USS Mount Katmai

Last updated
USS Mount Katmai (AE-16) underway off Subic Bay, Philippines, 11 December 1969 (K-80197).jpg
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameUSS Mount Katmai
Namesake Mount Katmai, Alaska
Builder North Carolina Shipbuilding Company, Wilmington, North Carolina
Launched6 January 1945
Commissioned21 July 1945
Decommissioned14 August 1973
Stricken14 August 1973
Honors and
awards
FateSold for scrap, 5 April 1974
General characteristics
Class and typeMount Hood-class ammunition ship
Length459 ft 2 in (140 m)
Beam63 ft (19.2 m)
Draft28 ft 3 in (8.6 m)
Propulsion
  • Geared turbine
  • 1 × shaft
  • 6,000 shp (4.5 MW)
Speed16 knots (30 km/h)
Capacity7,700 long tons (7,800 t) deadweight
Complement267 officers and enlisted
Aviation facilitiesHelipad

USS Mount Katmai (AE-16) was a Mount Hood-class ammunition ship of the United States Navy, that saw service in the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Contents

The ship was laid down on 11 November 1944 by North Carolina Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, N.C.; launched on 6 January 1945, sponsored by Mrs. A. E. DeMaray; and commissioned on 21 July 1945 at Jacksonville, Florida.

Service history

Pacific, 19451950

After shakedown and fitting out, Mount Katmai reported to Commander Service Force Atlantic Fleet on 8 September 1945. She was then ordered to proceed to Hawaii via the Panama Canal. The ammunition ship was assigned to the western Pacific from there, arriving Leyte in mid-October 1945.

Korean War, 19501953

Mount Katmai was involved in normal support operation off the Pacific coast when the Korean War began. On 22 July 1950 she deployed from San Francisco to WestPac, arriving in the combat zone on 18 August. She rearmed and replenished combatant ships of TFs 77 and 95 in the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan. Returning home in November 1951, she departed again for the Korean war theater in April 1952, again supporting units of TFs 77 and 95. Back in the United States in February 1953, she sailed again for the Far East in May 1953. During this deployment, she rearmed approximately 50 ships before the war ended.

WestPac deployments, 19541964

Following the armistice, Mount Katmai returned to CONUS for overhaul at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. She got underway for the Far East in May 1954 for a six-month tour, the first of nine WestPac deployments in the following decade, in which she alternated service on the west coast with operations in the Far East. In December 1964 Mount Katmai commenced an extensive overhaul period, including installation of increased communications capabilities and a helicopter deck for vertical replenishment.

Vietnam, 19651973

On 26 February 1965, the ship departed San Francisco, underway to a new war zone to replenish 7th Fleet ships. She arrived Subic Bay on 15 May via Pearl Harbor. Within a few days, she was underway for rearming operations in the South China Sea, servicing the carrier strike groups and combatant ships off Vietnam. Operating out of Subic, Mount Katmai provided logistical support to the operating forces until late November. She departed Hong Kong on 1 December 1965, arriving San Francisco on 16 December.

Entering Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard on 17 January 1966 for overhaul, the ship returned to an operational status with Service Force Pacific Fleet on 21 March. She participated in type and 1st Fleet training operations until 1 June when she deployed to WestPac. After a short visit in Hawaii, she arrived in her WestPac home port of Subic Bay on 25 June.

On 5 July she was underway for Yankee Station, to rearm carriers and their escorts. In addition to providing aircraft ordnance for airstrikes against North Vietnam, the ship also provided ammunition for ships engaged in support and interdiction shore fire missions along the entire Vietnamese coast.

Once more homeward bound, Mount Katmai was underway from Subic Bay on 12 January 1967, arriving San Francisco on 7 February. After overhaul in Mare Island Naval Shipyard until 19 July, and type training, the ammunition ship was ready to sail west again. Leaving San Francisco on 7 August 1967, she arrived at Subic Bay on 30 August via Pearl Harbor. Rearming operations were conducted in the South China Sea and off the coast of Vietnam with carriers and fire support ships.

Mount Katmai was underway from Subic Bay on 11 March 1968, and arrived San Francisco on 28 March. After a three-month overhaul period and type training, she left San Francisco on 31 August and arrived back at Subic Bay on 24 September. She continued to provide ammunition to U.S. and Allied combatants off the coast of Vietnam into 1973.

Decommissioning and sale

Mount Katmai was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 14 August 1973. Turned over to Maritime Administration (MARAD) she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet until sold for scrapping on 5 April 1974, to Nicolai Joffe Corp., for $243,210.

Awards

Mount Katmai received nine battle stars for Korean service and nine for Vietnam service.

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Tiru</i> Submarine of the United States

USS Tiru (SS-416), a Balao-class submarine, was a vessel of the United States Navy named for the tiru, a member of the lizardfish family.

USS <i>Firedrake</i> Ammunition ship of the United States Navy

USS Firedrake (AE-14) was a Mount Hood-class ammunition ship in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 and from 1951 to 1971. She was scrapped in 1978.

USS <i>Pyro</i> (AE-24) U.S. Navy ammunition ship

The second USS Pyro (AE–24), an ammunition ship, was laid down 21 October 1957 by Bethlehem-Sparrows Point Shipyard, Inc., Sparrows Point, Maryland; launched 5 November 1958; sponsored by Mrs. Stuart H. Ingersoll; and commissioned 24 July 1959 at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Norfolk, Va.

USS <i>Mount Baker</i> (AE-4) Ammunition ship of the United States Navy

USS Mount Baker (AE‑4), originally named USS Kilauea (AE-4), was acquired by the Navy 14 November 1940 while building by Tampa Shipbuilding Co., Tampa, Fla., as SS Surprise; delivered to Alabama Drydock & Shipbuilding Co., for conversion to Type C2; and commissioned 16 May 1941.

USS <i>Mauna Kea</i> Ammunition ship of the United States Navy

USS Mauna Kea (AE-22) was a Suribachi-class ammunition ship of the United States Navy that was laid down at the Bethlehem-Sparrows Point Shipyard Inc., Sparrows Point, Maryland, on 6 May 1955; launched on 3 May 1956; sponsored by Mrs. Charles R. Brown; and commissioned on 30 March 1957, Captain Kenneth Loveland in command. The ship was decommissioned 30 June 1995 with over 38 years of active service. Mauna Kea was the oldest active ship in the Navy for a single week prior to being decommissioned.

USS <i>Mauna Loa</i> (AE-8) Ammunition ship of the United States Navy

USS Mauna Loa (AE-8) an ammunition ship in service with the United States Navy. She was commissioned from 1944 to 1947, and recommissioned between 1955 and 1958 and from 1960 to 1969. Mauna Loa was finally scrapped in 1984.

USS <i>Rainier</i> (AE-5) Ammunition ship of the United States Navy

USS Rainier (AE-5), the second US Navy vessel named after Mount Rainier, was laid down on 14 May 1940 by the Tampa Shipbuilding Co., Tampa, Fla., as Rainbow ; launched 1 March 1941; sponsored by Mrs. Robert E. Anderson; transferred to the US Navy on 16 April 1941; converted for use as an ammunition auxiliary; and commissioned as Rainier (AE-5) on 21 December 1941 at Norfolk, Va..

USS <i>Shasta</i> (AE-6) Ammunition ship of the United States Navy

USS Shasta (AE-6), an ammunition ship, was laid down under Maritime Commission contract on 12 August 1940 by the Tampa Shipbuilding Company, Tampa, Fla., initially as a C2 type cargo ship. She was acquired by the Navy on 16 April 1941 and launched on 9 July 1941, sponsored by Mrs. Spessard L. Holland. She was commissioned on 20 January 1942. She was named after Mount Shasta, a volcano in the Cascade Range in northern California, USA.

USS <i>Wrangell</i> Ammunition ship of the United States Navy

USS Wrangell (AE-12) was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract as SS Midnight during February 1944 at Wilmington, North Carolina, by the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company; launched on 14 April 1944; sponsored by Mrs. G. T. Cambell; delivered to the Navy, incomplete, on 28 May 1944; moved to Hampton Roads; converted to an ammunition ship by the Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Co.; and commissioned on 10 October 1944 at the Norfolk Navy Yard.

USS <i>Vesuvius</i> (AE-15) Ammunition ship of the United States Navy

The fourth USS Vesuvius (AE-15) was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract by the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company, Wilmington, N.C.; launched on 26 May 1944; acquired by the United States Navy on 4 July 1944; and commissioned on 16 January 1945.

USS <i>Haleakala</i> Ammunition ship of the United States Navy

USS Haleakala (AE-25) was a Nitro-class ammunition ship of the United States Navy in service from 1959 to 1993.

USS <i>Wichita</i> (AOR-1) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Wichita (AOR-1) was the lead ship of the Wichita-class replenishment oilers. She was the second ship to be named for the city of Wichita, Kansas.

USS <i>Shasta</i> (AE-33) Ammunition ship of the United States Navy

USS Shasta (AE-33) was a Kilauea-class replenishment ammunition ship of the United States Navy. She was named after Mount Shasta, a volcano in the Cascade Range in northern California. Shasta's mission was to support forward deployed aircraft carrier battle groups, which she accomplished through underway replenishment and vertical replenishment. Over three decades, Shasta and her crew took part in the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Iran–Iraq War, Desert Shield/Operation Desert Storm, and numerous other actions.

USS <i>Leo</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Leo (AKA-60), an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship, was named for the constellation Leo. She is the only ship of the United States Navy to hold this name. USS Leo served as a commissioned ship for 10 years and 5 months.

USS <i>Mount McKinley</i> US Navy amphibious force command ship

USS Mount McKinley (AGC-7/LCC-7) was the lead ship of the Mount McKinley class of amphibious force command ships. She was named after the highest mountain in North America. She was designed as an amphibious force flagship, a floating command post with advanced communications equipment and extensive combat information spaces to be used by the amphibious forces commander and landing force commander during large-scale operations.

USS <i>Tulare</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Tulare (AKA-112/LKA-112) was a Tulare-class attack cargo ship in service with the United States Navy from 1956 to 1986. She was sold for scrap in 2011.

USS <i>Virgo</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Virgo (AKA-20) was an Andromeda class attack cargo ship of the United States Navy, named after the constellation Virgo. She was later converted to an ammunition ship and redesignated as (AE-30). She served as a commissioned ship for 22 years and 4 months.

USS <i>Neches</i> (AO-47) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Neches (AO-47) was a Kennebec-class oiler in the United States Navy during World War II and the Vietnam War. She was the second U.S. Navy ship named for the Neches River in eastern Texas.

USS <i>Wabash</i> (AOR-5) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Wabash (AOR-5) was a Wichita-class replenishment oiler in the United States Navy from 1970 to 1994.

USS <i>Vega</i> (AF-59) Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Vega (AF-59) was a Rigel-class stores ship acquired by the U.S. Navy. Her task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas. She served during the entire Vietnam War and returned home with numerous battle stars and commendations.

References