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General Characteristics Crew List Memorabilia About the Ship's Coat of Arms History end of page |  |
USS CORMORANT was the seventh ship in the OSPREY - class of coastal mine hunters and the third Navy vessel to bear the name. Commissioned on April 12, 1997, the ship became part of the Naval Reserve Force on January 11, 1998. In that role the ship was used as training platform for naval reservists. Decommissioned on December 1, 2007, CORMORANT was subsequently laid-up at Beaumont, Tx. She was ultimately sold for scrapping on May 8, 2014.
| General Characteristics: | Awarded: March 29, 1991 |
| Keel laid: October 4, 1993 | |
| Launched: October 21, 1995 | |
| Commissioned: April 12, 1997 | |
| Decommissioned: December 1, 2007 | |
| Builder: Avondale Shipyards, New Orleans, La. | |
| Propulsion System: two diesels (800 hp each) | |
| Propellers: two | |
| Length: 188 feet (57.3 meters) | |
| Beam: 36 feet (11 meters) | |
| Draft: 9,5 feet (2.9 meters) | |
| Displacement: 895 tons | |
| Speed: 12 knots | |
| Armament: Mine neutralization system, two .50 caliber machine guns | |
| Crew: 5 Officers, 46 Enlisted |
back to top go to the end of the pageback to top go to the end of the pageCrew List:
This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS CORMORANT. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.
back to top go to the end of the pageback to top go to the end of the pageAbout the Ship's Coat of Arms:
The Shield:
Dark blue and gold are the colors traditionally used by the Navy and reflect the sea and excellence. The mission of minehunting is symbolized by the horned contact mine and the tridents represent the two previous ships to bear the name CORMORANT. World War II battle service of the first CORMORANT included participation in the 1944 invasion of Normandy, France. The anchor refers to the allied fleet waiting to cross the English Channel and the Star recalls the battle star received for World War II service. The light and dark blue waves denote CORMORANT's capabilities to operate in coastal and deep waters. The red bordure represents containment of the threat of mines and underwater hazards to shipping. Red is the color of courage, valor, zeal, and sacrifice.
The Crest:
The cormorant, namesake of the ship and known for extraordinary skill in pursuit of it's quarry even at great depths, emphasizes the significant hunting capabilities of CORMORANT. It's stance and attitude denote alertness and readiness.
back to top go to the end of the pageUSS CORMORANT History:
The construction contract for USS CORMORANT was awarded on March 29, 1991. Her keel was laid at Avondale Shipyards' Gulfport facility in Mississippi on October 4, 1993, and she was launched on October 21, 1995. Suzanne P. Prueher, wife of Admiral Joseph W. Prueher, served as sponsor. She was photographed underway in the Gulf of Mexico on November 19, 1996 during the trials and preparations preceding delivery.
CORMORANT was formally delivered to the Navy at Gulfport on January 3, 1997. She immediately entered a lengthy period intended to bring both ship and crew from construction status to operational readiness. A post-delivery availability at Avondale lasted from January 4 through March 18, 1997. During this period, the crew completed successive stages of pre-light-off and crew certification training. Pre-light-off training phase II was conducted from January 21 through January 24, followed by the first phase of crew certification on January 28 and January 29. Pre-light-off training phase III followed from February 18 through February 21. Crew certification phase II and a combat management system inspection were conducted on March 4 and March 5, while the Propulsion Examination Board carried out a light-off assessment from March 11 through March 13. After leaving the post-delivery availability, CORMORANT went underway on March 19 and completed her navigation certification.
CORMORANT was commissioned at Tampa, Florida, on April 12, 1997, with Lieutenant Commander Ronald W. Kennedy as her first commanding officer. Admiral Joseph W. Prueher attended the commissioning ceremony, as did Congressman James O. Davis III of Florida. The new minehunter then continued the technical trials and certifications required before assuming regular fleet duties. On April 25, she conducted an Electronic Systems Evaluation Facility run in the Mayport operating area, Florida, followed on April 30 by degaussing and electromagnetic signature testing at Charleston, South Carolina. CORMORANT subsequently proceeded to her permanent home port at Naval Station Ingleside, Texas, arriving there on May 13. Ingleside, located on Corpus Christi Bay, had become the principal concentration point for the Navy's surface mine warfare forces and would remain the base around which most of CORMORANT's service was organized.
From June 9 through June 13, 1997, CORMORANT underwent an Engineering Command Assessment of Readiness and Training. Phases I and II of her Combat Systems Ship Qualification Trials followed from June 16 through June 20, together with administrative and material inspections. Combat systems grooming was conducted from July 21 through August 8. The Propulsion Examination Board certified the ship on August 21, after which phases III and IV of the combat systems qualification program, concentrating heavily on mine warfare training and evaluation, extended from August 27 through October 12. A dedicated mine warfare assessment followed from October 13 through October 15, and acoustic trials were conducted from October 20 through October 27. CORMORANT completed another navigation certification on November 19. Her first year in commission concluded with final contract trials conducted by the Board of Inspection and Survey from December 1 through December 5.
CORMORANT's activities during 1998 were dominated by training, inspections and fleet exercises. She visited Galveston, Texas, from February 20 through February 23 for Mardi Gras activities. Lieutenant Commander Scott C. Stuart relieved Lieutenant Commander Kennedy as commanding officer on May 22. A Command Assessment of Readiness and Training was conducted on May 27 and May 28, followed by a Final Evaluation Period from June 15 through June 19.
From July 7 through July 17, 1998, CORMORANT participated in Gulf of Mexico Exercise/Mercury 98-2. The participating surface mine countermeasures force included USS OSPREY (MHC 51), USS HERON (MHC 52), USS KINGFISHER (MHC 56), USS FALCON (MHC 59), USS PELICAN (MHC 53), USS CHIEF (MCM 14) and USS GLADIATOR (MCM 11). Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15 and explosive ordnance disposal detachments from EOD Mobile Units 3, 6 and 11 added airborne and underwater mine countermeasures elements. The exercise combined conventional mine detection and neutralization with scenarios involving simulated small-boat attacks, small-unit amphibious activity and terrorist threats against ships and port facilities in the Corpus Christi area. Representatives of the Royal Australian Navy and Republic of Singapore Navy observed portions of the exercise.
After returning to Ingleside, CORMORANT completed a comprehensive communications assessment on September 23, 1998. She was underway again from September 28 through October 4 for FleetEx 99-1, a larger fleet exercise involving the carrier battle group centered on USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65). CORMORANT operated with USS OSPREY, USS HERON, USS PELICAN, USS KINGFISHER and USS FALCON. Mine warfare scenarios were geographically adapted to reproduce conditions applicable to approaches to Corpus Christi while allowing the minehunters to function as part of the larger fleet exercise.
Following FleetEx 99-1, CORMORANT and the other minehunters separated from the carrier force and began an extended training and port-visit cruise. She sailed for Beaumont, Texas, on October 7, 1998, and remained there during Navy Days activities through October 11. The group subsequently continued into the Caribbean, with USS OSPREY serving as the group leader. CORMORANT visited Isla Mujeres, Mexico, from October 17 through October 19 and reached Montego Bay, Jamaica, on October 23. The cruise coincided with the development of Hurricane Mitch in the western Caribbean. As the storm intensified, the minehunters continued eastward and sought shelter at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where CORMORANT remained from October 27 through October 29. The force then proceeded to Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, where CORMORANT was present from November 2 through November 5, followed by Key West, Florida, from November 12 through November 14. During the Key West period, she also completed another command readiness assessment. CORMORANT returned to Ingleside on November 19 and remained there for the rest of the year.
The opening months of 1999 concentrated on certification and preparation for a major maintenance period. CORMORANT completed navigation certification on January 12 and offloaded ammunition on February 4. A safety survey was conducted from February 8 through February 12. On February 12, the ship received recognition for Maritime Warfare Excellence, Engineering and Survivability Excellence and Command and Control Excellence. An intelligence assistance visit followed on February 16. On February 17, CORMORANT entered depot-level maintenance at Gulf Copper Shipyard in Port Aransas, Texas. The initial dry-dock period, including hull preservation, lasted through March 19, while the broader depot-level maintenance and associated training and restoration work continued during the following months.
A further Command Assessment of Readiness and Training was completed on August 13, 1999. Dock trials followed on September 3. CORMORANT returned to the water for sea trials and was released from the maintenance period on September 7. Engineering certification was completed on September 10, followed by a Tailored Ship Training Availability from September 13 through September 15.
CORMORANT sailed again in October 1999 and joined USS HERON, USS PELICAN, USS KINGFISHER, USS OSPREY and USS FALCON for another Navy Days visit to Beaumont. The ships were present for the principal activities from October 7 through October 11, during a period that also coincided with observances of the U.S. Navy's 224th anniversary. CORMORANT returned to Ingleside on October 13 before beginning another extended cruise. She visited Pensacola, Florida, from October 22 through October 25, Key West from October 27 through November 1, Nassau, Bahamas, from November 3 through November 6 and Cozumel, Mexico, from November 11 through November 14. She returned to Pensacola on November 19.
On November 22, 1999, CORMORANT embarked participants in a Women at Sea program intended to provide mentoring and discussion opportunities for female sailors and Marines serving at sea. The ship subsequently proceeded to Panama City, Florida, where she remained from December 3 through December 9 and underwent a limited Combat Systems Ship Qualification Trial. A short return to Pensacola followed from December 10 through December 11. CORMORANT arrived back at Ingleside on December 14 and remained there during the holiday period.
The command passed from Lieutenant Commander Stuart to Lieutenant Commander Steven A. Mucklow at the beginning of February 2000. The official commanding-officer chronology records Mucklow as assuming command on February 3, while the formal change-of-command event was held on February 4. CORMORANT made two Texas port visits the following month, visiting Port Arthur from March 1 through March 4 and Galveston from March 9 through March 17. She returned to Ingleside on March 18.
A Fleet Maintenance Availability occupied June 9 through June 30, 2000. Shipboard instrumentation and machinery systems calibration was conducted from June 12 through June 30, pre-light-off training from June 19 through June 23 and a diesel systems inspection from June 26 through June 30. CORMORANT then entered a Restricted Availability from July 5 through August 2. A Supply Management Inspection was conducted from July 17 through July 21, followed by another phase of pre-light-off training from July 24 through July 28. Limited Training Team assessments followed from August 15 through August 17 and again from August 21 through August 25.
An Initial Assessment was conducted from September 5 through September 8, followed by another phase of command assessment training from September 11 through September 15. On September 29, CORMORANT served as the venue for the Mine Countermeasures Squadron 3 change-of-command ceremony, during which Captain Gregory J. Cornish relieved Captain Charles G. Belcher. Total Ship Training Availability periods followed from October 2 through October 5 and October 11 through October 12. CORMORANT then went to sea from October 24 through October 27 for special operations and mine recovery work off Freeport, Texas. Communications readiness certification was completed on November 13 and November 14, followed by engineering certification on November 15. A navigation check ride on December 6 was the ship's final documented underway event of 2000 before the holiday stand-down.
CORMORANT began 2001 with a greater emphasis on fleet exercises. After completion of the holiday stand-down, she operated in the Corpus Christi area on January 10 and January 11 for Tailored Ship Training Assessment phase III. Rear Admiral John B. Foley III, Commander Naval Surface Forces Atlantic, visited the ship on January 25. A basic-phase assessment followed on February 1 and February 2.
CORMORANT departed Ingleside on February 17, 2001 and reached Mobile, Alabama, on February 21, remaining there through February 28 during the city's Mardi Gras celebrations. USS SHRIKE (MHC 62) accompanied her to Mobile, while other ships participating in the forthcoming exercise visited New Orleans. CORMORANT left Mobile on February 28 and reached Panama City, Florida, on March 2. On March 7, she participated in Squadron Exercise RonEx 01-2 with USS WARRIOR (MCM 10), USS GLADIATOR and USS SHRIKE. The exercise was intended to train the participating force in coordinated mine sweeping, mine hunting and mine neutralization and also incorporated explosive ordnance disposal and mine warfare command-and-control elements.
After RonEx 01-2, CORMORANT remained in the regional operating area and participated in Joint Task Force Exercise 01-2, conducted in connection with the battle group centered on USS ENTERPRISE. She returned to Panama City on March 19, departed on March 22 and arrived back at Ingleside on March 26.
April 2001 brought inspections and a series of official visits. Naval occupational safety and environmental assessments were conducted on April 10. Captain Hans-Joachim Stricker, a German mine warfare commander, visited CORMORANT on April 11. Vice Admiral John J. Grossenbacher visited on April 17, followed by Rear Admiral John E. Boyington on April 19. CORMORANT departed Ingleside on April 23 and arrived at Tampa on April 27, remaining there through May 2 in connection with the city's Military Appreciation Week.
The ship spent much of May at Ingleside undergoing maintenance and testing. A Remote Ship Monitoring System was tested from May 14 through May 18, and search-and-rescue team training was conducted on May 22. Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 6 Detachment 10 embarked on June 5 in preparation for Gulf of Mexico Exercise 01-2. The participating surface force included USS ORIOLE (MHC 55), USS SHRIKE, USS PIONEER (MCM 9), USS WARRIOR and USS GLADIATOR. The exercise was designed to integrate surface, airborne and explosive ordnance disposal mine countermeasures and prepare Mine Warfare Readiness Group 4 for deployable status. CORMORANT conducted the principal underway portion from June 12 through June 14. The embarked EOD detachment left the ship on June 15. CORMORANT was underway again from June 18 through June 21 for MIREM 17, which measured and analyzed mine warfare effectiveness and readiness.
Mine Warfare Readiness Group 4 entered a six-month deployment window on August 15, 2001, although CORMORANT remained at Ingleside. She used the local electromagnetic range on August 17 and participated in an incline experiment on August 18. During the same period, the ship hosted a delegation from Colombia's Command and General Staff College consisting of a flag officer, two colonels and 37 other field-grade officers, accompanied by representatives of United States Southern Command. Retired Rear Admiral James B. Hinkle and Vice Admiral Albert H. Konetzni Jr. visited CORMORANT on August 30.
CORMORANT was at Ingleside when the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 occurred. She resumed underway activity in the Corpus Christi operating area on September 19. Lieutenant Commander Glenn R. Allen relieved Lieutenant Commander Mucklow as commanding officer on September 21. Mine warfare training followed on October 9 and October 10, and an underwater hull inspection was completed on October 15. On October 20 CORMORANT conducted minelaying in support of RonEx 02-1. She subsequently remained involved in Naval Reserve training and search operations supporting Office of Naval Research experiments with chirp sonar technology before returning to Ingleside on October 22. Another underwater hull inspection followed on October 31.
Further mine warfare training was conducted from November 7 through November 9. CORMORANT carried out a navigation check ride on November 13 and another underwater hull inspection on November 15. From December 3 through December 6, she operated in the Corpus Christi area during MIREM 19, continuing mine warfare measurement and data-collection work. During 2001, the ship also received several performance awards, including recognition for maritime warfare, engineering and survivability, command, control and communications and ship safety, and she was selected as the Commander, Mine Warfare Command at-large Battle Efficiency winner for the year.
On December 31, 2001, CORMORANT departed Ingleside for the East Coast to participate in Joint Task Force Exercise 02-1. The exercise was associated with Carrier Group 6 and the force centered on USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV 67) and was intended to prepare deploying units for integrated operations across several warfare areas.
CORMORANT spent January 1 through January 5, 2002, in transit toward Key West. She refueled there on January 5 and January 6 and departed for Mayport on January 6. That day, a Class A fire occurred in the ship's starboard exhaust uptake. CORMORANT reached Mayport on January 9 and underwent emergency repairs through January 15. A Command Assessment of Readiness and Training began on January 14 despite the repair work.
CORMORANT departed Mayport on January 15 for the Cherry Point operating area off North Carolina and participated in the first phase of Joint Task Force Exercise 02-1 until January 25. She returned to Mayport on January 26 and did not participate in the second phase. After remaining at Mayport through February 1, she sailed for Nassau, Bahamas, arriving on February 4. During the visit, the ship hosted James R. Blankenship, United States ambassador to the Bahamas. CORMORANT remained at Nassau through February 8, then sailed toward Key West, conducting a burial-at-sea ceremony during the passage. She reached Key West on February 10, refueled and departed again the same day. CORMORANT arrived back at Ingleside on February 14.
A Fleet Maintenance Availability was conducted from March 18 through March 29, 2002. On March 22, Hospital Corpsman First Class William Burrell of CORMORANT was selected as the Atlantic Fleet Sea Sailor of the Year. Limited training in the Corpus Christi operating area followed on April 1 and April 2. A diesel-engine inspection ran from April 8 through April 26. A scientific mine warfare team from the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence visited the ship on April 11. System calibration work continued from April 22 through May 10. The ship's collection and holding-transfer system was serviced from May 3 through May 8, a physical readiness test was conducted on May 10 and a supply assistance and inspection period followed from May 13 through May 17. Radar navigation certification and engineering training were carried out from May 20 through May 22.
On May 28, 2002, CORMORANT shifted to Gulf Copper Shipyard in Corpus Christi for a Planned Maintenance Availability. The availability ultimately continued through July 24. Communications technical repair assistance was provided from July 1 through July 3, engineering training from July 8 through July 12 and a maintenance and material management assessment from July 15 through July 19. Naval engineering assistance continued into the following week. A Fleet Maintenance Availability overlapped the period from July 15 through July 26, while engineering training and validation of operating sequencing procedures extended from July 24 through August 2.
CORMORANT conducted sea trials in the Corpus Christi operating area on July 24 and returned to Ingleside the same day. A communications readiness assessment followed on July 29, and the ship was underway again on July 31. Communications training continued on August 1 and August 2. Mine warfare training was conducted on August 7 and August 8. A Supply Management Inspection and engineering assistance visit followed from August 19 through August 23, with communications readiness certification completed on August 20. Additional mine warfare training took place from August 27 through August 29.
The second phase of CORMORANT's Command Assessment of Readiness and Training was conducted from September 4 through September 6, followed by maintenance inspections from September 17 through September 19 and fleet working-group activity from September 23 through September 25. An Initial Assessment followed from September 30 through October 2. From October 3 through October 8, technicians carried out repairs to one of CORMORANT's engines. A medical readiness technical assistance visit followed on October 18, and Rear Admiral Terrance T. Etnyre, Commander Naval Surface Forces Atlantic, visited on October 23.
CORMORANT returned to sea from October 29 through November 1 for limited-team and mine warfare training and again on November 12 for mine countermeasures training, returning to Ingleside on November 13. The Board of Inspection and Survey inspected the ship from November 18 through November 20. A Supply Management Inspection followed on November 25 and November 26. CORMORANT used the electromagnetic range on December 5. Preservation work continued from December 9 through December 31, including underwater hull cleaning on December 11 and December 12, while holiday leave and upkeep began on December 15.
CORMORANT's 2003 schedule combined intensive readiness work in Texas with the most extensive deployment of her career. Following the holiday stand-down, she operated in the Corpus Christi area from January 6 through January 8 in preparation for inspection requirements. Board of Inspection and Survey work began on January 13 and included an underway portion from January 14 through January 16. CORMORANT returned to sea from January 21 through January 23 and January 28 through January 30 for combined mine warfare, engineering and Tailored Ship Training activities.
Engineering certification demonstrations were conducted underway on February 5 and February 6 and completed alongside on February 7. Force Protection Bravo drills followed from February 11 through February 13. CORMORANT conducted additional mine warfare and engineering training from February 18 through February 21. Force Protection Charlie drills followed on February 24 and February 25, with certification on February 26. She returned to sea on February 27 for preparation for the Final Evaluation Period and returned on February 28. The evaluation began alongside on March 3 and continued underway on March 4, completing the basic phase of the ship's interdeployment training cycle.
A computer readiness assessment and Systems and Equipment Material Assessment Team visit occupied March 17 through March 28, followed by a medical readiness assessment on April 1. CORMORANT used the electromagnetic range on April 7. Force-protection activity from April 14 through April 16 overlapped the opening of Squadron Exercise RonEx 03-2. CORMORANT went underway on April 16 and remained engaged through April 24. Training included astern refueling procedures, search-and-rescue assistance, towing and mine warfare.
CORMORANT next participated in Gulf of Mexico Exercise 03-2 from May 19 through May 27. Unlike the broader tasking of RonEx, her work during GoMEx concentrated almost exclusively on mine warfare. CORMORANT accumulated more hours on task and conducted more Mine Neutralization Vehicle missions than any other participating ship during the exercise. On May 22, she also hosted officers from the Taiwanese Navy for mine countermeasures familiarization. From June 2 through June 4, she conducted mine-recovery activity with Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2. Lieutenant Commander William R. Grotewold relieved Lieutenant Commander Allen as commanding officer at Ingleside on June 13.
The approach of Hurricane Claudette interrupted preparations for deployment in July. CORMORANT was placed in special hurricane moorings from July 11 through July 13 as the storm approached the Texas coast. A pre-overseas-movement leave and stand-down period began on July 15. A pre-deployment shakedown in the Corpus Christi operating area followed on August 7 and August 8. CORMORANT had originally been scheduled to begin her deployment on August 15, but adverse weather along the route to Cozumel delayed departure until August 18.
On August 18, 2003, CORMORANT departed Ingleside with Mine Warfare Readiness Group 4 together with USS ORIOLE, USS SHRIKE, USS WARRIOR and USS GLADIATOR. The deployment represented the first extended deployment of coastal minehunters to the United States West Coast. Its purpose was to demonstrate mine warfare capabilities to the Pacific Fleet, conduct surveys of strategically important harbor approaches and integrate mine warfare units more directly into larger surface fleet training.
CORMORANT reached Cozumel, Mexico, on August 23 and remained there through August 26. She then sailed for Colon, Panama, arriving on August 31. CORMORANT transited the Panama Canal from September 1 into September 2 and reached Rodman on the Pacific side, remaining there from September 2 through September 8. She departed Panama on September 8 for the longest continuous passage of the deployment, reaching San Diego on September 23 after a five-week transit of more than 4,000 nautical miles from Ingleside. During the Panama-to-San Diego passage, she conducted four successful astern replenishments at sea with USNS RAPPAHANNOCK (T-AO 204).
After remaining at Naval Station San Diego from September 23 through September 29, CORMORANT began surveying established Q-routes in the approaches to San Diego Harbor. Q-route surveys recorded mine-like objects and bottom characteristics along designated transit routes so that the routes could be assessed and cleared more efficiently if mines were laid during a crisis or conflict. The first survey period ran from September 29 through October 2. Further San Diego surveys followed from October 9 through October 10 and October 15 through October 16, and information on bottom mine-like contacts was forwarded for updating mine warfare databases.
CORMORANT departed San Diego on October 20 and proceeded to Long Beach, California. She surveyed approaches to Long Beach Harbor from October 21 through October 23 and returned to San Diego on October 24. Maintenance-management assistance was conducted from October 27 through October 29 while she prepared for the next major phase of the deployment.
On November 1, 2003, CORMORANT departed San Diego with USS ORIOLE and USS SHRIKE to participate in Composite Training Unit Exercise 04-1 with the carrier battle group centered on USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74). The minehunters operated around San Clemente Island. On November 3, CORMORANT ran the Kingfisher Moored Mine Detection Range and correctly identified fourteen of sixteen moored mine contacts, establishing a range record. On November 4 and November 5, she carried out two successful Mine Neutralization Vehicle detonations against exercise bottom-mine targets.
CORMORANT conducted another astern refueling with USNS RAPPAHANNOCK on November 6. Aircraft from USS JOHN C. STENNIS subsequently laid Mk 62 Quickstrike exercise mine shapes near San Clemente Island. From November 8 through November 10, CORMORANT, USS ORIOLE and USS SHRIKE searched the mine threat area. CORMORANT conducted more than fifteen Mine Neutralization Vehicle missions in two days and identified ten bottom mine shapes, including both recently laid objects and shapes remaining from earlier exercises.
CORMORANT returned to San Diego on November 11 for fuel and provisions and departed again on November 15. From November 15 through November 20 she operated off San Diego's Silver Strand with explosive ordnance disposal divers, locating and recovering exercise mine shapes. She then remained at San Diego during the Thanksgiving period.
On December 1, 2003, CORMORANT hosted shiphandling training while also beginning the first phase of a Command Assessment of Readiness and Training. She departed San Diego on December 4 for Port Hueneme, California, where she was scheduled to support a homeland-defense exercise. During the passage, the number-two main propulsion diesel engine suffered a casualty. CORMORANT reached Port Hueneme on December 5 and remained there through December 20 while the engine was repaired and replaced. During the stay, the ship hosted tours for personnel from Naval Base Ventura County on December 6 and December 7, and members of the crew supported parts of the homeland-defense exercise ashore. Several crew members also appeared in minor background roles during production of an episode of the television series Navy: NCIS. After completion of the engine work, CORMORANT departed Port Hueneme on December 20 and returned to San Diego on December 22, remaining there through the end of the year before she returned to Ingleside in 2004.
On May 17, 2005, Lieutenant Commander Ronald W. Toland Jr. relieved Lieutenant Commander Grotewold as commanding officer. The Gulf Coast hurricane season also directly affected CORMORANT. During September 2005, as Hurricane Rita approached the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast, CORMORANT was placed at a storm anchorage as part of the precautions taken to protect naval vessels from the major hurricane. After the storm had passed, she was removed from the anchorage and resumed operations.
CORMORANT also participated in the wider U.S. military response following Hurricane Katrina, which had struck the northern Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005 and caused severe damage to ports, waterways and infrastructure in Louisiana and Mississippi. By October 1, CORMORANT was part of a Navy mine countermeasures survey force together with USS PIONEER, USS GLADIATOR, USS AVENGER (MCM 1), USS CHIEF and USS BLACK HAWK (MHC 58). The ships were completing assigned survey work associated with restoring safe access to Gulf Coast waterways, with redeployment anticipated around October 2 after completion of their survey tasking. Photographic documentation subsequently places CORMORANT en route to Panama City, Florida, during October and at Panama City during November 2005, where USS AVENGER was also present.
At the beginning of 2006, MHC Crew Force remained embarked in CORMORANT at Ingleside. From January 30 through February 3, the ship was transferred from Crew Force to MHC Crew Conquest. Commander Jeffrey R. Cronin assumed command on February 3. Crew Force then departed for the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of operations and assumed responsibility for USS RAVEN (MHC 61), which was forward deployed at Manama, Bahrain, while CORMORANT remained at Ingleside under Crew Conquest.
Following the crew turnover, CORMORANT remained in a pre-overseas-movement and holiday status into early March. Her underwater hull was cleaned on February 9 and February 10. Pierside trials followed on March 9 and March 10, and she operated in the Corpus Christi area for unit-level training from March 14 through March 16. A Continuous Maintenance Availability followed from March 20 through March 31. Supply training was conducted from April 3 through April 6, engineering training from April 10 through April 14, communications drills on April 19 and April 20 and .50-caliber machine-gun training from April 24 through April 27.
CORMORANT shifted berth at Ingleside on May 1, 2006 and participated in hurricane preparedness exercises on May 2 and May 3. Unit-level training followed from May 9 through May 12, and maintenance-management training from May 15 through May 19. A dependents' cruise was conducted on May 26. CORMORANT returned to sea for unit-level training from June 6 through June 9. Continuous maintenance, instrumentation and machinery calibration and diesel-engine inspection followed on June 12 and June 13. Further maintenance-management and supply training was conducted from June 26 through June 29.
CORMORANT was underway for unit-level training on July 5. Lieutenant Commander Robert S. Smith Jr. relieved Commander Cronin as commanding officer on July 7. Another unit-level training event followed on July 10, and Supply Management Certification was conducted from July 17 through July 21. CORMORANT was underway again for unit-level training on August 8. Antiterrorism and force-protection training followed from August 16 through August 18. She shifted berth on August 28 and conducted further antiterrorism and force-protection training from September 5 through September 8.
From September 12 through October 18, 2006, CORMORANT underwent a Chief of Naval Operations-directed maintenance availability. The work included preservation and repairs to structural, mechanical, piping, electrical and electronic systems. CORMORANT resumed unit-level training on October 23 and search-and-rescue training on October 24. Antiterrorism and force-protection certification followed on October 31 and November 1, while communications and command-system calibration and readiness work was conducted from November 1 through November 3.
The final weeks of 2006 were dominated by training associated with the possible transfer of OSPREY-class minehunters through the Foreign Military Sales program. CORMORANT was used to provide repeated underway familiarization and unit-level training to Egyptian naval personnel learning to operate the type. She was underway for this purpose on November 16, November 21 and November 28; from December 1 through December 3; from December 5 through December 6; on December 8; from December 11 through December 12; and again on December 14. Two Egyptian crews participated in the broader training program. CORMORANT returned to holiday stand-down at Ingleside on December 20.
Lieutenant Commander Andrew F. Carlson assumed command on August 6, 2007 as CORMORANT approached the end of her active career. By then, the Navy had decided to retire the remaining OSPREY-class coastal minehunters as part of a broader restructuring of its mine countermeasures force. CORMORANT was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on December 1, 2007 during a joint ceremony at Naval Station Ingleside together with USS KINGFISHER, USS BLACK HAWK and USS SHRIKE. They were the final four OSPREY-class coastal minehunters remaining in United States Navy service. Following the ceremony, the ships underwent the remaining work required for decommissioning before being towed to the Beaumont Reserve Fleet. CORMORANT was towed to Beaumont on December 17 and placed in inactive storage for possible future disposition through the Foreign Military Sales program.
CORMORANT remained in the Beaumont Reserve Fleet while the Navy considered possible transfer to a foreign navy. The Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2010, enacted on October 8, 2010, authorized the President to transfer CORMORANT and USS KINGFISHER to the Government of India on a grant basis. The proposed transfer was never completed, and CORMORANT remained in United States custody.
By February 29, 2012 CORMORANT was still listed at the Beaumont Reserve Fleet in stricken status and awaiting disposal. As part of the Navy's disposal process, the vessel underwent a historical evaluation, and on May 29, 2012, she was determined not to qualify for preservation under the applicable historic-property criteria. No further attempt to return the ship to active service or transfer her abroad was completed. CORMORANT was ultimately sold for scrapping on May 8, 2014.
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