USS Arlington, a 14,500-ton major communications relay ship, was originally commissioned in July 1946 as the small aircraft carrier Saipan (CVL-48). In April 1965, while in the midst of a lengthy conversion at Mobile, Alabama, the ship was renamed Arlington. Recommissioned in August 1966, she continued fitting out until early the next year, when she began operations with a shakedown cruise to the Caribbean. During February and March 1967, Arlington participated in exercises off northern Europe.

In July 1967, Arlington steamed to the Pacific via the Panama Canal and continued on to Vietnam. She stayed in the Far East area from August 1967 until late 1968, providing communications support during the Southeast Asian conflict and visiting ports from Japan to Australia. In December 1968, May 1969 and July 1969, Arlington worked out of Pearl Harbor, assisting in the Apollo 8, 10 and 11 space flight recovery efforts. She returned to Asian waters for further Vietnam War operations in January-April and June-July 1969, and also helped with communications during a June 1969 conference between U.S. President Nixon and Republic of Vietnam President Thieu. USS Arlington arrived in California in August 1969. Decommissioned in January 1970, she was retained in the Pacific Reserve Fleet until stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in August 1975. Arlington was sold for scrapping in June 1976.