aircraft off the coast of Maine. On March 15, 1973, a Lockheed P-3B Orion, Bureau Number 152749, departed Naval Air Station Brunswick on a routine training flight that also included a post-maintenance check of one of its engines. The aircraft took off at approximately 11:42 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Radar contact was subsequently lost, and another patrol aircraft located floating debris and signs of the crash approximately forty miles south of the naval air station.

The disappearance of the aircraft prompted a search involving Navy and Coast Guard units. The immediate search failed to locate survivors, and attention subsequently turned toward recovering wreckage that might assist investigators in determining the cause of the accident. The recovery presented considerable technical difficulties because important sections of the aircraft had settled on the seabed and their positions were not initially known. A detailed underwater search began on March 20, 1973. The wreckage was located the following day. The recovery operation involved EDENTON and the commercial research and salvage vessel ALCOA SEA PROBE, operating with personnel from the Navy, Coast Guard, and civilian organizations. ALCOA SEA PROBE carried specialized underwater search, positioning, television, and mechanical recovery equipment, while EDENTON provided divers, support personnel, salvage equipment, and facilities for handling recovered material.

The wreckage site was systematically surveyed using sonar, underwater photography, and television equipment. Investigators reviewed approximately 400 still photographs and substantial underwater video footage to identify components that could assist the accident investigation. The selected items included propellers, engines, sections of the aircraft's wing, and cockpit equipment.

Recovery was undertaken using the mechanical grab equipment aboard ALCOA SEA PROBE in combination with diving personnel from EDENTON. Large components were initially lifted from the bottom to a depth at which divers could safely approach them. EDENTON's divers then entered the water to attach lifting slings and prepare the equipment for transfer. The work was conducted in water with temperatures of approximately 44 degrees Fahrenheit, adding to the difficulties faced by the diving teams.

After the lifting equipment had raised the components clear of the water, the recovered wreckage was transferred by workboat to EDENTON and secured aboard the salvage ship. By April 15, 1973, the selected components had been recovered. EDENTON subsequently transported the material to the Harpswell Fuel Depot in Maine, where it could be made available for examination by the accident investigators. The operation was an early demonstration of the ship's ability to support specialized underwater recovery work in cooperation with civilian salvage equipment.

Following completion of the aircraft recovery assignment, EDENTON resumed her normal Atlantic Fleet responsibilities. These included training in towing, salvage, diving, and emergency assistance. The ship's combination of heavy lifting equipment and diver support facilities made her suitable for recovering submerged naval equipment as well as providing assistance to damaged surface vessels.

During 1974, EDENTON participated in the recovery of a former Navy diving tender that had sunk while being transported for use as a bombing target. The vessel, originally designated LCT(6)-854 and later YDT-9, had been withdrawn from service and was being towed toward a naval bombing range near Tangier Island in Chesapeake Bay. During the tow, conducted by USS HOIST (ARS 40), the former diving tender broke in two and foundered in York Spit Channel, approximately twenty-three miles north of Little Creek.

The wreckage had to be removed because of its position within the channel. Harbor Clearance Unit Two and the derrick vessel YSD-53 raised the bow section on June 1, 1974, and moved it to the designated bombing range the following day. EDENTON was assigned to recover the stern section. Using her salvage and lifting equipment, she raised the remaining portion of the wreck and transported it to the same area. The stern section was deposited near the bow section on June 17, 1974. On June 20, 1974, EDENTON was photographed at Little Creek, Virginia, following the completion of the recovery assignment. She remained attached to the Atlantic Fleet Service Force and continued undertaking training and support tasks during the remainder of the year.

Commander Jon Dennis Shewchuck assumed command on October 4, 1974, relieving Commander Derf. During the following year, EDENTON continued preparing for and conducting operational assignments, including overseas deployments in support of the United States Sixth Fleet. By November 1975, EDENTON was deployed to the Mediterranean. The Sixth Fleet maintained a substantial American naval presence in the region, operating in conjunction with NATO allies and conducting exercises, patrols, and contingency operations. A salvage and rescue ship was required to provide emergency towing, diving, and repair capabilities to units operating away from their regular home ports. EDENTON's deployment enabled the Navy to maintain such capabilities without relying exclusively on shore facilities or civilian salvage contractors.

During January 1976, EDENTON was operating in the vicinity of Naples, Italy, when she received orders to assist the amphibious assault ship USS GUADALCANAL (LPH 7), which had run aground in Augusta Bay, Sicily. On January 27, 1976, GUADALCANAL was anchored in Augusta Bay when exceptionally strong winds affected the harbor. Several merchant vessels, including large tankers, began dragging their anchors. While maneuvering to avoid these ships, GUADALCANAL grounded near the northern breakwater. Harbor tugs attempted to assist, but the amphibious assault ship remained firmly aground.

EDENTON was directed by the Commander, Service Force, Sixth Fleet, to proceed to Augusta Bay. Before the ship could arrive, a diving team was dispatched ahead to inspect GUADALCANAL and assess the extent of the grounding. The initial survey established that the ship was resting on a relatively soft coral bottom, although a large rock had caused damage to the starboard side of the hull. Her propellers, rudders, and shafts appeared to be clear of the bottom. GUADALCANAL had developed a list of approximately four degrees to port but remained in a stable position.

EDENTON arrived at Augusta Bay at first light on January 29, 1976, and anchored near the stranded ship. Her salvage personnel examined the results of the diving survey and developed a plan to reduce GUADALCANAL's draft sufficiently to permit refloating. Calculations indicated that the grounding reaction amounted to approximately 1,810 tons. The salvage plan therefore concentrated on removing weight rather than attempting an immediate high-force pull against the resistance of the seabed. Fuel, ballast, equipment, cargo, and other movable weights were redistributed or removed according to a sequence intended to reduce the ship's draft while maintaining stability. Particular attention was given to the distribution of weight because the ship's existing list and the uneven support provided by the seabed required careful control.

The work continued throughout January 29 and into the following day. The refloating operation was coordinated with the expected high tide on January 30, 1976. As sufficient weight was removed and the ship's draft decreased, GUADALCANAL was freed from the grounding. EDENTON's divers and salvage personnel contributed to the assessment, planning, and execution of the operation, which allowed the amphibious assault ship to be recovered without undertaking a prolonged offshore salvage effort.

Following completion of the assignment, EDENTON continued her Mediterranean deployment. Her duties included supporting naval vessels operating from the principal Sixth Fleet anchorages and ports. These activities took place during a period in which American naval forces were monitoring developments in the eastern Mediterranean and maintaining a continuing presence following the Cyprus crisis of 1974.

On March 27, 1976, Commander Robert Sampson Beckett assumed command of EDENTON. During the remainder of the year, the ship resumed the normal pattern of salvage readiness, training, and operational support associated with the Atlantic Fleet. Throughout 1977, EDENTON continued her service from Little Creek. Her duties required regular proficiency in ocean towing, underwater salvage, mechanical repairs, damage control, and the handling of heavy salvage equipment. Such operations frequently involved coordination with other rescue ships, fleet tugs, harbor-clearance units, and naval diving detachments.

Commander Francis Patrick Grause assumed command on March 10, 1978. Later that year, EDENTON undertook another Mediterranean deployment, operating in support of the Sixth Fleet. The region remained important to American naval strategy because of NATO commitments, Soviet naval activity, and recurring political crises in southern Europe and the Middle East. Photographic records document EDENTON at Barcelona, Spain, on December 28, 1978. The guided-missile destroyer USS MacDONOUGH (DDG 39) was also present. The port visit occurred during a deployment extending across the end of 1978 and into the opening months of 1979. After completing her Mediterranean assignment, EDENTON returned to the Atlantic Fleet and resumed her responsibilities from Little Creek.

On September 12, 1979, Hurricane Frederic struck the northern Gulf Coast of the United States. The hurricane produced extremely strong winds and heavy seas that damaged coastal installations, vessels, and maritime facilities along the coasts of Alabama and northwestern Florida. Among the vessels affected was the former USS OZARK (MCS 2), a decommissioned mine countermeasures support ship that had been transferred to the United States Air Force for use as a weapons-development target. OZARK was moored in the Gulf of Mexico approximately forty miles southwest of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, near the Eglin Air Force Base test area. During the hurricane, OZARK broke free from her moorings and was driven approximately fifty miles northwestward before grounding on Perdido Key, near Pensacola, Florida. The 455-foot vessel, displacing approximately 5,700 tons, came to rest in shallow water and sand. Her position and the extent of the grounding made conventional towing methods inadequate.

The Air Force requested assistance from the Navy, and Commander, Service Squadron Eight, was assigned responsibility for the salvage operation. A salvage force consisting of EDENTON, USS RECOVERY (ARS 43), USS SHAKORI (ATF 162), USS PAIUTE (ATF 159), and a detachment from Harbor Clearance Unit Two was assembled. Commander Grause, EDENTON's commanding officer, was appointed commander of the salvage element. Initial surveys established that OZARK was resting in approximately six feet of water, with a substantial portion of her displacement supported by the seabed. Calculations indicated a grounding reaction of approximately 1,600 tons and an estimated retraction requirement of approximately 550 tons. These figures made clear that the recovery could not be accomplished simply by attaching a towing wire and pulling the ship into deeper water.

The salvage plan involved rotating OZARK's bow toward the sea and then withdrawing the vessel from the beach. This required the installation of heavy anchors, towing wires, winches, and other salvage equipment. Three principal pulling vessels, EDENTON, RECOVERY, and SHAKORI, were arranged to exert coordinated force on the stranded ship, while additional equipment provided controlled movement and prevented unwanted changes in position. Harbor Clearance Unit Two personnel assisted with the installation of beach gear, underwater surveys, and other specialized tasks. Portable machinery was transferred aboard OZARK with assistance from helicopters, including heavy-lift aircraft provided by the Alabama National Guard. Salvage teams installed pumps, fabricated foundations for winches, removed some topside weight, and prepared heavy ground anchors to provide purchase for the pulling arrangements.

The recovery was complicated by the continued movement of sand around OZARK's hull. Heavy surf and changing weather conditions repeatedly altered the surrounding seabed. Equipment had to be repositioned, and attempts to reduce the resistance of the sand included the use of water jets and explosive charges. By November 4, 1979, EDENTON, RECOVERY, and SHAKORI had been arranged for a coordinated pulling effort. That evening, winds exceeding thirty knots affected the salvage area. During the resulting difficulties, the shank of a heavy anchor associated with RECOVERY's ground tackle failed. RECOVERY was forced toward SHAKORI, and the two ships came into contact while maneuvering in restricted waters. Although minor damage occurred, no personnel were injured.

The incident required adjustments to the salvage equipment and demonstrated the problems associated with operating several vessels under heavy load in shallow water and adverse weather. On November 7, 1979, another major retraction attempt was undertaken. EDENTON developed a line pull of approximately 210 tons, while RECOVERY and SHAKORI contributed approximately 140 and ninety tons respectively. Explosive charges and jetting equipment were also employed to reduce resistance from the surrounding seabed. Despite the substantial forces applied, OZARK did not move sufficiently to permit refloating.

The salvage force subsequently revised its approach. Rather than relying entirely on pulling force, the operation increasingly concentrated on removing sand from the area toward which OZARK needed to move. A dredging operation was undertaken to create a channel adjacent to the stranded ship, reducing the amount of material preventing her movement toward deeper water. The revised operation required the coordination of dredging equipment, salvage pumps, anchors, winches, and towing vessels. Progress was affected by weather and the continued movement of sand, but the excavation gradually reduced the resistance holding OZARK in place.

On December 1, 1979, the combined pulling arrangements were brought under load again. OZARK began to incline toward port as the forces acting upon her changed. Her bow subsequently rotated seaward, and the vessel moved off the beach into deeper water. Once OZARK was afloat, the salvage teams released EDENTON and SHAKORI from their pulling arrangements, while RECOVERY assumed responsibility for towing the recovered vessel away from the beach. The shore-connected wires were released, and OZARK was moved into open water. RECOVERY subsequently towed OZARK to Naval Air Station Pensacola, where she was moored at approximately noon on December 2, 1979. The operation had required nearly three months of planning, preparation, and salvage work following the hurricane. Approximately 400 personnel had been involved in the wider recovery effort.

EDENTON's participation in the recovery of OZARK was one of the principal operational events of her early career. The salvage demonstrated her capacity to operate as part of a coordinated force involving other rescue vessels, fleet tugs, diving personnel, helicopters, and shore-based engineering equipment. The participating Navy units received a Meritorious Unit Commendation covering the period from October 16 through December 4, 1979.

Following completion of the salvage, EDENTON returned to her normal Atlantic Fleet responsibilities. Commander Grause was relieved by Lieutenant Commander William James Stillmaker on April 5, 1980. During the spring of 1980, EDENTON was again operating in European waters. Photographic records document her presence at Barcelona, Spain, on April 13, 1980. The port visit formed part of her continuing assignments with the Sixth Fleet, which maintained American naval forces throughout the Mediterranean during a period of heightened tension following the Iranian Revolution and the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan.

During 1981, EDENTON undertook another Mediterranean deployment. The deployment coincided with continued American naval operations in the region following the installation of the Reagan administration and the increasing emphasis placed on maritime readiness during the renewed deterioration of relations between NATO and the Soviet Union. One of the principal documented events of this deployment occurred on June 1, 1981, when the ammunition ship USS NITRO (AE 23) experienced a serious fire in her engineering spaces while operating south of Crete. The fire disabled the ship's propulsion capability, and six members of the crew were injured. The immediate response involved several American naval vessels. USS NASSAU (LHA 4) provided assistance during the initial emergency, while the fleet oiler USNS NEOSHO (T-AO 143) took NITRO under tow and brought her to Souda Bay, Crete. The disabled ammunition ship required further repairs that could not be completed at the anchorage.

EDENTON was subsequently assigned to undertake the next stage of the operation. After the fire had been extinguished and NITRO's condition stabilized, EDENTON took the ammunition ship under tow from Souda Bay to the Hellenic Shipyard at Skaramangas, near Athens, Greece. The tow required the safe movement of a large auxiliary vessel whose main propulsion machinery had suffered substantial damage. Towing arrangements had to be established and maintained while the disabled ship was transferred to a facility capable of undertaking engineering repairs. At Skaramangas, NITRO underwent approximately thirty days of maintenance and repair work. Personnel associated with Naval Surface Group Mediterranean and Charleston Naval Shipyard participated in supervising the repairs. The work restored sufficient capability for the ammunition ship to undertake a return voyage to the United States.

NITRO departed Greece on July 13, 1981, and arrived at Naval Weapons Station Earle, New Jersey, on July 30. EDENTON's towing assistance formed part of the sequence of events that enabled the damaged ammunition ship to reach the repair facility.

After completing the Mediterranean deployment, EDENTON returned to her normal Atlantic Fleet assignments. Her activities included salvage training and preparations for further overseas service.

During 1982, EDENTON again deployed to the Mediterranean. American naval activity in the eastern Mediterranean increased considerably during the year as a result of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in June and the subsequent deployment of multinational forces to Beirut. United States Navy ships supported American military and diplomatic operations in the region, while the Sixth Fleet maintained the capability to respond to emergencies affecting its own vessels. EDENTON's deployment took her to Turkish and Israeli ports. During November, she was operating in the eastern Mediterranean after a visit to Gölcük, Turkey, a major Turkish naval base on the Sea of Marmara.

On November 22, 1982, Lieutenant Commander Stephen Weld DeLaplane relieved Lieutenant Commander Stillmaker as commanding officer of EDENTON. The change of command took place at sea at approximately 12:30 p.m. while the ship was proceeding from Gölcük toward Haifa, Israel. Lieutenant Commander DeLaplane had previously served in the Navy's salvage community and had been closely involved in the recovery of OZARK in 1979 while commanding Harbor Clearance Unit Two. His subsequent appointment to EDENTON placed an experienced salvage officer in command of the ship.

EDENTON arrived at Haifa on November 23. Her operations during this period took place while American naval vessels were supporting the multinational presence in Lebanon. Navy award records identify EDENTON with service recognized by the Navy Expeditionary Medal during November 1982.

During the following years, EDENTON continued her salvage and towing assignments with the Atlantic Fleet. Her operational responsibilities included maintaining the readiness of her diving teams, conducting towing exercises, and supporting other naval units when emergency assistance was required. The ship also retained her capability to cooperate with specialized diving and salvage detachments, including Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit Two.

Throughout 1983 and 1984, EDENTON remained assigned to the Atlantic Fleet Service Force. Her duties continued to reflect the Navy's requirement for ocean-going salvage vessels capable of undertaking assignments in American coastal waters and overseas. The continuing operation of large aircraft carriers, amphibious ships, and complex auxiliary vessels made emergency towing and damage-control assistance an important part of naval logistical planning. The middle of the decade was also a period of renewed emphasis on the expansion and modernization of the United States Navy. The Reagan administration's naval program included the return of older battleships to active service and the modernization of many existing surface combatants. These activities created additional requirements for the movement of inactive or partially completed vessels between naval shipyards.

On January 21, 1985, Lieutenant Commander Silas Oliver Thorne III assumed command of EDENTON. During the following months, the ship continued her regular training and support activities before undertaking another overseas deployment. In late 1985, EDENTON deployed to the Mediterranean, where she remained involved in Sixth Fleet operations during the opening months of 1986. The deployment coincided with a period of increasing tension between the United States and Libya. Relations between the two countries had deteriorated over disputes involving international terrorism, American military activities in the Mediterranean, and Libya's territorial claims in the Gulf of Sidra. American naval forces conducted operations in international waters north of Libya during January, February, March, and April 1986.

EDENTON's service during the period is reflected in Navy Expeditionary Medal records covering January 28-29, February 3-5, April 2-4, and April 17-19, 1986.

After completing her Mediterranean assignment, EDENTON resumed Atlantic Fleet operations. Later in 1986, she participated in the transfer of an inactive battleship from the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard to a commercial shipyard in Louisiana. The battleship USS WISCONSIN (BB 64), which had been in reserve since 1958, was being prepared for reactivation as part of the Navy's battleship modernization program. The work required the ship to be moved from Philadelphia to Avondale Shipyard near New Orleans, where the initial stages of the modernization program were to be undertaken.

On August 1, 1986, the fleet tug USNS MOHAWK (T-ATF 170) departed the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard with the inactive WISCONSIN under tow. EDENTON accompanied the movement and provided additional support for the passage. The towing operation followed the Atlantic coastline and proceeded into the Gulf of Mexico before entering the lower Mississippi River region. The ships reached New Orleans on August 15, 1986, and WISCONSIN was delivered for the scheduled shipyard work.

Following completion of the battleship movement, EDENTON returned to her normal responsibilities. Lieutenant Commander Thorne was relieved by Commander Claude Bufford Shaw Jr. on January 9, 1987. During 1987, EDENTON continued operating with the Atlantic Fleet. Her duties included training and operational readiness exercises intended to maintain proficiency in salvage, diving, emergency repairs, and long-distance towing. During the latter part of the 1980s, EDENTON continued to undertake overseas assignments in addition to her regular Atlantic Fleet duties. Mediterranean deployments remained an important part of the schedule for American service-force vessels, which supported naval units operating throughout southern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean.

The period also coincided with increasing changes in the strategic situation in Europe. Political reforms in the Soviet Union, developments within the Warsaw Pact, and the continuing reduction of tensions between East and West gradually altered the operational environment in which American naval forces had operated for several decades. Commander Shaw was relieved by Lieutenant Commander Raymond Tex Machasik on May 12, 1989. During that summer, EDENTON continued operating in Atlantic waters. Photographic records document her at anchor off the Virginia Capes on August 8, 1989.

During 1990, EDENTON continued providing salvage and rescue support to the Atlantic Fleet. Navy records identify a second Meritorious Unit Commendation associated with her service from January 8 through February 27, 1990. The year also witnessed major changes in American naval commitments. The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, led to Operation Desert Shield and the deployment of substantial American forces to Southwest Asia. The subsequent multinational campaign against Iraq in January and February 1991 increased the need for logistical support, emergency towing, and salvage capabilities throughout the Navy. EDENTON continued serving within the Atlantic Fleet's salvage organization during this period.

On March 8, 1991, Lieutenant Commander Duncan Gordon McLean assumed command of EDENTON. Later that year, the ship again participated in a major battleship towing assignment. WISCONSIN had returned to commissioned service on October 22, 1988, following modernization, and subsequently participated in Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War. With the reduction of the Navy's force structure after the end of the Cold War, the battleship was decommissioned again on September 30, 1991. Following decommissioning, WISCONSIN was prepared for movement to the inactive fleet facilities at Philadelphia. On October 3, 1991, EDENTON was photographed assisting with the towing arrangements for the former battleship in Hampton Roads.

During 1992, EDENTON remained operational with the Atlantic Fleet. Her duties continued to include towing, salvage support, and the maintenance of readiness for emergency operations. As the Navy reduced its inventory of ships and consolidated support functions, the remaining commissioned salvage vessels continued to provide services for active naval units and for the movement of ships being withdrawn from service. In 1993, EDENTON undertook another Mediterranean deployment and participated in an aircraft recovery operation in the Adriatic Sea during the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. The deployment took place against the background of NATO operations intended to enforce United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning the fighting in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On April 12, 1993, NATO began Operation Deny Flight, enforcing the United Nations prohibition on unauthorized military flights over Bosnia and Herzegovina. American aircraft operating from bases in Italy took part in the mission alongside aircraft from other NATO countries. The operation was intended to restrict the use of military aviation during the war and to support wider United Nations efforts in the region. On August 11, 1993, a United States Air Force Lockheed F-16C Fighting Falcon, serial number 86-0343, assigned to the 23rd Fighter Squadron, experienced an engine malfunction while returning from an Operation Deny Flight mission. The aircraft had departed Aviano Air Base in northern Italy and was operating over Bosnia and Herzegovina when the technical problem occurred.

The pilot attempted to reach the Adriatic coast before abandoning the aircraft. He ejected safely over the sea, and the aircraft crashed into Croatian territorial waters approximately forty miles northwest of Zadar. A British Royal Navy Sea King helicopter operating from Split recovered the pilot, who was subsequently transported back to Aviano. The loss prompted an underwater recovery operation involving American and Croatian personnel. EDENTON was among the American naval units involved in recovering wreckage from the aircraft. The operation included personnel from the United States Air Force, American naval divers, Croatian military personnel, Croatian divers, and technical specialists from the Viktor Lenac shipyard near Rijeka.

The recovery required the location and retrieval of submerged aircraft components. Recovered material was transported to the Viktor Lenac shipyard before being transferred to Aviano for examination. The work was undertaken in cooperation with Croatian authorities during a period when the country was affected by the continuing conflict in the former Yugoslavia. EDENTON's participation provided specialized naval salvage and diving capabilities for an operation conducted away from established American naval bases. The recovery also required coordination between American military authorities and Croatian organizations responsible for activities in territorial waters.

On November 12, 1993, Commander John Paul Johnston relieved Lieutenant Commander McLean as commanding officer. He became the final commanding officer of EDENTON during her Navy career. Throughout 1994, EDENTON remained in service as the Navy continued reviewing the future of its older salvage and auxiliary vessels. Although her design had provided a considerable improvement over earlier fleet tugs and salvage ships when she entered service, technological developments and changing operational requirements had altered the Navy's approach to towing and salvage support. During the mid-1990s, the Navy increasingly relied upon a combination of specialized salvage organizations, civilian-crewed fleet ocean tugs, and shore-based support arrangements. The reduction in the number of active naval vessels also affected the requirement for commissioned salvage ships.

EDENTON nevertheless continued operating as part of the Atlantic Fleet. In 1995, she received the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award for the Atlantic Fleet, recognizing her performance among eligible naval vessels. During her commissioned career, she also received four Navy Battle Efficiency awards, two Meritorious Unit Commendations, the Navy Expeditionary Medal for several qualifying operations, and the National Defense Service Medal.

The approaching retirement of EDENTON formed part of the wider reduction in the Navy's auxiliary fleet. Her sister ships BEAUFORT and BRUNSWICK were both decommissioned on March 8, 1996. EDENTON remained in service for another three weeks. On March 29, 1996, EDENTON was decommissioned after more than twenty-five years of service with the United States Navy.

Decommissioning did not mark the end of the vessel's operational life. The United States Coast Guard required additional cutters capable of conducting extended patrols in difficult sea conditions, particularly in the waters surrounding Alaska. The hull and machinery arrangement of the former EDENTON were considered suitable for conversion to a medium endurance cutter. On November 18, 1997, the ship was transferred to the United States Coast Guard. She was formally struck from the Naval Vessel Register on December 29, 1997, following completion of the transfer process.

The conversion involved substantial changes to the ship's original arrangement. Much of the heavy salvage equipment, including the stern towing machinery, forward crane, bow rollers, and associated installations no longer required for the Coast Guard's missions, was removed or modified. The ship received equipment appropriate for search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, fisheries protection, and extended operations in northern waters. Modifications included a helicopter flight deck, retractable hangar, communications equipment, and changes to her internal arrangements. The original Paxman diesel engines were also replaced by four Caterpillar diesel engines. This was an important modification because the British-built machinery had been in service for more than two decades and the continued availability of replacement components presented additional maintenance requirements.

On July 10, 1999, the former EDENTON was commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as USCGC ALEX HALEY (WMEC 39). The cutter was assigned to Kodiak, Alaska, which became her permanent home port. Her principal operational area included the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea, the Aleutian Islands, and the northern Pacific.

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