USS Hooper Island (ARG- 17)

• World War II Service: USS Hooper Island (ARG-17) was a Luzon-class internal combustion engine repair ship commissioned on 21 July 1945, near the end of World War II. • Namesake: The ship was named after Hooper Island, one of the islands in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. • Post-War Deployment: Hooper Island was deployed to the Pacific soon after commissioning, arriving at Pearl Harbor in October 1945 and later serving at Wakayama, Japan, supporting occupation forces. • Korean War Service: Recommissioned for the Korean War in 1951, she provided vital repair services for the US Seventh Fleet and allied naval units operating off Korea. • Far East Operations: The ship operated in various locations including Sasebo, Japan; Subic Bay, Philippines; and Hong Kong, often acting as a floating repair base for the fleet. • Support to Allied Navies: Hooper Island's repair facilities were not limited to US Navy ships; she also serviced vessels of the Republic of Korea Navy and other allied nations during the Korean War. • Humanitarian Role: After the end of the Korean War, the ship supported the postwar rebuilding efforts by repairing non-military vessels and infrastructure in the region. • Decommissioning and Final Fate: Hooper Island was decommissioned on 15 August 1959 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1961, before being sold for scrap in 1974. • Medals and Honors: The ship earned the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal for her service. • Legacy: USS Hooper Island is remembered for her critical role as a repair ship, helping to keep fleets operational during two major conflicts and contributing to regional stability in the Pacific.