View source for USS Yancey

{{short description|Andromeda-class attack cargo ship sunk as an artificial reef off North Carolina }}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:USS Yancey (AKA-93) underway c1965.jpg|300px|USS ''Yancey'' (AKA-93) in 1965]]
|Ship caption=USS ''Yancey'' (AKA-93) in 1965
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1971}}
|Ship name=USS ''Yancey''
|Ship namesake=[[Yancey County, North Carolina]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Moore Dry Dock Company]], [[Oakland, California]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=280<ref name=Miramar>{{csr|register=MSI|id=6120740|shipname=Yancey |access-date=17 April 2009 }}</ref>
|Ship way number=
|Ship laid down= 22 May 1944
|Ship launched= 8 July 1944
|Ship sponsor=Miss Beverly Bartlett
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned= 11 October 1944
|Ship decommissioned= March 1958
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=yes
|Ship recommissioned= 17 November 1961
|Ship decommissioned= 20 January 1971
|Ship struck= 1 January 1977
|Ship homeport=*1946: [[San Francisco, California]]
*1961: [[Norfolk, Virginia]]
|Ship identification=
|Ship honors=*5 [[battle star]]s
** [[World War II]] (2)
** [[Korean War]] (3)
|Ship fate= Sunk as an [[artificial reef]] off Morehead City, NC, 1990
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Andromeda|attack cargo ship|1}}
|Ship type=C2-S-B1
|Ship displacement= {{convert|13910|LT|MT}} (fully loaded)<ref name=DANFS>{{cite DANFS | title = Yancey | url = http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/y/yancey.html | access-date = 17 April 2009 }}</ref>
|Ship length=*{{convert|459|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}} (length overall)<ref name=DANFS />
*{{convert|435|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}} ([[Length between perpendiculars|lpp]])<ref name=Miramar />
|Ship beam= {{convert|63|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=DANFS />
|Ship height=
|Ship draft= {{convert|26|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=DANFS />
|Ship ramps=
|Ship propulsion=1 × [[steam turbine]]<ref name=NavSrc>{{cite web | last = Priolo | first = Gary P. | url = http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/02/02093.htm | title = AKA / LKA-93 Yancey | work = Amphibious Photo Archive | publisher = NavSource Online | date = 16 November 2007 | access-date = 17 April 2009 }}</ref>
|Ship speed= {{convert|16.5|knots|km/h}}<ref name=DANFS />
|Ship endurance=
|Ship boats=
* 8 × [[Landing Craft Mechanized|LCM]]s<ref name=NavSrc />
* 1 × [[Landing Craft Personnel, Large|LCP(L)]]
* 15 × [[LCVP (United States)|LCVP]]s
|Ship tonnage={{DWT|4450|long|disp=long}}
|Ship troops=
|Ship complement= 368<ref name=DANFS />
|Ship armament=*1 × [[5-inch/38-caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on}}]]/38[[caliber#Caliber as measurement of length|caliber]] dual purpose gun mount<ref name=DANFS />
*4 × twin [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|{{convert|40|mm|in|sp=us|adj=on}}]] gun mounts,
*16 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|{{convert|20|mm|in|sp=us|adj=on}}]] gun mounts
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''USS ''Yancey'' (AKA-93/LKA-93)''' was an {{sclass|Andromeda|attack cargo ship}} built by the [[Moore Dry Dock Company]] of [[Oakland, California]] for the [[United States Navy]] during [[World War II]]. The ship was named in honor of [[Yancey County, North Carolina]].

''Yancey''{{'}}s [[keel laying|keel was laid]] in May 1944, and the ship was [[launch (ship)|launch]]ed in July, and [[Ship commissioning|commission]]ed in October. The ship operated in the Pacific during the war and was a participant in the amphibious landings at [[Iwo Jima]] in February 1945 and [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]] in April. After Japan's surrender in August, ''Yancey'' was in [[Tokyo Bay]] during the signing of the [[Japanese Instrument of Surrender]] on 2 September. The ship made voyages delivering troops for the occupation of Japan before returning to the United States in January 1946. After spending most of the next year on the [[east coast of the United States|east coast]], ''Yancey'' was ordered back into the Pacific in November, and took part in [[Operation Highjump]], a Navy expedition to Antarctica in January 1947; [[Yancey Glacier]] was named in the ship's honor.

After spending most of the next decade in duties in the Western Pacific, ''Yancey'' was [[decommission (ship)|decommission]]ed in March 1958 and placed in reserve at [[Olympia, Washington]]. ''Yancey'' was reactivated in the aftermath of the [[Berlin Crisis of 1961]] and recommissioned in November. During the October 1962 [[Cuban Missile Crisis]] she sailed in support of the U.S. blockade of [[Cuba]], and during the April 1965 [[United States invasion of the Dominican Republic|U.S. intervention in the Dominican Republic]] she carried almost a quarter of all of the evacuees from [[Santo Domingo]]. In January 1970, ''Yancey'' was blown by a storm into the [[Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel]] which closed the structure for several weeks.

The ship was decommissioned for the final time in January 1971, and struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] in January 1977. After being stripped of salvageable materials, the ship was sunk as an artificial reef off the [[North Carolina]] coast in 1990. The ship is intact and rests on her starboard side at a depth of {{convert|160|ft|m}}.

== Design and construction ==
''Yancey'' was [[keel laying|laid down]] under a [[Maritime Commission]] contract (MC hull 1193) on 22 May 1944 by the [[Moore Dry Dock Company]] at [[Oakland, California]]. The ship was [[launch (ship)|launch]]ed on 8 July 1944 and was sponsored by Miss Beverly Bartlett. As built, ''Yancey'' was just over {{convert|459|ft|m}} long and {{convert|63|ft|m}} [[beam (nautical)|abeam]]. When fully loaded she had a [[displacement (ship)|displacement]] of {{convert|13910|LT|MT}} and [[draft (ship)|drew]] a little more than {{convert|26|ft|m}}.<ref name=DANFS /> She was powered by a single [[steam turbine]] capable of generating {{convert|6000|shp}},<ref name=NavSrc /> and attained a top speed of {{convert|16.5|knots|km/h}} during her trials.<ref name=PMARS-C1F>{{cite web | url = https://pmars.marad.dot.gov/NewCards/5409_9956AF.jpg | format = scan of record | title = Custody Card 1 (front) | work = Property Management & Archive Record System (PMARS) | publisher = [[United States Maritime Administration]] | date = 4 August 1961 | access-date = 17 April 2009 | archive-date = 26 April 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120426205850/https://pmars.marad.dot.gov/NewCards/5409_9956AF.jpg | url-status = dead }}</ref>

''Yancey'' was equipped to carry eight LCMs ("[[Landing Craft Mechanized]]"), which were designed to land vehicles in amphibious landings; one [[Landing Craft Personnel, Large|LCP(L)]] ("Landing Craft, Personnel (Large)"); and fifteen [[LCVP (United States)|LCVP]]s ("Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel"), or Higgins boats.<ref name=NavSrc /> ''Yancey'' was outfitted with primarily defensive weapons: one [[5-inch/38-caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on}}/38 caliber]] dual-purpose gun mount, four twin [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|{{convert|40|mm|in|sp=us|adj=on}}]] [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] (AA) gun mounts; and sixteen [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|{{convert|20|mm|in|sp=us|adj=on}}]] AA gun mounts.<ref name=DANFS />

== World War II ==
The ship was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] as USS ''Yancey'' (AKA-93) on 11 October 1944. After fitting out at [[San Francisco, California]], ''Yancey'' received her boat group of 26 [[landing craft]] and conducted a [[shakedown cruise]] out of [[San Pedro, Los Angeles]]. After post-shakedown alterations and repairs at [[San Diego, California]], she sailed for San Francisco to load cargo from 18 to 24 November. ''Yancey'' sailed for [[Pearl Harbor]] the next day, and was assigned to Transport Division (TransDiv) 47, Transport Squadron (TransRon) 16 upon her arrival on 2 December.<ref name=DANFS />

=== Iwo Jima ===
After remaining at Pearl Harbor until 27 January 1945, ''Yancey'' departed for the [[Mariana Islands|Marianas]] with elements and cargo of the [[5th Marine Division (United States)|5th Marine Division]] as part of Task Group (TG) 51.12 in support of the [[Battle of Iwo Jima|invasion of Iwo Jima]]. After stops for fuel and supplies at [[Enewetak|Eniwetok]] and invasion rehearsals at [[Tinian]], the ship arrived off Iwo Jima at 06:24 on 19 February, D-day for the initial landing. During almost continuous operations for the first four days of the battle, ''Yancey'' only lost two landing craft ([[LCVP (United States)|LCVP]]s): one to enemy mortar fire, and another to heavy surf. ''Yancey'' received minor damage when she collided with {{USS|Pensacola|CA-24|2}} while transferring {{convert|8|in|mm|adj=on}} ammunition to the heavy cruiser.<ref name=DANFS />

On 29 February, after the tactical situation ashore had improved sufficiently, ''Yancey'' anchored off "Red" beach to unload her general cargo. During this time the ship was hit by one long-range mortar shell, but suffered no casualties among her crew. Slowed by nightly air raids, and high surf that required cargo to be offloaded to [[Landing Ship, Tank|LSTs]], [[Landing Ship Medium|LSMs]], and [[Landing Craft, Tank|LCTs]], ''Yancey'' completed her unloading on 2 March. The cargo ship sailed with three other transports and a pair of screening destroyers to [[Saipan]] and then to [[Espiritu Santo]], where she rejoined her TransRon 16 squadron mates in embarking the [[27th Infantry Division (United States)|27th Infantry Division]].<ref name=DANFS />

=== Okinawa ===
''Yancey'' sailed on 25 March as a part of TG 51.3, the designated "mobile reserve" for the [[Battle of Okinawa|invasion of Okinawa]]. As the group headed for a planned stop in the [[Caroline Islands|Carolines]], ''Yancey'' took a disabled LSM under tow and delivered the vessel to [[Ulithi]]. TransDiv 47 was detached from TG 51.3 and arrived off [[Kerama Retto]] on 9 April, eight days after the battle had commenced. After receiving her orders, ''Yancey'' anchored off the [[Hagushi]] beaches on the 12th. During her four days of unloading, the crew was hampered by Japanese air raids and delayed—according to the ship's commander—over 15 hours because of the attacks. ''Yancey''{{'}}s number four {{convert|40|mm|in}} mount claimed a "sure assist" on a [[Nakajima Ki-43|Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar"]] fighter that crashed {{convert|3000|yards|m}} from the ship. Despite delays caused by the air attacks, ''Yancey'' was the first attack cargo ship of her group to finish unloading, and sailed independently for the Marianas on the 16th. During her stay off the Okinawa beaches, the ship lost none of her boats and suffered three casualties: two men were wounded by shrapnel, and another broke an arm.<ref name=DANFS />

After a short rest-and-recreation stop at [[Guam]], ''Yancey'' rejoined her squadron at Ultihi and underwent boiler repairs and intensive antiaircraft training; her crew won numerous five-case "beer prizes" for shooting down target sleeves. Getting underway again on 8 May, ''Yancey'' spent the next two months shuttling men and [[materiel]] from rear area bases, calling at [[Manus Island|Manus]] in the [[Admiralty Islands]]; [[Finschhafen]], [[New Guinea]]; [[Tulagi]]; [[Jayapura|Hollandia]], [[Dutch New Guinea]]; and finally [[Guiuan]], on the island of [[Samar]], in the [[Philippines]]. She rejoined TransDiv 47, TransRon 16, at [[San Pedro Bay (Philippines)|San Pedro Bay]], [[Leyte Gulf]], on 16 July and sailed with the rest of the division to [[Iloilo]], on the island of [[Panay]], to conduct amphibious training exercises with the [[United States Army]]'s [[43rd Infantry Division (United States)|43rd Infantry Division]].<ref name=DANFS />

''Yancey'' was in the Philippines when word of the [[Surrender of Japan|Japanese surrender]] came in on 15 August. TransDiv 47 took on provisions at Iloilo after training exercises for the planned invasion of Japan were cancelled; after arriving at [[Batangas]], [[Luzon]], Philippines, she embarked elements of the [[1st Cavalry Division (United States)|1st Cavalry Division]] slated for the [[Occupied Japan|occupation of Japan]].<ref name=DANFS />

After completing the loading process on 23 August, ''Yancey'' weighed anchor on the 25th as a member of Task Force (TF) 33. However, the ships had to turn back because of a tropical storm in the vicinity. The [[typhoon]] delayed the task force for only a day, as the ships weathered the fringes of the storm at [[U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay|Subic Bay]] before again getting underway soon thereafter. ''Yancey'' entered [[Tokyo Bay]] on the morning of 2 September, the day Japan signed the formal articles of surrender on the deck of the battleship {{USS|Missouri|BB-63|2}} anchored there. Shortly after the conclusion of those ceremonies, the attack cargo ship headed into [[Yokohama]] harbor, the third ship in her squadron to enter that port and the first to start unloading. The ship completed her unloading in 19 hours and then proceeded to an anchorage off Yokohama.<ref name=DANFS />

During her World War II service, ''Yancey'' was awarded two [[battle star]]s.<ref name=DANFS />

== Post war ==
''Yancey''{{'}}s squadron departed on 4 September 1945 and steamed via Leyte Gulf to [[Zamboanga City|Zamboanga]]. There, they commenced loading elements of the Army's [[41st Infantry Division (United States)|41st Infantry Division]] from 16 to 18 September. ''Yancey'' and her sisters shifted soon thereafter to Bugo, [[Mindanao]], where she picked up Army [[Landing Craft Mechanized|LCMs]]. After TG 54.28 had assembled in Leyte Gulf on 21 September, the group—which included ''Yancey''—sailed for Japan's [[Seto Inland Sea|Inland Sea]].<ref name=DANFS />

Due to minesweeping difficulties, however, the landings scheduled for the [[Kure, Hiroshima|Kure]]–[[Hiroshima]] area were postponed; and the task group sailed instead for [[Buckner Bay]], Okinawa. On 28 September, the ship put to sea to evade another typhoon. On 1 October, she returned and anchored in Buckner Bay. Two days later, ''Yancey'' again headed for Japanese waters and entered [[Bungo Suido]] on the 5th, beginning the long, difficult passage up the Inland Sea along the channel swept through the minefields. The next morning—after spending the night anchored in the cleared channel—''Yancey'' headed for Hiro Wan, where the landings were made. The ship completed her unloading in 48 hours. On 9 October, she was detached from TransRon 16 and reported to [[CinCPac]] for assignment. The following day, ''Yancey'' rode out a third typhoon with {{convert|130|fathom|m}} of chain on deck, a second anchor ready to go, and steam at the throttle.<ref name=DANFS />

The attack cargo ship, remaining behind when the rest of her squadron was sent back to the United States on 11 October, headed instead to [[Haiphong]], [[French Indochina]] to embark Chinese troops. After an 11-day delay, 1,027 officers and men of the 471st Regiment, 62nd Chinese Army—and one interpreter—boarded the American vessel for passage to [[Kaohsiung|Takao]], [[Taiwan|Formosa]]. After arrival, the Chinese troops had all been offloaded by 17:00 on 17 November. After sailing to [[Manila]], ''Yancey'' received orders to proceed to the United States on 25 November, one year to the day she had sailed from San Francisco. ''Yancey'' took on a capacity load of Army and Navy men returning to the United States for discharge and departed Manila harbor on 27 November. During the voyage, she flew a {{convert|310|ft|m|adj=on}} "homeward-bound pennant" adorned with 27 stars.<ref name=DANFS />

After a stop at Pearl Harbor for boiler repairs and to offload her Army passengers, ''Yancey'' sailed for [[Balboa, Panama|Balboa]], [[Panama Canal Zone]], reaching there on the last day of the year; she was the last ship to transit the Panama Canal in 1945. On 6 January 1946, ''Yancey'' cleared [[Cristóbal, Colón|Cristobal]], Canal Zone, bound for [[Louisiana]]. After a brief stop at [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]], the attack cargo ship proceeded on, via [[Jacksonville, Florida]], to [[Naval Station Norfolk|Norfolk]], where she arrived on 29 January. Less than a month later, on 27 February, ''Yancey'' sailed farther north and reached the [[Philadelphia Naval Shipyard]] the following day.<ref name=DANFS />

Over the next few months, ''Yancey'' underwent a regular overhaul there and then operated off the eastern seaboard and into the western [[Atlantic]]. During that time, she called at [[Bayonne, New Jersey]]; [[Bermuda]]; [[San Juan, Puerto Rico]]; [[Guantanamo Bay Naval Base|Guantánamo Bay, Cuba]]; Balboa, Canal Zone; Jacksonville, Florida; and made return calls at Norfolk, Bayonne, and Bermuda. In addition, the ship visited the [[New York Naval Shipyard]] and [[Davisville, Rhode Island]], before being assigned tentatively to TF 68 effective on 9 November.<ref name=DANFS />

== Operation Highjump ==
In compliance with her new orders, ''Yancey'' proceeded back to the west coast, sailing via Cristobal and the Panama Canal. After arriving at San Pedro, California, ''Yancey'' reported for duty with TF 68 and was reassigned to the [[United States Pacific Fleet|Pacific Fleet]]s Service Force and homeported at San Francisco, on 11 November. The next day, she shifted to [[Port Hueneme, California]], where she began loading cargo for [[Operation Highjump]], the U.S. Navy expedition to [[Antarctica]].<ref name=DANFS />

Departing Port Hueneme on 2 December, ''Yancey'' pressed southward, headed for Antarctica, and spent [[Christmas]] at sea. Two days later, she saw her first [[icebergs]]—visible evidence that she was entering the polar latitudes. She sighted the northern limit of the Antarctic pack ice on the 28th and spent the next two days investigating ice conditions. She fueled from {{USS|Canisteo|AO-99|6}} {{convert|10|nmi|km}} south of [[Scott Island]], Antarctica, purportedly becoming the first ship to conduct an underway refueling below the [[Antarctic Circle]].<ref name=DANFS />

After threading her way through the [[pack ice]] over the ensuing weeks, ''Yancey'' finally arrived at [[Bay of Whales]], Antarctica, mooring at the [[shelf ice]] on 18 January 1947. Subsequently, departing that "port" on 6 February for the area to the north of the ice floes, the attack cargo ship entered the pack ice on the 9th. Over the next three days, she pressed through the floes that extended for a width of almost {{convert|275|nmi|km}}.<ref name=DANFS />

On 13 February, ''Yancey'' joined TU 68.1.2 which also included the Coast Guard icebreaker, {{USCGC|Northwind|WAGB-282|2}}, towing the attack cargo ship {{USS|Merrick|AKA-97|2}}. Within a week, the ships were riding out a fierce storm that justified—at least to ''Yancey'' sailors—the Antarctic's title as "The World's Stormiest Sea". ''Yancey'' reached [[Port Chalmers]], New Zealand, on 22 February and departed that port on 5 March, bound for [[Samoa]].<ref name=DANFS />

Subsequently, departing [[Pago Pago]] on 27 March bound for Hawaii with {{USS|YTL-153||2}} in tow, the attack cargo ship arrived at Pearl Harbor on 14 April. She soon got underway for the west coast of the United States and reached Port Hueneme on 2 May 1947. There, Yancey disembarked a unit of a construction battalion ("[[Seabee (US Navy)|Seabees]]") and discharged TF 68 cargo. Her duty with TF 68 thus completed on 15 May, ''Yancey'' reported for duty with Service Division (ServDiv) 12. Shortly thereafter, ''Yancey'' shifted to San Pedro before heading to [[Terminal Island]], California, for restricted availability on 20 May. After that period of repairs and alterations, Yancey returned to Port Hueneme to load cargo earmarked for shipment to Pearl Harbor and Guam.<ref name=DANFS />

== Korean War ==
[[File:USCGC Northwind (WAGB-282) towing USS Yancey (AKA-93) towards an area of less danger. (22069305021).jpg|right|thumb|UCGC ''Northwind'' towing ''Yancy'' towards an area of less dangerous ice during Operation Deep Freeze, 1956-1957]]
Over the next decade, ''Yancey'' operated between west coast ports and advanced bases in the Western Pacific (WestPac), including ports in Japan, [[Korea]], and the Philippines. During that period, she also supported [[United Nations]] (UN) actions in Korea, operating in support of the initial attempts to fight the [[North Korea]]n advance; in the first UN counteroffensives in early 1951; and in the final phases of activity that preceded the armistice in the summer of 1953. ''Yancey'' was awarded three battle stars for her [[Korean War]] service.<ref name=DANFS />

In December 1957, after having served continuously since 1944, ''Yancey'' was deactivated at San Francisco. She was placed out of commission in March 1958,<ref name=DANFS /> and entered the [[Reserve Fleet]] at [[Olympia, Washington]], on 11 October 1960.<ref name=PMARS-C1F />

== Recommissioning ==
In the aftermath of the [[Berlin Crisis of 1961]], ''Yancey'' was reactivated as part of President [[John F. Kennedy]]'s bid to build up the U.S. Navy. On 17 November 1961, ''Yancey'' was recommissioned at [[Portland, Oregon]]. The ship departed from San Diego on 12 January 1962 and reached Norfolk, her new assigned home port, on 2 February, there becoming the newest member of Amphibious Squadron (PhibRon) 12. Over the next months, ''Yancey'' took part in a variety of exercises and maneuvers.<ref name=DANFS />

''Yancey'' participated in [[Operation Phiblex]] in the spring of 1962, operating off [[Roosevelt Roads]] and [[Vieques]], [[Puerto Rico]]. She later paid a port call at [[Charlotte Amalie, United States Virgin Islands|Charlotte Amalie]], [[St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands|St. Thomas]], [[United States Virgin Islands|Virgin Islands]], before she returned to Roosevelt Roads and reloaded equipment and embarked Marines slated to return to [[Morehead City, North Carolina]]. Subsequently, returning to Norfolk on 2 May, ''Yancey'' touched briefly at [[Charleston, South Carolina]], to take on additional landing craft before returning to the [[Tidewater (geographic term)|Tidewater]] region to spend the remainder of May.<ref name=DANFS />

Subsequently, visiting [[Boston]], and [[Rockland, Maine]], ''Yancey'' participated in amphibious boat exercises at [[Provincetown, Massachusetts]], before she got underway on 24 July for Davisville, Rhode Island. There, she loaded a [[Seabee (US Navy)|Seabee]] unit and their equipment and headed eastward, bound for [[Rota, Spain]]. Offloading one Seabee unit and onloading another, ''Yancey'' then paused briefly at [[Gibraltar]] before touching at [[Lisbon]] on the return leg of her voyage to the United States. Disembarking the seabees and unloading their equipment at Davisville, ''Yancey'' headed back to Norfolk, reaching her homeport on 18 August 1962.<ref name=DANFS />

On 17 October, ''Yancey'' again sailed from Norfolk and proceeded to Morehead City, to load marines and equipment for [[Operation PhiBrigLex]] (Amphibious Brigade Exercises) slated for Vieques, Puerto Rico. Upon arrival, the attack cargo ship loaded immediately and set out to join the rest of the ships in the squadron. She soon was fighting her way through [[1962 Atlantic hurricane season#Hurricane Ella|Hurricane Ella]] which caused her to alter her course to avoid the most severe part of the storm.<ref name=DANFS />

== Cuban Missile Crisis and Dominican Republic operations ==
On 23 October 1962, President Kennedy ordered a [[Cuban Missile Crisis|naval quarantine of Cuba]] in response to the presence of [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] missiles on the soil of that island nation. ''Yancey'' sortied in support of the American operations in the Caribbean, and remained on station until the missiles were removed and tensions were relaxed. Over the next few years, ''Yancey'' made regular deployments to the Mediterranean to take part in joint exercises with [[NATO]] forces.<ref name=DANFS />

In April 1965, ''Yancey'' was ordered to the [[Dominican Republic]] to support [[Operation Power Pack]], the code name for the United States' intervention in the Dominican Republic. The attack cargo ship arrived at [[Santo Domingo]], the capital city, on 30 April. ''Yancey'' loaded nearly 600 evacuees from 21 nations. Among those on board the ship were the daughter of [[William Tapley Bennett Jr.]], the [[United States Ambassador to the Dominican Republic]]; the Belgian Ambassador to the Dominican Republic; sixteen nuns from the [[Dominican Order]]; and several large families. ''Yancey''{{'}}s officers and crew vacated their quarters to allow room for female passengers and children, and many slept on the decks of the ship during the passage to San Juan, Puerto Rico. One of the passengers gave birth during the short trip, and gave her son the [[middle name]] of ''Yancey'' in honor of the ship.<ref name=DANFS />

After debarking her passengers at San Juan on 1 May, the ship took on supplies needed by the American ground forces in Santo Domingo: gasoline, oil, and ammunition. She docked in Santo Domingo on 2 May and exchanged her cargo for 450 more evacuees to be taken to San Juan. In all, ''Yancey'' carried almost a quarter of those fleeing the Dominican Republic. She returned to Norfolk soon thereafter, and resumed her role of training and cruising off the eastern seaboard and into the Caribbean basin. On 1 January 1969, ''Yancey'' was redesignated as ''LKA-93''.<ref name=DANFS />

== Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel incident ==
On 21 January 1970, ''Yancey'' was at anchor near one stretch of the [[Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel]] near Norfolk. Driven by the winds in a snowy gale that gusted up to {{convert|50|mph|km/h}}, ''Yancey'' dragged her anchors and hit the bridge, knocking it out of service for several weeks. The Navy started a free shuttle service for commuters who normally used the route, using helicopters and [[Landing Craft Utility|Landing Craft Utilities]]. There were no vehicles on the bridge at the time of the collision, and no one was injured. The ship deployed to the Mediterranean a few months later.<ref name=DANFS />

After a return to the United States in mid-1970, ''Yancey'' entered inactive status at Norfolk on 1 October of that year. The ship was [[decommission (ship)|decommission]]ed at Norfolk on 20 January 1971, and entered the [[James River (Virginia)|James River]] berthing area of the [[National Defense Reserve Fleet]].<ref name=DANFS /> ''Yancey'' was stricken from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 1 January 1977.<ref name=NVR>{{cite web| url = {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=LKA93}} | title = YANCEY (LKA 93) (ex-MC 1193, AKA 93) | access-date = 17 April 2009|work = [[Naval Vessel Register]]|publisher = [[United States Department of the Navy|Navy Department]], [[Naval Sea Systems Command]]}}</ref> The vessel remained in the James River fleet until 16 August 1984 when she was withdrawn to be stripped of useful equipment by the U.S. Navy. She re-entered the fleet one year later, on 28 August 1985, but was withdrawn for the final time on 15 December 1989 to be prepared for sinking as an artificial reef.<ref name=PMARS-C2F>{{cite web | url = https://pmars.marad.dot.gov/NewCards/5409_9957AB.jpg | format = scan of record | title = Custody Card 2 (front) | work = Property Management & Archive Record System (PMARS) | publisher = [[United States Maritime Administration]] | date = 15 December 1989 | access-date = 17 April 2009 | archive-date = 26 April 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120426210354/https://pmars.marad.dot.gov/NewCards/5409_9957AB.jpg | url-status = dead }}</ref>

In 1990, the vessel was sunk as an artificial reef off [[Morehead City, North Carolina]], and rests on her starboard side at a depth of {{convert|160|ft|m}}.<ref>{{cite web | last = Hudy | first = Paul M. | url = http://www.nc-wreckdiving.com/WRECKS/YANCEY/YANCEY.HTML | title = Yancey | publisher = wreckdiving.com | year = 2007 | access-date = 17 April 2009 }}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=Note}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/y/yancey.html}}<!-- link omitted because of citation above; sufficient text from DANFS is still included to justify this notice, even though the material is cited above. -->

==External links==
* {{navsource|10/02/02093|Yancey}}
* [http://unitpages.military.com/unitpages/unit.do?id=200317 Military.com: USS ''Yancey'']
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060620071629/http://ussrankin.org/id352.htm 51 Years of AKAs]

{{Andromeda-class attack cargo ship}}
{{Type C2-S-B1 ships}}
{{1990 shipwrecks}}
{{Recreational dive sites|wresit}}
{{coord missing|North Carolina}}
{{good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yancey (AKA-93)}}
[[Category:Andromeda-class attack cargo ships]]
[[Category:Yancey County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Ships built in Oakland, California]]
[[Category:1944 ships]]
[[Category:World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States]]
[[Category:Cold War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States]]
[[Category:Korean War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of the Carolina coast]]
[[Category:Ships sunk as artificial reefs]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1990]]