USS Shasta (AE-33)

Shasta's armament was upgraded during the Cold War to include chaff and two Vulcan Phalanx CIWS 20MM Gatling gun close-in weapon systems for missile defense and AN/SLQ-25 Nixie for anti-torpedo defense. During the 1980s Shasta conducted many Cold War operations, and many operations related to United States interests in the Iran–Iraq War.

Shasta made the following deployments during the early 1980s:[4]

• September 1981 – April 1982: Western Pacific & Indian Ocean/North Arabian Sea with HC-11 Detachment 7 embarked with two CH-46D helicopters. During this deployment, Shasta rescued 298 Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees in the South China Sea, for which Shasta's crew received the Humanitarian Service Medal.
• September 1982 – April 1983: Western Pacific & Indian Ocean/North Arabian Sea. Port Calls included: Hawaii, Guam, Japan, Philippines, Hong Kong, Korea and Thailand. Also, extended operations in the Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf. Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Eleven (HC-11) Detachment One from Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego California – Deployed for Support Operations, with Two Boeing HH-46A Sea Knight Helicopters.

Shasta deployed to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans in 1985 under the command of Commander Barry N. Kaye to support United States interests in the Iran–Iraq War. Shasta deployed as part of the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) battle group Brovo. Shasta supported the Kitty Hawk battle group in the North Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman off the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. The ship and her crew made port calls at Mombasa, Kenya, Subic Bay Naval Base, and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and conducted airhead operations at al-Masirah, Oman. The crew earned the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon for its service on the deployment.

Shasta operated with the Carl Vinson (CVN-70) battle group in the Gulf of Alaska 24 January to 6 February 1987.[3] Shasta conducted these operations during a major winter storm in the Gulf of Alaska.

Shasta deployed to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans 14 July to 30 December 1987,[3] including three months in the North Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman in support of Operation Earnest Will, with Battle Group Echo, formed around the Ranger (CV-61), and the Missouri (BB-63) surface action group under the command of Joint Task Force Middle East (now United States Naval Forces Central Command).[5] This included three months on station off the coast of Iran and the Hormuz Strait with the Task Force in Gonzo Station. Other ships in this combined task force included Long Beach (CGN-9), Bunker Hill (CG-52), Gridley (DLG-21), John Young (DD-973), Leftwich (DD-984), Buchanan (DDG-14), Hoel (DDG-13), Robert E. Peary (FF-1073), Harold E. Holt (FF-1074), Curts (FFG-38), Reuben James (FFG-57), Wichita (AOR-1), Kansas City (AOR-3) and Hassayampa (AO-145).[6]

Shasta with Battle Group Echo off the coast of Iran, October 1987

During the deployment Shasta conducted many airhead operations at al-Masirah, Oman. During its time on station, Shasta sortied to rearm destroyers in support of Operation Nimble Archer. Also during this deployment, Shasta made port visits at Lualualei in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Subic Bay, Luzon, Philippines (two); Singapore; Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territories; Pattaya, Thailand; and Hong Kong. Shasta was also involved in Cold War operations during the deployment, and had frequent contact with Soviet vessels and aircraft. Shasta transited the Northern, Eastern and Western Pacific Ocean the San Bernardino Strait; the South China Sea; the Straits of Malacca; the Bay of Bengal; the Singapore Strait; the northern and southern Indian Ocean; the Gulf of Thailand; the Philippine Sea; the North Arabian Sea; the Gulf of Oman; and into the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz. Shasta's crew was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon for their service on this deployment. During the deployment, en route from Thailand to Hong Kong, Shasta sailed through a super typhoon in the South China Sea, sustaining damage, but never reducing her operational capacity. During this deployment, Shasta steamed 44,633 nautical miles, and at one point spent 79 consecutive days at sea on station off the coast of Iran, most at condition III (wartime steaming). Shasta crossed the Equator in the Indian Ocean en route to Diego Garcia and held a line-crossing ceremony and initiated the shellbacks into the solemn mysteries of the Ancient Order of the Deep.[7] Prior to transit east through the Straits of Malacca and back into the Pacific Ocean, Shasta turned over her duties in the Middle East to her sister ship, the USNS Kilauea.

In 1988, Shasta supported drug smuggling interdiction operations off Baja California, and conducted a "show the flag" port visit in Mazatlán, Mexico.

Shasta's flight deck crew attaching a cargo pendant to the bottom of an CH-46 during vertrep operations on deployment.

In 1989, under the command of Commander Daniel A. Gabe, Shasta deployed independently to the Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands, and Bering Sea during PACEX 89 as a show of force against the Soviet Union. While operating independently during PACEX, Shasta conducted operations in conjunction with several aircraft carrier and battleship task forces, including operations with the New Jersey (BB-62). Thereafter, Shasta deployed independently to the Western Pacific, South China Sea, East China Sea and Philippine Sea for logistics operations in Eastern Asia, all for Cold War operations. During this deployment, Shasta conducted airhead operations at Cold Bay, Alaska and King Cove, Alaska (both on the Alaskan Peninsula), and Amchitka, Alaska (in the Rat Islands of the Aleutian Chain). Shasta transited the San Bernardino Strait, Amchitka Pass, Unimak Pass, and the Andreanof Islands. Shasta made port calls at Guam; Subic Bay, Luzon, Philippines; Hong Kong; Okinawa; Sasebo, Japan; Yokosuka, Japan; and Pearl Harbor. When Shasta arrived in Hong Kong, the crew learned that the Berlin Wall had fallen, one of the final episodes of the Cold War. Shasta maneuvered through a major winter storm during its transit of the Bering Sea, and engaged in typhoon evasion in the Philippine Sea, San Bernardino Strait and South China Sea; Luzon sustained significant damage from the typhoon.

Shasta's crew received a Meritorious Unit Commendation and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon for their service on this deployment. While Shasta was deployed, its home port, the San Francisco Bay Area was hit by the Loma Prieta earthquake, which affected the families of many crew members.[3] The face of the city to which the crew returned had changed considerably.

Shasta underwent major overhauls on the San Francisco waterfront in 1986 and 1988, including several months in dry dock in 1988.

Shasta's home port was Concord Naval Weapons Station, on the Suisun Bay in the Sacramento River. However, Shasta spent much of its inport time at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on the Napa River in Vallejo, California; Naval Air Station Alameda in Alameda, California on the South San Francisco Bay; and Naval Supply Center, Oakland and Oakland Army Base, both in Oakland, California also on the South San Francisco Bay. Shasta also spent several months every two years at various shipyards on the south San Francisco waterfront. This situation of going to sea from one port and returning to another led to many logistical difficulties for the ship's crew.

Shasta had a special relationship with the Benicia Yacht Club, in Benicia, California, and participated in many of its Blessing of the Fleet ceremonies in the Carquinez Strait of the Sacramento River, leading to many memorable festivities. Shasta also participated in Fleet Week in San Francisco Bay.

Shasta's crew participated in community events in Shasta, California, her namesake city and near her namesake Mount Shasta, and extinct volcano in Northern California, including Shasta's honor guard marching in holiday parades.

Shasta trained midshipmen from NROTC and the United States Naval Academy. Shasta also hosted "tiger cruises" for family members and Navy veterans through the Navy League.