Ship history
After her commissioning in August 1945, Paiute was assigned salvage, towing and logistics duties throughout the North Atlantic Ocean, and operated from her home port at Norfolk, Virginia, into 1953. In 1948, she towed USS Texas (BB-35) to Galveston, Texas. In September 1953, Paiute's home port was changed to Balboa, Canal Zone, where she carried out salvage operations and provided services to the fleet under the operational control of Commander Panama Sector, Caribbean Sea Frontier. Here she also operated the Diving School for second class divers at the Rodman Naval Station, Canal Zone. She became the only ship of her class to display a Golden "E" on her gun mount for five consecutive years of outstanding accuracy. Paiute underwent a Line-crossing ceremony on 11 November 1955.[2]
Vietnam War
During the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, Paiute carried out patrol assignments, and following the isolation of the Guantanamo naval base by the Castro Government, she supplied much needed water by towing water barges from the States, until a desalinization plant was installed and operational.
In 1965, she delivered fuel barges to the Dominican Republic during the hot political crisis there. She was on Prime Recovery Station One during the Gemini 6 and 7 crewed space flights, and for Gemini 8 in 1966. Paiute moved to the New England area to provide services through 1967, returning to Guantanamo at the year's end. On 19 November, Paiute underwent another Line-crossing ceremony.
During 1968, she participated in several major salvage operations and fleet exercises. Paiute was called in January 1968 to assist the Pogy (SSN-647) after the incomplete nuclear submarine had become adrift off the coast of Florida while under tow from Philadelphia to Mississippi. Paiute was able to attach a tow line to Pogy in heavy seas but it parted less than 18 hours later; the attempt had to be taken up by other vessels. In the fall, she was again on recovery station for the Apollo 7 space shot. During February 1969, Paiute was awaiting splashdown of Apollo 9.[4]
Fate
On 7 August 1992, Paiute was decommissioned for the second and final time following the end of the Persian Gulf War. She was struck from the Naval Register on 14 February 1995, and transferred to the Maritime Administration on 29 December 1997, for disposal. Paiute was scrapped in 2003.
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