Yellowstone (AD 41) - Naval Cruise Book

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spans 75 years----------------------------- Yellowstone's subsequent career was a short one On Dec 10. 1920, she ran hard aground in the Azores. Although listed as “stranded’ and a total loss, all 4 5 of her crew were safe. The second Yellowstone (AD-27) was built in 194 4 in Tacoina. Washington, and commissioned in January of 1946. She transited the Panama Canal in April, destined for Newport Q.L and 23 years of tending the destroyers of the Atlantic fleet Here she earned a reputation of reliability and dependability, the nickname ‘Old faithful. and the coveted battle T Award 10 times. Yellowstone deployed to the Mediterranean 1 1 times between 194 7 and 1968. The tasks she performed were unheralded the public eye. but essential to maintain the fleet's operational status. During 1970. on her 12th and final Mediterranean cruise, she replaced the propeller of now-dccommissioncd USS Sampson (DDC-10) - a job which normally requires dry docking. While in Naples, a Creek freighter collided with Yellowstone and her nest of destroyers. All suffered extensive structural damage, but Yellowstone's crew worked 24-hour shifts to repair the damage in a record nine days. Qcturning to a change of homeport from May port, fla, to Charleston. S.C.. Yellowstone took on the role of performing special services for Cruiser Destroyer flotilla Six. and after 28 years of sustained continuous service to the fleet, the second Yellowstone was decommissioned on 11 September 1974.

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Yellowstone history Th= first Yellowstone, originally named War Boy. was a steel-hulled, single screw frcighter launched on 9 December 1917 in Oakland. Calif. The Navy envisioned using the ship as a depot collier, and sent her to the Cast Coast where she was commissioned in Philadelphia in (September 1918. 6oon thereafter Yellowstone sailed to New York loading 6,672 tons of general supplies earmarked for American forces in France. (She proceeded “under confidential orders on Army transport duty’ to (SL Nazairc. France. The war ended while Yellowstone was cn route to France. Trading her cargo for a load of return stores which included “aeroplane parts. Yellowstone headed home. Cn route, she sighted a derelict three-masted schooner which proved to be the abandoned Joseph P. Cooper, forcrigging gone forecastle smashed in and apparently adrift for six to eight weeks. On a later return trip to France. Yellowstone encountered a heavy gale. Before anchoring for re-pairs, she had suffered the loss of all steering systems, sustained a man-sized hole in her hull, and had two boilers underwater. Following repair and return to New York, she decommissioned and returned to the Shipping Board for use

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Commanding Officer Captain Edmund L Pratt Jr. Captain Pratt reported to the USS Yellowstone (AD 4 1) after a three-year tour at SACLANT as the assistant chief of staff of Personnel and Administration. In July 1987. he completed his tour as chief engineer aboard the USS Coral Sea (CV 43) after serving as commanding officer of the USS Kirk (FF 1087). which was hoincportcd in Yokuska. Japan. All of Captain Pratt's other sea tours were served in destroyers: executive officer. USS Turner Joy (DD 951): chief engineer. USS King (DDC 41); chief engineer. USS Mitschcr (DDC 35): material officer. Destroyer Division 22 Staff: and main propulsion assistant, USS Qobert A. Owens (DD 827) Captain Pratt's shore assignments include the U.S. Naval War College as a student: officcr-in-chargc of the USS John King (DDC 4 1) while she was out of commission undergoing overhaul in New Orleans. Louisiana: operations and plans officer. U.S. Military Training Mission. Dhahran. Saudi Arabia: CINCLANT indications watch officer, and Destroyer School Department Head Class 26 in Newport, Q.I.