Naval Service
Beaufort completed outfitting at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 5 April 1972 and moved first to the Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, Virginia, for deperming and thence to Little Creek, Virginia, to load in preparation for the voyage to Pearl Harbor.
She made an overnight stop at one of her namesake cities, Beaufort, South Carolina, on 14 and 15 April and a two-day visit to Port Royal, South Carolina, from 15 to 17 April before resuming her voyage to Hawaii. The salvage tug transited the Panama Canal on 24 April and headed up the U.S. West Coast of North America to San Diego, California, arriving there on 3 May. Five days later, Beaufort put to sea on the last leg of her voyage.
She arrived in Pearl Harbor on 15 May and became a unit of Service Squadron (ServRon) 5. The ship remained in port until 5 June at which time she began shakedown training in the Hawaiian Islands operating area.
The salvage tug completed shakedown training on 23 June and soon began diver and salvage training. August brought final contract trials; and, in September, she resumed salvage training and capability evaluation. Between 13 October and 15 November, she towed the former Observation Island (AG-154) to San Francisco, California, and returned to Pearl Harbor. She arrived back in Pearl Harbor on 15 November and began post-shakedown availability.
Read more about this topic: USS Beaufort (ATS-2)
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