USS San Jose (AFS-7)

• Namesake: USS San Jose (AFS-7) was named after the city of San Jose, California, continuing the tradition of naming combat stores ships after American cities. • Commissioning: The ship was commissioned on 23 October 1970, and became the seventh and final Mars-class combat stores ship built for the US Navy. • Homeport: Its primary homeport was Guam, making it a crucial logistics link for the U.S. 7th Fleet operating in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. • Vietnam War Service: USS San Jose participated in support operations during the Vietnam War, supplying food, ammunition, and other essentials to ships and units in the combat zone. • Operation Desert Storm: The ship played a significant role in Operation Desert Storm (1990-1991), providing underway replenishment to U.S. and coalition warships in the Persian Gulf. • UNREP Pioneer: As a Mars-class ship, San Jose was equipped for both vertical replenishment (VERTREP) with helicopters and conventional alongside replenishment (CONREP), making her a versatile supply vessel. • Conversion to MSC: In 1993, USS San Jose was decommissioned from the U.S. Navy and transferred to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as USNS San Jose (T-AFS-7), staffed primarily by civilian mariners. • Humanitarian Missions: Throughout her career, San Jose participated in several humanitarian operations, including disaster relief in the Pacific following typhoons and earthquakes. • Long Service Life: The ship served actively for over 36 years, from 1970 until her final deactivation in 2007, providing vital logistics support during multiple conflicts and peacetime operations. • Final Fate: After being in reserve for several years, USNS San Jose was towed to Brownsville, Texas, for scrapping in 2013, ending a distinguished career at sea.