USS Ruchamkin (APD-89)

• Origin as a Destroyer Escort: USS Ruchamkin (APD-89) was originally laid down as a Rudderow-class destroyer escort (DE-228), before being converted into a high-speed transport (APD-89) during construction. • Namesake: The ship was named in honor of Ensign Stephen Ruchamkin, a naval aviator killed in action during World War II at Midway. • World War II Service: Commissioned late in World War II (1945), USS Ruchamkin saw limited wartime service, mainly transporting troops and equipment in the Pacific theater. • Occupation Duty: After Japan’s surrender, Ruchamkin participated in occupation duties, helping to transport Allied forces and materials for the rebuilding of Japan. • Inactivation and Reactivation: The ship was decommissioned in 1946, but reactivated in 1950 for service during the Korean War era and the early Cold War. • Amphibious Exercises: Ruchamkin was heavily involved in amphibious training operations along the U.S. East Coast and in the Caribbean, helping to refine Marine and Navy landing tactics. • Support to Underwater Demolition Teams: As an APD, Ruchamkin frequently served as a base and transport for Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs) — predecessors to the modern Navy SEALs. • Cuban Missile Crisis: During the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, USS Ruchamkin was part of the U.S. naval forces enforcing the quarantine around Cuba. • Final Decommissioning: The ship was decommissioned for the final time in 1969 and stricken from the Navy List in 1974. • Sold for Scrap: After decommissioning, Ruchamkin was sold for scrap in 1975, ending her three-decade-long association with the U.S. Navy.