From January 22nd through the 30th, GREAT SITKIN visited both Naval Weapons Station Yorktown and Naval Ammunition Depot Earle. There both the cargo she carried and her ship's ammunition lockers were emptied.

On the 23rd day of March, 1973, Lieutenant Commander James W. LAPEAN relieved Commander Robert D. BUCHWALD as Commanding Officer, USS GREAT SITKIN (AE-17).

April 1, 1973, the crew commenced preparing GREAT SITKIN for inactivation. A messing and berthing barge was brought in and tied astern. The crew was given bunks there and the galley was made operational. GREAT SITKIN would never again shelter and feed her life's blood, her crew.

On the 2nd day of July 1973, GREAT SITKIN was decommissioned and removed from U.S. Navy Active Ship Roster. The hauling down of the commissioning pennant marked the end of a long career of service to the fleet in its truest sense. GREAT SITKIN had been in active service for almost 29 years and had compiled a record of accomplishments that inspired her motto of "ALWAYS READY".

The operational events contained herein was extracted from the ship's annual Command History report (Report Symbol OPNAV 5750-1) for 1972 and 1973. Copies of the original reports were provided by the Department of the Navy, Naval Historical Center. We wish to thank them for their help and dedication to their job. Without it this page would not have been possible.