USS Jason ( AR - 8 ) USS " Jason " ( AR - 8 ) was a repair ship of the United States Navy in service from 1944 to 1995 , serving in World War II , Korea , Vietnam , and the Gulf War . At the time of her decommissioning , " Jason " was ( with the exception of ) the oldest ship in continual commission in the United States Navy , and the final ship in continual commission from World War II onward . World War II , Pacific Theatre operations . She was laid down on 9 March 1942 , at Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Drydock Co . , San Pedro , California , as Heavy - hull Repair Ship ARH - 1 , and launched on 3 April 1943 . " Jason " was commissioned on 19 June 1944 , with Capt . A . O . R . Bergesen in command . After brief shakedown and fitting out , the repair ship arrived Pearl Harbor on 6 July 1944 on the first leg of her journey to the $ 3 battle area . She arrived Purvis Bay in the Solomon Islands on 17 August to commence operations with Service Squadron 10 . Two months later she arrived Ulithi , where she was to spend the greater part of the war , performing the task of keeping the U . S . Navy ' s ships at peak strength and operating efficiency . For seven months at Ulithi , as American forces captured island after island from the Japanese , " Jason " , many times under enemy attack , repaired broken hulls , buckled decks and twisted bulkheads of every type of ship in the U . S . Navy . This floating shipyard turned seemingly hopeless battle wrecks into rejuvenated fighting ships again able to stand out gallantly in the final victorious months . As the action crept closer to Japan , " Jason " sailed for Leyte arriving there on 28 May 1945 . She remained there for the duration of the war continuing to service ships of the Pacific Fleet . Post - World War II operations . After the surrender of Japan , she joined a convoy of units from the U . S . 7th Fleet and arrived Jinsen , Korea , on 8 September with the first occupation troops . She operated out of Jinsen , and Tsingtao , China , until mid - February 1946 , performing repair services and assisting in the evacuation of Japanese nationals . " Jason " returned to Terminal Island , California , on 9 March for overhaul . Her rest was a brief one , however , as she sailed once again in May for the Far East . For the next four years she serviced the U . S . Pacific Fleet , alternating between Japan and California . Korean War operations . As the Communists grew bolder , and their regime in North Korea staged an overt act of aggression on South Korea , the United States responded to the challenge . American forces were dispatched to the area , and naval power played an important role in the conflict . With an increased number of ships in the Far East , " Jason " departed Oakland , California , on 22 July 1950 for Sasebo and immediately began service duties upon her arrival in August . Throughout the war she remained at Sasebo for extended periods performing the repair tasks at hand , with only brief overhaul periods in the United States . Following the cessation of hostilities in Korea , " Jason " returned to San Diego , California , on 6 November 1953 . Six months later she sailed for another WestPac deployment which included a goodwill tour to Chin Hae , Korea . It was during this cruise , that the Chinese Communists began to harass the Nationalist - held Tachen Islands . The powerful U . S . 7th Fleet , which " Jason " helped maintain , sent units into the area to make certain the peace was not violated . " Jason " returned to San Diego , California , on 13 February 1955 and commenced repair services off the West Coast of the United States . Her next Far Eastern tour began January 1956 , and she operated , in Japan , Okinawa , and Formosa before returning to San Diego , in late October . While on still another deployment to Sasebo she was redesignated AR - 8 on 9 September 1957 . As " Jason " was about to return home , a near crisis flared in Indonesia , and the 7th Fleet kept watch on the potential trouble spot . Following her return to San Diego on 14 February 1958 , she operated there throughout the year , giving valuable service to the Pacific Fleet . Vietnam War operations . " Jason " was dispatched to the Far East on 6 January 1959 and operated there until returning to San Diego , on 18 August . Her departure occurred prior to the deployment of a carrier task group in the area of Laos , as Communist insurgency once again threatened the peace . During " Jason " < nowiki > ' < / nowiki > s 1960 deployment , the Communists renewed their drive to undermine the neutral government of Laos , and the 7th Fleet was again called to peace - keeping duties . Following her return to San Diego , on 7 March 1961 , " Jason " operated along the West Coast of the United States providing repair services through 1962 . Another deployment with WestPac began on 3 January 1963 , as the Communists turned their attention on Vietnam . The U . S . 7th Fleet became a main cog in the United States ' determination to prevent Southeast Asia from falling to Communist - aligned forces . In the years since World War II , " Jason " was an important factor in keeping this force at maximum operating condition . She returned to San Diego on 7 July 1963 , and serviced the U . S . Pacific Fleet along the West Coast through 1964 . West Coast operations . " Jason " departed San Diego on 4 January 1965 and arrived at Yokosuka , Japan , on the 25th . After operations in Japan and at Okinawa , she reached Subic Bay 6 March and served ships of the 7th Fleet until heading home on 31 August . The repair ship operated in ports of southern California until entering the Naval Shipyard at Bremerton , Washington , for overhaul on 4 March 1966 . Back in top trim by 6 June , " Jason " resumed West Coast operations until sailing for the WestPac on 9 January 1967 . She served the ships of the 7th Fleet at Sasebo and in Subic Bay until returning to San Diego , on 19 August . " Jason " had her large guns removed to qualify it as a non - combatant ship , so women could be made part of the ships crew . In October 1980 , while home ported in San Diego , the " Jason " and her crew deployed for WestPac and Indian Ocean cruise in support of troops for the Iran hostage crisis . She deployed with approximately 800 men and 45 women . The " Jason " repaired ships in Yokosuka , Japan , for about a month , and after a Thanksgiving stop in Subic Bay , Philippines , ( with a very brief stop at Singapore to drop off a female officer needing immediate surgery for appendicitis ) the " Jason " entered the Indian Ocean . She was met there by a Russian warship , an oiler and two merchant ships . Soon thereafter she picked up the tail of a Russian submarine . The Russian submarine then picked up a tail of its own , an American submarine . Anchoring at Diego Garcia the " Jason " became the floating pier in the middle of the bay . She remained there repairing both ships and submarines . On 21 January , Indian Ocean Time , the " Jason " received the message " They are free , They are free , They are free , . . . " in reference to the hostages that had been held in Iran . The " Jason " was allowed to return to San Diego soon after , with a brief stop in Fremantle , Western Australia , with four day R & R in the very friendly city of Perth , and a resupply at Pearl Harbor . The " Jason " was off Mexico when Mexican radio broadcast informed her crew that President Reagan had been shot . Later that afternoon , a very somber group welcomed the ship and crew back to her home port . Soon the crew was to receive word that the " Jason " would be moving homeports to Pearl Harbor . The " Jason " was to replace the as the Tender for the Harbor . Captain Johnson was replaced by Captain Martin , the former CO of the " Bryce Canyon " . While stationed at " Pearl " the " Jason " underwent a " light " overhaul costing several millions of dollars . The crew moved ashore for the overhaul and upon return had to requalify to take her to sea . In 1983 the " Jason " deployed for West Pac 83 / 84 to Yokosuka , Japan , Olongapo , Philippines , and to Korea . On 10 February 1986 , the USS Jason was run into by the oiler USS Willamette ( AO - 180 ) about 100 km southwest of Pearl Harbor , while steaming across and through a formation centered around Willamette , in an attempt to take up a position in the formation astern of Willamette . CPO Susano R . Valdez was killed and eight others of " Jason " s crew were injured . A large vertical rupture from the deck to waterline on the port side of the " Jason " forced the ship to be towed back to port by the USS Brunswick ( ATS - 3 ) . As a result of the collision both captains were relieved of command . Following repairs , " Jason " moved to a new home port in San Diego . By this time the " Jason " was the most decorated ship in the Navy . Gulf War operations . When " Operation Desert Shield " began in August 1990 , " Jason " s operating schedule was accelerated to allow for deployment as soon as possible . Under Captain Tobin , the " Jason " departed for the Persian Gulf in early December , arriving with an amphibious assault force off the coast of Oman on 14 January 1991 - the day before Congress had authorized the use of force to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait . Two weeks into the Air War , the " Jason " moved into the Persian Gulf , mooring pierside along with other US and Coalition ships in Manama , Bahrain , in support of " Operation Desert Storm " . Ballistic missile alerts were common over the next few weeks , until the cessation of hostilities on 28 February . The " Jason " played a vital role in the emergency repair of the two warships that suffered mine damage in the Persian Gulf , the and the . Repair teams that flew out to the crippled ships earned combat action awards for their service in Desert Storm – including the first combat action awards ever earned by female sailors . Additionally , a Battle Damage Assessment Team went ashore in Kuwait and recorded damage to their designated area of responsibility . The personnel included in this team also earned combat action awards . Awards . " Jason " received a Korean Service Medal for her participation in the Korean War . " Jason " earned three campaign star s for Vietnam War service : " Jason " was awarded a " Battle E " in 1980 Decommissioning . " Jason " was decommissioned , struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 24 June 1995 , and transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet , Suisun Bay , Benicia , California . On 9 November 2006 a contract was awarded to Marine Metal Inc . of Brownsville , Texas for her scrapping . " Jason " was removed from the National Defense Reserve Fleet , Suisun Bay Group , on 8 January 2007 .