Mrs. Frances Hammond Claytor presented this oil painting of the five SHENANDOAH's to the officers and crew of the USS SHENANDOAH (AD-44). The ship's Prospective Commanding Officer, Captain Thomas M. McNicholas, Jr., received the painting for the ship during her launching ceremony on February 6, 1982. The name SHENANDOAH is derived from an Indian word meaning "Daughter of the Stars" USS Shenandoah Wooden Hull Sloop The first USS Shenandoah was a wooden hull sloop, propelled by a single screw. She was launched at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 8 December 1862 and commissioned on 20 June 1863. Displacing 1,375 tons and 225 feet long, she spent the next 18 months cruising off the East Coast searching and engaging Confederate raiders and reinforcing the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. In December, she moved just off Fort Fisher, which was the protecting fort for Wilmington, North Carolina. She distinguished herself in the ensuing bombardment of the fort, which lasted for the next three weeks until the fort fell to the largest amphibious operation prior to those mounted in WW II. After the war's end (1865-1869), she saw service with the South American Squadron and the Asiatic Squadron (forerunner of today's Seventh Fleet) and surveyed several Japanese and Chinese ports which were opened to trade. From 1870-1874, Shenandoah served with the European forces spreading goodwill for America throughout the Mediterranean. On Christmas day 1872, Shenandoah served as host to the King and Queen of Greece. On her return voyage from Europe, she visited Caribbean ports. Shenandoah was assigned duty with the South Atlantic Squadron from 1879-1882 and the South Pacific Squadron from 1883-1886. Her presence in South American waters greatly aided the security and protection fo United States interest and citizens. She was decommissioned at Mare Island 23 October 1886 and sold to a shipping firm in California. CSS Shenandoah The Confederate Navy also had a ship named CSS SHENANDOAH during the Civil War. The Confederates purchased a ship from Scotland, "Sea King" in 1864 and commissioned CSS Shenandoah. She was sailed surreptitiously from a British port and outfitted as a steam sloop at sea under LT J.I. Waddell, CSN. During her career as a Confederate Cruiser, she sailed the Atlantic capturing or destroying thirty-eight Union vessels, more than any other Confederate ship except the CSS Alabama. CSS Shenandoah's mission was to destroy Northern commerce in areas still not being disrupted. She headed for the Cape of Good Hope to prey on merchantmen and whalers. She took six prizes, most of which were scuttled due to the small number of crewmembers to man the captured ships. Melbourne, Australia, was among her ports of call and in January 1865, after provisioning, she took more prizes off the Kuriles. Sailing north into the Bering Sea on 23 June, the crew learned of Lee's surrender from a captured 21 more whalers before heading south. On 2 August, nearly six months after the war's end, a British barque confirmed the war's end. LT Waddell surrendered to the British Government in Liverpool on 6 November, ending the ship's career. Airship Shenandoah (ZR-1) The Airship SHENANDOAH (ZR-1), the first rigid, lighter than air craft to be designed and built by the U.S. Navy, was 680 feet long, contained 2,100,000 cubic feet of gas and was capable of attaining a speed of 60 knots. It was constructed from the captured designs of a very early Zeppelin type dirigible. Built at the Naval Aircraft Factory, Philadelphia, Shenandoah was christened on 10 October 1923. After being damaged by a storm in January 1924, which required lengthy repairs, she reported to the Scouting Fleet in August and took part in tactical exercises. In 1924, fleet exercises were again successfully conducted with Shenandoah's participation. On 2 September 1925, Shenandoah departed Lakehurst and in heavy weather (70 mph winds) over the Ohio Valley on 3 September, the airship was broke into three segments and was destroyed. Fourteen people were killed. USS Shenandoah(AD-26) The fourth Shenandoah (AD-26), the first of her class, was an 11,755 ton destroyer tender. She was commissioned on 13 August 1945, at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Tacoma, Washington. After fitting out, she sailed to the East Coast and reported for duty with the Destroyer Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Homeported in Norfolk, she tended her charges at various ports up and down the East Coast, until deploying for duty with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. Shenandoah's rescue of the crew of a sinking merchantman won her international attention in 1964. Again in 1965, she was recognized for repairs to the bow of USS Shangri-la (CV-38) after its collision at sea. Battle efficiency pennants and several departmental "E's" were among her honors. She was decommissioned on 1 April 1980. USS Shenandoah (AD-44) Our Shenandoah (AD-44) was launched at NASSCO Shipyard, San Diego, California on 6 February 1982 and will be commissioned on; 17 December 1983. She is named for the Shenandoah Valley and the adjoining National Park, which are located in the State of Virginia. Displacing 22,000 tons she is the fourth of the Yellowstone class of destroyer tenders and is 641 feet long, with a draft of 24 feet. Eighty-five feet in beam, her two 600 pound steam boilers develop 20,000 shaft horsepower, driving her at a maximum sped of twenty knots. Possessing capabilities unknown aboard tenders a few years ago, she has nuclear propulsion plant repair facilities. She can steam at 20 knots and unlike earlier tenders, can refuel other ships at sea.