USS Targeteer ( YV - 3 ) USS " Targeteer was an originally projected as LSM - 508 . The landing craft was reclassified as LSM ( R ) - 508 " in February 1945 and laid down on 31 March 1945 at Houston , TX , by the Brown Shipbuilding Corporation . Launched on 28 April 1945 , " LSM ( R ) - 508 " was commissioned at Houston on 25 June 1945 , Lieutenant Harry E . Montgomery , USNR , in command . Service history . Landing ship medium ( rocket ) , 1945 – 1947 . " LSM ( R ) - 508 " departed Houston on 30 June and arrived at Galveston , TX , the same day to begin fitting out . She got underway again on 5 July and arrived at Charleston , SC , five days later , to receive her rocket launchers and undergo alterations . The landing ship shifted to Little Creek , VA , on 31 July . During her shakedown , conducted from 1 to 15 August 1945 , Japan capitulated , ending the war in the Pacific . " LSM ( R ) - 508 " operated out of Little Creek , off the Virginia Capes , and in the Caribbean , conducting training there out of San Juan , Puerto Rico , and Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , into 1946 . Returning to Little Creek on 24 March , the landing ship participated in further local training operations into the summer . After shifting to Baltimore , MD , in July , for repairs , " LSM ( R ) - 508 " sailed for Houston in October , transited the Panama Canal on 30 November , and arrived at San Diego , CA , soon thereafter , to prepare for inactivation . Decommissioned on 5 February 1947 , " LSM ( R ) - 508 " was placed in reserve at San Diego . She remained inactive for the next 22 years . During this time , she was named Gunnison River on 1 October 1955 . Drone aircraft catapult control ship , 1960 – 1969 . Apparently slated for disposal in late 1959 , " Gunnison River " was reinstated on the Navy list early in 1960 and selected for conversion to a drone aircraft catapult control ship . Accordingly reclassified to ( YV - 3 ) on 26 May 1960 , " Gunnison River " was renamed Targeteer on 26 June 1960 , with Lt . D . S . Chambers the first officer - in - charge . Placed " in service " in March 1961 , " Targeteer " was commissioned on 7 April 1961 , Lt . J . L . White in command . Homeported at San Diego , from 1961 to 1968 , " Targeteer " operated under the operational control of Commander , Fleet Training Group , San Diego - receiving the necessary upkeep and repairs from Service Group 1 . Her primary mission included the launch and recovery of radio controlled drone aircraft and surface drone unit targets , maintained by Utility Unit 3 , furnishing simulated " enemy " aircraft and high - speed surface craft exercises . The surface craft ( " Firefish " , were based on the supposed PT boat attacks on and in the Tonkin Gulf . These surface craft were very fast radio - controlled boats . Dubbed " the world ' s smallest aircraft carrier , " " Targeteer " provided these support services for the United States Pacific Fleet into 1968 . Her morse - code callsign was " N - T - Q - O " and her communication guard was held by COMTRAPAC Communications ( Commander Training Command , US Pacific Fleet ) , on the Fleet Anti - Submarine Warfare School ( now CENTER ) , San Diego , ( while in port ) where " Targeteer " tied up . Decommissioned on 31 December 1968 , " Targeteer " was struck from the Navy list on 1 January 1969 . The former drone aircraft catapult control craft was subsequently sold to the American Ship Dismantling Co . , of Portland , OR , on 10 December 1969 and scrapped soon thereafter . Awards . USS " Targeteer " received :