USS Shenandoah (AD-26)

• Namesake: USS Shenandoah (AD-26) was the third U.S. Navy ship named after the Shenandoah River, which flows through Virginia and West Virginia. • Class and Type: She was the lead ship of the Shenandoah-class destroyer tenders, designed to provide maintenance and support to destroyers and other small warships. • Launch & Commissioning: USS Shenandoah was launched on 29 September 1944 at Todd-Pacific Shipyards in Seattle, Washington, and commissioned on 13 March 1945. • World War II Service: Although commissioned near the end of WWII, she served in the Pacific, supporting ships at Pearl Harbor and Eniwetok. • Cold War Operations: Throughout the Cold War, the USS Shenandoah operated primarily in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, providing vital repair and logistical support to U.S. fleets. • Cuban Missile Crisis: During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, Shenandoah played a crucial role by supporting ships enforcing the naval quarantine of Cuba. • Medal for Service: The ship earned several awards, including the Navy Expeditionary Medal and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, for her varied service. • Home Ports: Her main home port was Norfolk, Virginia, but she also operated out of Mayport, Florida, and made frequent deployments to the Mediterranean. • Women at Sea: In the late 1970s, USS Shenandoah became one of the first Navy ships to have women as part of its crew, reflecting changing policies in the Navy. • Decommissioning: USS Shenandoah was decommissioned on 1 April 1980 after 35 years of service and was eventually sold for scrap in 1982.