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U.S.S. SAN JOSE

(AFS-7)

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

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The USS SAN JOSE (AFS-7), a Mars class combat stores ship, was commissioned on 23 OCT 1970. USS SAN JOSE served her country for 23 years and 10 days, until decommissioned on 2 NOV 1993. The last of the Mars class, USS SAN JOSE was initially home ported at Alameda, California after post commissioning shake down and qualifications. She began her service to the Pacific Fleet with a series of West Pac deployments to replenish US Naval units off the coast of Vietnam. As the US Navy's Pacific structure changed after Vietnam and Iranian Hostage Crisis highlighted the need for a continuing need for a US Naval force in the Indian Ocean, SAN JOSE's home port was shifted westward to Apra Harbor, Guam. From Guam, she supported the naval effort during the First Gulf War. She was decommissioned in November 1993 and transferred the Military Sealift Command, was redesignated USNS San Jose (T-AFS-7) and "crewed" by civilians under US Navy leadership. Retired by the MSC in early 2010, she is scheduled to be scrapped.

The USS SAN JOSE (AFS-7) deployment history and significant events of her service career follow:

AFS-7 Deployments - Major Events

Add a AFS-7 Shellback Initiation Add a AFS-7 Deployment - Major Event
Month Year to Month Year Deployment / Event
SEP1941-JAN1960Awarded Meritorious Unit Commendation 1971-72 (input is broken!
MAR1969-Keel Date: 8 MAR 1969
at National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
DEC1969-Launch Date: 13 DEC 1969
OCT1970-Commissioned: 23 OCT 1970
AUG1971-SEP1971Victoria/Vancouver BC Fleet Week - Seattle Sea Fair
SEP1971-Shellback Initiation - 10 SEP 1971 - Pacific Ocean
SEP1971-APR1972West Pac-Viet Nam
AUG1972-JUN1973West Pac-Viet Nam
SEP1972-JAN1974West Pac-Viet Nam
NOV1972-Shellback Initiation - 3 NOV 1972 - Pacific Ocean
JAN1973-JAN1975West Pac-Viet Nam
JAN1973-JAN1975West Pac-Viet Nam
JAN1974- Shellback Initiation - 1 JAN 1974 - Pacific Ocean
APR1974-JAN1975West Pac-Indian Ocean
JUL1974-JAN1975West Pac-Indian Ocean
AUG1974-Shellback Initiation - 24 AUG 1974 - Indian Ocean
AUG1974-Shellback Initiation - 28 AUG 1974 - Indian Ocean
AUG1974-Shellback Initiation - 28 AUG 1974 - Pacific Ocean
AUG1974-Shellback Initiation - 29 AUG 1974 - Indian Ocean
NOV1975-JUN1976West Pac
FEB1976- Shellback Initiation - 4 FEB 1976 - Indian Ocean
JUN1977-DEC1977West Pac
DEC1977-Shellback Initiation - 5 DEC 1977 - Pacific Ocean
AUG1979-MAR1980West Pac-Indian Ocean
OCT1979-MAR1980West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
NOV1979-Shellback Initiation - 5 NOV 1979 - Indian Ocean
OCT1980-Shellback Initiation - 24 OCT 1980 - Indian Ocean
JUN1981-SEP1983West Pac
JAN1982-DEC1983RIMPAC
JAN1982-Shellback Initiation - 21 JAN 1982 - Indian Ocean
JAN1982-JAN1983Mediterranean-Indian Ocean
JAN1982- Shellback Initiation - 21 JAN 1982 - Indian Ocean
JAN1982- Shellback Initiation - 21 JAN 1982 - Indian Ocean
SEP1982-DEC1982Mediterranean-Indian Ocean
OCT1983- Shellback Initiation - 22 OCT 1983 - Indian Ocean
OCT1983-Shellback Initiation - 22 OCT 1983 - Indian Ocean
MAY1984-Shellback Initiation - 5 MAY 1984 - Indian Ocean
JUL1985-Shellback Initiation - 22 JUL 1985 - Pacific Ocean
JAN1986-JAN1988North Atlantic
JAN1986-JAN1987Sea Trials
JAN1986-JAN1987West Africa
JUN1986-Shellback Initiation - 25 JUN 1986 - Indian Ocean
JUN1986-Shellback Initiation - 6 JUN 1986 - Indian Ocean
JUL1986-Shellback Initiation - 14 JUL 1986 - Indian Ocean
AUG1986-Shellback Initiation - 8 AUG 1986 - Indian Ocean
OCT1986-Shellback Initiation - 2 OCT 1986 - Pacific Ocean
FEB1987-MAR1987SEA OF OKHOTSK Anti-Submarine Operations Support
DEC1987-JUN1988West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
JAN1988-JUN1989Awarded Battle Personal Records
FEB1988-MAY1988Awarded Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
FEB1988-MAY1988Awarded MUC
SEP1988-OCT19881988 Korean Olympics Support
DEC1988-DEC1988Awarded Arliegh Burke Fleet Trophy -- PACFLT
JAN1989-JAN1993Desert Shield
AUG1989-JAN1990West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
SEP1989-OCT1989Awarded Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
OCT1989-Shellback Initiation - 16 OCT 1989 - Pacific Ocean
APR1990-Shellback Initiation - 11 APR 1990 - Pacific Ocean
APR1990-Shellback Initiation - 11 APR 1990 - Indian Ocean
SEP1990-MAY1991Desert Shield
SEP1990-MAY1991Desert Shield
SEP1990-MAY1991Desert Shield
DEC1990-AUG1991Desert Shield
JAN1991-MAR1991Desert Shield
MAR1991- Shellback Initiation - 21 MAR 1991 - Indian Ocean
JAN1992-NOV1992Desert Storm
JAN1992-NOV1992Desert Shield
AUG1992-Shellback Initiation - 18 AUG 1992 - Pacific Ocean
OCT1992-OCT1992Shellback Initiation - 06 OCT 92 - Indian Ocean
MAY1993-Shellback Initiation - 19 MAY 1993 - Pacific Ocean
JUL1996-Shellback Initiation - 14 JUL 1996 - Indian Ocean
FEB2006-Shellback Initiation - 18 FEB 2006 - Pacific Ocean

AFS-7 General Specifications

Class: Mars-class combat stores ship

Named for: San Jose

Complement: 49 Navy and 124 Civilians

Displacement: 9843 tons

Length: 581 feet

Beam: 79 feet

Flank Speed:



USS SAN JOSE (AFS-7)



San Jose (AFS-7) was laid down on 8 March 1969 by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, Calif.; launched on 13 December 1969; christened by Mrs. Robert Ellis, III, for the sponsor, her mother, Mrs. George L. Murphy; and commissioned on 23 October 1970, Capt. James H. Morris in command.

Following commissioning and fitting out, San Jose, the first combat stores ship of the Pacific Fleet Service Force to receive the U-1500 computer system, conducted training drills; made a short cruise to Acapulco out of San Diego; and carried out ship's qualification trials out of Long Beach before steaming to her home port, Alameda, in February 1971. Arriving on the 10th, she took on her first PACFILL (Pacific Fleet Issue Load List) stock, and, in March, completed final contract trials. Shakedown and availability followed. In July, she moved north to British Columbia to participate in the observance of that province's Centennial. August took her to Seattle. On 10 September, she received two UH-46 helicopters from detachment HC-3; and, on the 11th, she departed Alameda for her first WestPac deployment.

The stores ship arrived at Subic Bay, Philippines, on 27 September; topped off her load; and, on 4 October, departed for the Tonkin Gulf and her first line swing. On 6 October, she conducted her first simultaneous vertical replenishment and, on the 7th, her first underway replenishment of a carrier task group. From the Tonkin Gulf, Sam Jose delivered freight at Danang, Cam Ranh Bay, and Vung Tau; then conducted underway replenishments off the southern coast of South Vietnam before moving on to a port visit at Singapore, whence she headed back to the Philippines to take on more cargo.

San Jose returned to Subic Bay on 23 October and, by the end of November, had completed three more line swings. On 10 December, she completed her fifth line swing, and, at mid-month, commenced her sixth. The deployment to the western Pacific ended on 16 March 1972, when she departed Subic Bay to return to the United States. Proceeding via Apra, Guam, and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, she arrived in San Diego at the end of the month.

San Jose resumed local operations out of San Diego until redeploying to the 7th Fleet in late August. She arrived in Subic Bay on 12 September and, after nine months supporting the 7th Fleet in the Far East, departed Sasebo, Japan, on 11 June 1973 to return to the United States. She arrived at San Francisco on the 22d and resumed local operations. Through June 1974, San Jose continues to cruise the western coastline of the United States, based at San Francisco.

San Jose earned three battle stars for service in the Vietnam War.

[Note: The above USS SAN JOSE (AFS-7) history may, or may not, contain text provided by crew members of the USS SAN JOSE (AFS-7), or by other non-crew members, and text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]