Yokes DE-668

Yokes
(ADP-69: dp. 1,660, 1. 306'0", b. 37'0", dr. 12'7" (lim.), s. 23.6 k., cpl. 205, trp. 162, a. 1 6", 6 40mm.,6 20mm., 2 act.; cl. Charles Lawrence)

Yokes (DE-668) was laid down on 22 August 1943 at Orange, Tex., by the Consolidated Steel Co.; launched on 27 November 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Charlotte Yokes, the widow of Seaman Yokes; reclassified from DE-668 to a high-speed transport, APD-69, on 27 June 1944; and commissioned on 18 December 1944, Lt. Comdr. Paul E. Warfield, USNR, in command.

Following her shakedown training out of Bermuda and post-shakedown availability at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Yokes shifted to the west coast via the Panama Canal, and arrived at San Diego, Calif., on 14 March 1946. After further training, Yokes departed San Diego on 19 March, bound for the Hawaiian Islands. She made port at Pearl Harbor on the 26th and trained at Maui with underwater demolition teams (UDT's) for one week before she sailed for the western Pacific.

Arriving at Okinawa on 1 May 1945, Yokes operated in that vicinity through June, serving as an antisubmarine screening vessel, a rescue ship, and as an escort ship. On 10 May, her gunners claimed a "Zeke."

The ship shifted to the Marianas in July, escorting LST Flotilla 36 from Okinawa to Saipan between 4 and 10 July and then briefly anchoring at Apra Harbor Guam, before heading for the west coast of the United States. Proceeding via Pearl Harbor, where the ship took on board the 14 officers and 79 men of UDT-28 on 26 July, Yokes reached Oceanside, Calif., on 2 August. Transferring UDT-28 to LCT - 95 upon her arrival, the high-speed transport sailed for San Diego that same day.

Shifting to the Western Pipe and Steel Co. yard at San Pedro on 6 August, Yokes underwent a 16-day yard availability before she conducted a brief stint of training off the coast of southern California. She departed San Diego on 6 September to return to the Far East, touching at Manila Bay, Subic Bay, Tacloban Samar, Buckner Bay, Guam, Manus, and Shanghai on transport operations into the winter. Departing Manila Bay on 23 January 1946, Yokes steamed via Pearl Harbor for the west coast of the United States, making port at San Diego on 16 February and remaining there under repairs through the summer.

Decommissioned at San Diego on 19 August 1946, Yokes was berthed there, in reserve until struck from the Navy list on 1 April 1964. Sold to the National Metal and Steel Corp. of Terminal Island, Calif., the hulk of the former high-speed transport subsequently was scrapped.

Yokes received one battle star for her World War II service.