USS San Diego ( AFS - 6 ) USS " San Diego " ( AFS - 6 ) was a " Mars " - class combat stores ship acquired by the U . S . Navy in 1968 . She served the U . S . Atlantic Fleet until decommissioned in 1993 . She then was redesignated as a United States Naval Ship , assigned to the Military Sealift Command , and served in a non - commissioned status with a mostly civilian crew as USNS " San Diego " ( T - AFS - 6 ) until 1997 . Built in California . The third ship to be so named , " San Diego " was laid down on 11 March 1967 by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company at San Diego , California ; launched on 13 April 1968 , sponsored by Mrs . Frank Curran ; and commissioned on 24 May 1969 , Captain John W . Wells in command . Operational history . After shakedown and refresher training in late 1969 , " San Diego " began a seven - month , deployment to the Mediterranean in support of the United States Sixth Fleet . She returned to her home port , Norfolk , Virginia , and remained on the United States East Coast until February 1971 , when she was selected to represent the United States Atlantic Fleet at the Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans , Louisiana . In April 1971 , she deployed again to the Sixth Fleet and stayed in the Mediterranean until October 1971 . During this tour of duty , she earned the Supply Efficiency " E , " rescued sailors from a burning Greek freighter , and represented the Sixth Fleet at Admiral Farragut Day at Minorca in Spains Balearic Islands . On 27 July 1972 , following more than nine months back in the United States operating and training along U . S . East Coast , " San Diego " got underway to return to the Sixth Fleet . She arrived at Rota , Spain , on 4 August 1972 and relieved USS " Sylvania " ( AFS - 2 ) as the on - station combat stores ship with the Sixth Fleet . At the end of another six months of service in the Mediterranean , " San Diego " got underway to return to Norfolk in January 1973 . She arrived on 26 January and resumed normal operations with the Atlantic Fleet . " San Diego " operated out of Norfolk , along the U . S . East Coast , and in the Caribbean until late October 1973 . At that time , she departed Norfolk for her fourth tour of duty in the Mediterranean . She arrived at Rota , Spain , on 4 November 1973 . She cruised the Mediterranean with the Sixth Fleet for the next six months , getting underway from Rota on 19 April 1974 to return to Norfolk . " San Diego " reached Norfolk on 27 April 1974 . Between June 1974 and June 1976 " San Diego " made two more deployments to the Sixth Fleet and an additional excursion to Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , for refresher training . During the three Mediterranean cruises from 1973 to 1976 , USS " San Diego " stopped in ports from Lisbon , Portugal , to the Greek Island of Corfu , just off the coast of Albania . The eastern most port " San Diego " visited was Athens , and the only North African port she called at was Tunis , Tunisia . Palma de Mallorca and Naples , Italy were the ports she most frequented during those years . On 17 January 1989 , " San Diego " was involved in a collision with the submarine USS " Norfolk " ( SSN - 714 ) off Cape Charles Light , Virginia , as both vessels were headed to sea . While trying to pass " San Diego " in a turn in the channel , " Norfolk " was set toward an outer buoy on the port side by the current . Over correcting for this , " Norfolk " delivered a glancing blow to " San Diego " on her starboard side . There were no injuries however both vessels received minor damage and San Diego was forced into drydock for repairs following the incident . Transfer to Military Sealift Command . On 11 August 1993 " San Diego " was decommissioned , transferred to the U . S . Navys Military Sealift Command , and placed in non - commissioned service as a United States Naval Ship with a mostly civilian crew as USNS " San Diego " ( T - AFS - 6 ) . " San Diego " continued in service until 10 December 1997 when she was laid up in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . Disposal . " San Diego " was stricken from the Navy List on 10 December 1997 and she was sold for scrapping at Philadelphia on 9 April 2006 .