Nitro (AE 23) - Naval Cruise Book

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In the months leading up to the Summer of 1990 we witnessed the destruction of the Berlin Wall, reunification of Germany and Eastern Europe s long awaited steps toward democracy. The need for a large defense establishment was questioned as peace was breaking out all over. The juggling of world politics gave Iraq s Saddam Hussein and his military force an opportunity to overrun the small neighboring country of Kuwait Amid this confusion, the world sat by as Kuwait was brutalized and its coffers emptied With only limited initial response from the outside world, Hussein became over confident allowing himself to underestimate to what extent the world would accept his invasion of Kuwait Pesldent Bush quickly began organizing an allied coalition to oppose Hussein. To back this, for- ward deployed U S forces were positioned in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Statesg a massive recall of reservist was begun and supply ships were put at the ready To support these forces ammunition would be required The crew of USS NITRO was called upon to help On September 24 1990 NITRO set out after 12 days advance notice, for a six-week ammunition shuttle run to the Mediterranean lf a conflict was to occur, the necessary ammunition had to be on hand to support it After stops in Flota Spain Augusta Bay Sicily Souda Bay Crete, and a return trip to Rota, over 5 OOO lifts of ammunition had been exchanged in only 18 days This limited mission was completed, and on November 2nd NITRO returned home The allied military buildup in the Middle East contin- ued America made preparations for war On December 28th slightly more than six months ahead of schedule, and only eight weeks after the mini med USS NITRO set out on her Mediterranean Deployment. During the transit across the Atlantic NITRO conducted extensive General Quarters CGQJ and Chemical Biologlcan and Radiological QCBFU training The engineers were busy with an Engineer- ing Material Assessment Team QEMATE to train and prepare the plant for long hours of steaming. Daily work continued yet the cloud of war cast a shadow over almost everyone's thoughts. Presi- dent Bush s demand for Iraq s withdrawal by January 16th was rapidly approaching. 7 , . . . J ' 7 . . - - 7 ' 7 , . , . ' 7 7 ' ' ll 77 ' ' 7 7 7 7 7 , . 7 KG ' ' 77 H ' 7 7 1 u 7 7 7 ' T u

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n l NlTRO'S SHIP HISTORY USS NITRO QAE 23j is the first of three NITRO Class ammunition ships constructed, the others being USS PYRO and USS HALEAKALA currently assigned to the U.S. Pacific Fleet. NITRO'S keel was laid down at Bethlehem Sparrow's Point Shipyard in Maryland on 20 May 1957. She was christened a year later on 25 June 1958 by Mrs. Randolph McCall Pate, wife of the Commandant, United States Marine Corps, and was commissioned 1 May 1959 with Captain Warren C. Hall in command and was then homeported at Davisville, Rhode Island on Narragansett Bay. In February 1960 NITRO set sail for the first of many successful Mediterranean deployments. In September 1962 the ship made a good will visit to Northern Europe and returned in November of the same year to participate in the quarantine of Cuba. NITRO averaged one Mediterranean deployment per year in the following years until May of 1966 when she was placed in a resenle status for an exten- sive overhaul. During this overhaul NlTRO'S cargo transfer system was modernized and two gun mounts were removed aft and replaced by the helo deck that is present today. NITRO continued her Mediterranean rotation until 1972 when she made one deployment to the Pacific during the Vietnam conflict. On 1974 NITRO'S homeport was changed to Naval Weapons Station, Earle at Leonardo, New Jersey becoming the first ship to be homeported there. NITRO continued her Mediterranean deployment cycles until January 1977 when a one year 18 million dollar overhaul was started. The work included rework of the engineering plant and the majority of the ship's cargo handling equip- ment and the remodeling of the communications facility. USS NITRO now continues its senfice to the Second Fleet in the Atlantic and the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. The crew of the USS NITRO consists of 20 officers and approximately 300 enlisted personnel of many occupational fields. The ratings represented are Boatswain's Mate, Gunners Mate, Machinist Mate, Boiler Technician, Engineman, Hull Technician, Damage Controlman, Machinery repairmen, EIectrician's Mate, Interior Communications Electrician, Radioman, Electronics Technician, Signal- man, Operations Specialist, Quartermaster, Yeoman, Personnelman, Postal Clerk, Hospital Corps- man, Disbursing Clerk, Ship's Serviceman, Storekeeper, Master-at-Arms, and Mess Management Specialist. VITAL STATISTICS LENGTH 512 feet BEAM 76 feet AVERAGE DRAFT 26 feet MAXIMUM DISPLACEMENT 17,000 tons MAXIMUM POWER 16,000 HP NUMBER OF SCREWS one AVERAGE CARGO LOAD 2,500 tons

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i USS NITRO departs Naval Wea- pons Station, Earle. Destination: DESERT SHEILD DESERT STORM X mm V ,, ,, ,, W 'Mrr- WWWM Myne, tl l.L.a.,,.N,,,,,,ffn4, ,lbw funn 4, ju,