USS Howard W . Gilmore ( AS - 16 ) USS " Howard W . Gilmore " ( AS - 16 ) was a , originally named " Neptune " but renamed " Howard W . Gilmore " in honor of Commander Howard W . Gilmore , a Medal of Honor recipient . She was launched by the Mare Island Navy Yard at Mare Island , California , on 16 September 1943 , sponsored by Mrs . H . W . Gilmore , widow of Howard W . Gilmore and was commissioned 24 May 1944 , with Captain D . N . Cone in command . Service history . World War II . For her first two months , " Howard W . Gilmore " conducted shakedown training out of San Diego , California . After loading parts and supplies , she sailed 12 August for Pearl Harbor , arriving on 18 August 1944 . " Howard W . Gilmore " arrived Majuro Atoll on 19 September 1944 , and began her vital tending duties . In the four months that followed she made voyage repairs on submarines , replenished them , and helped in training both crewmen and repairmen . These tasks contributed to the attacks on Japanese shipping which hastened the end of the war . The ship also provided repairs and parts for surface ships when necessary . Returning to Pearl Harbor on 29 January 1945 , the ship took on replacement crews for Australia based submarines and sailed for Brisbane , arriving 23 February 1945 . But the tender was soon underway again , this time sailing via $ 3 to Subic Bay , Philippines , with supplies for an advanced base . The " Howard W . Gilmore " arrived 13 March 1945 and immediately started refitting 7th Fleet submarines and setting up a recuperation area for their crews . She continued this duty through the climactic days of the Pacific war , sailing for the East Coast , via Pearl Harbor and Panama 31 August 1945 . Arriving in New York City on 17 October , the " Howard W . Gilmore " took part in the Navy Day celebrations in New York Harbor , where the fleet was reviewed by President Harry S . Truman . 1946 – 1961 . After a short stay in New London , Connecticut , the " Howard W . Gilmore " steamed to Portsmouth , New Hampshire , to load torpedo es and then sailed to her new home port , Key West , where she arrived 25 January 1946 . Serving Submarine Squadron 4 , the ship was to stay in Florida for the greater part of the next 13 years , serving submarines on their training and readiness duties . The ship occasionally tended submarines at Norfolk , Virginia and deployed to the Caribbean twice during this period , notably for Operation Springboard , a fleet exercise in the Caribbean in 1958 . The " Howard W . Gilmore " sailed into Charleston harbor 30 July 1959 to take up her tending duties from this new base . In addition to servicing submarines during the next 18 months , the ship rode out Hurricane Donna in September 1960 off Charleston . During 1961 she operated off the Florida coast before entering Charleston Naval Shipyard in November for a major overhaul . During this repair period , the " Howard W . Gilmore " was fitted with facilities for servicing nuclear submarines , increasing her versatility and usefulness for today ' s nuclear Navy . With this Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization Overhaul ( FRAM ) completed the ship returned to the Caribbean for refresher training before resuming tender duties at Charleston . 1962 – 1980 . In October 1962 the introduction of offensive missiles into Cuba brought strong response from the American President and people , a naval quarantine of the island . The " Howard W . Gilmore ' s " crew worked around the clock servicing two squadrons of submarines for Caribbean operations . From 1963 into 1967 , the veteran tender continued to serve submarines from her home port , Charleston , making short cruises for training off the South Carolina coast and in the Caribbean . In 1970 , The Howard W . Gilmore relieved the at Key West , then after some yard time on the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast , Howard W . Gilmore departed for her new homeport of La Maddalena , Sardinia , Italy - where she provided service and support . From 1973 until shortly before being decommissioned , the ship ' s home port was La Maddalena , Sardinia . " Howard W . Gilmore " returned to Norfolk , Virginia and was decommissioned in 1980 and scrapped in March 2006 .