USS McKee ( AS - 41 ) USS " McKee " ( AS - 41 ) , named after Andrew McKee , was the third built by the Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company of Seattle , Washington for the United States Navy . Service history . 1981 – 1989 . The ship was commissioned on 16 August 1981 . After a series of sea trials , " McKee " replaced the and joined the in San Diego to support Pacific Fleet submarine s . The " McKee " was the Command Ship for COMSUBRON11 . Early in 1984 , " McKee " became the first submarine tender certified to support the new Tomahawk cruise missile system . " McKee " earned three consecutive Battle Efficiency " E " awards in 1985 , 1986 and 1987 . In addition to the Battle " E " in 1986 , " McKee " was honored with the Golden Anchor Award for retention excellence and her first Meritorious Unit Commendation . In 1987 , the " McKee " was the first submarine tender to visit Adak , Alaska since World War II , and conducted the first nuclear submarine upkeep at this remote location . 1988 saw " McKee " become the first submarine tender certified to handle the Tomahawk Vertical Launch System ( VLS ) . In February 1989 the " McKee " performed the first at - sea weapons transfer to a submarine since WWII , to the . 1990 – 1999 . In March 1990 , the " McKee " continued leading the way for submarine tenders by participating in the first underway fuel replenishment by a Pacific Fleet submarine tender . This fuel was in preparation for deployment to the Persian Gulf in January 1991 . When Operation Desert Storm began , the " McKee " deployed to the Persian Gulf and spent six months providing support to submarines and surface combatants in Jebel Ali , just outside Dubai , United Arab Emirates . " McKee " was awarded a second Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Southwest Asia Service Medal . Following Desert Storm , " McKee " was awarded a fourth Battle Efficiency " E " Award . In 1995 , after the decommissioning of USS " Dixon " , " McKee " provided all support to San Diego based submarines . Assistance was also provided to many Allied submarines while they visited Point Loma . In 1998 , " McKee " earned a third Meritorious Unit Commendation following a six month deployment to Pearl Harbor . During this deployment , " McKee " provided services and conducted repairs to both U . S . and Allied submarines and surface combatants . Upon returning to San Diego , the ship took the lead in establishing shore - based services that will support the submarines after " McKee ' s " departure . In November 1998 , the weapons department of the USS " McKee " loaded Tomahawk cruise missiles onto . These were the first of 67 Tomahawk cruise missiles sold to the Royal Navy and the first British submarine to receive the Tomahawk missiles . They were later used by HMS " Splendid " in offensive operations in Yugoslavia . On 1 October 1999 , " McKee " was decommissioned from service and moved to the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility ( NISMF ) , located in Portsmouth , Virginia . She was struck from the Naval Register on 25 April 2006 . USS " McKee " was one of first ships to integrate female sailors and as a consequence , while unofficially was also known as the " Love Boat " by many of her crew , and the crew members of submarines , assigned to Submarine Squadron 11 for the many relationships that sprung up during the 1990s .