Vietnam War
Cimarron continued her service into the Vietnam War during Western Pacific deployments to Subic Bay between 1965 and 1967. But her claim to fame as the oldest US Navy ship in continuous active service ended abruptly after being side-swiped by the USS Hornet during an underway replenishment port-side approach along the San Diego, California, coastline in September 1968. Cimarron was decommissioned and struck from the Navy List in October 1968 and sold for scrap in 1969.
As a tribute to many dedicated crew members, Cimarron's key artifacts were donated to Cimarron, New Mexico, which was located closest to the Cimarron River's headwaters at Eagle Nest, New Mexico. Her ship's bell became the village high school's bell.
Cimarron received 10 battle stars for World War II service, seven for the Korean War, and 4 campaign stars for her Vietnam War service.
Read more about this topic: USS Cimarron (AO-22)
Famous quotes containing the words vietnam and/or war:
“I was proud of the youths who opposed the war in Vietnam because they were my babies.”
—Benjamin Spock (b. 1903)
“The republican is the only form of government which is not eternally at open or secret war with the rights of mankind.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)