USS Kalamazoo (AOR-6)

USS Kalamazoo (AOR-6) was a  commissioned  by the U.S. Navy in 1973. She continued to support Navy requirements until 1996 when she was placed in the reserve fleet and later struck.

Construction
Kalamazoo was laid down on 1 October 1970 and launched on 1 November 1972 at the shipyard of the General Dynamics Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts. On 11 August 1973 she was commissioned USS Kalamazoo (AOR-6) and placed into service for the fleet. Her homeport was Norfolk Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia.

Navy operational service
AOR-6 Deployments - Major Events Add an AOR-6 Shellback Initiation Add an AOR-6 Deployment - Major Event

Decommissioning
On 16 August 1996 Kalamazoo was decommissioned and placed in reserve at the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Lee Hall, Virginia. She was struck from the Navy list on 29 October 1998 and, on 15 July 2008, she was sold by the U.S. Maritime Administration to Esco Marine, Brownsville, Texas, for $1,465,726. Kalamazoo was towed out of James River Reserve Fleet on Tuesday 30 September 2008 en route to ESCO Brownsville.

Honors and awards
Qualified Kalamazoo personnel were authorized the following:
 * Joint Meritorious Unit Award
 * Navy Unit Commendation
 * Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
 * Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (2)
 * Navy Expeditionary Medal (1-Iran/Indian Ocean, 5-Lebanon)
 * National Defense Service Medal
 * Southwest Asia Service Medal