Camden (AOE 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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AOE-2 is named for the city of Camden, New Jersey, located on the east side of the Delaware River opposite Philadelphia. The sight, first settled in 1681, and known as Cooper ' s Ferry, was renamed in 1773 in honor of the opponent of the Stamp Act of 1765, and a firm friend of the American Colonies during the Revolution. The AOE-2 is the second ship of the United States Navy to bear the name CAMDEN. The first was built in 1900 in Germany as the KIEL. She was seized by the United States upon our entrance into World War I. First fitted out us a cargo ship and commissioned in August 1917, her active career ended in May 1931, although the veteran was called back from retirement in 1940 and served until the end of World War II. Constructed in Camden, she moved to the Pacific Fleet in September 1967 and made her maiden overseas deployment with the Seventh Fleet May 1968 through March 1969. For operations of that deployment, CAMDEN was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commenda- tion. On 21 August 1969 she left her home port of Long Beach, California for a second deployment, covering the period to March 26, 1970. For her third deployment, covering the period from 14 August 1970 to April 1971. CAMDEN was again awarded the Meritorous Unit Commendation. The CAMDEN departed Long Beach on 4 February 1972, commencing her fourth Vietnam War deployment, arriving home again on 15 September. Following one of CAMDEN ' s shortest homeport periods, four and one-half months, the ship left a hurried prepara- tion time behind in Long Beach on 10 March 1973 begin- ning a fifth deployment since 1968. During this deploy- ment, CAMDEN received the Navy Unit Commendation for 1972 Seventh Fleet Operations. CAMDEN returned to Long Beach on 22 December, vice 12 November, to begin preparation for not only a pending sixth deploy- ment to the FAR EAST, but a permanent change of homeport from Long Beach to Bremerton, Washington as well in the interim months. The USS CAMDEN (AOE-2) is equipped with all the modern devices for handling heavy loads as a huge warehouse of the most modern type. She has heavy duty elevators, high-speed conveyors, mechanical pallet transporters, and powerful fork-lift trucks. Hundreds of feet of bridge cranes, and the world ' s newest system of high-speed at-sea transfer, make CAMDEN one of the most efficient supply ships on the seas. Her high lines and hoses are complemented by the lifting power of two helicopters Her length is 795 feet, longer than 2 ' s foot- ball fields, and the 179 feet height would equal to an 18 story building. CAMDEN was awarded the Navy Unit Commenda- tion for her 1972 deployment. MISSION AND CAPABILITIES The mission of the AOE (Auxiliary Oiler Explosives) is logistic support of combat forces of the U.S. Navy anytime, anywhere in the world. To accomplish this task, the AOE is equipped with the most modern cargo handl- ing and transfer equipment. To demonstrate her capabilities, and to illustrate the fact that she is the largest type of auxiliary afloat consider these interesting statistics. CAMDEN will carry enough food and stores in her massive cargo holds to completely stock 65 supermarkets for one month. CAMDEN will carry enough fuel (of all types) to fill 966 huge highway tanker trucks or were this all converted to regular gasoline, CAMDEN carries enough to supply 644 gas stations for one month. In addition, CAMDEN will carry as much ammunition as the largest ammunition ship afloat (over three and one-half million pounds). CAMDEN will also carry passengers to and from com- bat zones, many tons of mail and on regular deployments she will transfer enough movies to furnish your local TV station wi th late-late shows for six years. The mission of the CAMDEN is vital and her capabilities impressive. Her gigantic loads are handled and transferred only by her crew. To keep the crew func- tioning, CAMDEN carries enough food for four months, or to prepare almost 100,000 meals. During their deployments, CAMDEN ' s crew will consume as many cokes and soft drinks in a month as the average drug store dispenses in 22 months. They will make and use enough ice cream in a month to supply 10 drugstores. Camden does as much laundry in a day as the average house-wife does in a year. With great pride the crew of USS CAMDEN (AGE- 2) realize that the U.S. Navy is capable of patrolling 70% of the earth ' s surface primarily because of the job they do in support and supply. CAMDEN is ready. Flexible, and she will endure. aimimmimm

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:m The emblem of CAMDEN (AOE-2) is derived from the city seal of Camden, New Jersey, the city where the ship was built, and for which she is named. The Coat of Arms in the center is a facsimile of the shield of the city seal of Camden, New Jersey. The right half contains a sailing ship, representing the city as a port of entry, and its shipbuilding industries. The left half is a replica from the Coat of Arms of Lord Camden, after whom the city was named. Flexibility, Readiness, Endurance: CAMDEN ' s motto embodies the three characteristics the ship and her crew must possess to meet the logistic support challenge the ship is designed to fulfill. The crossed sword and anchor in the background represents her crew, both officers and men. The line border circumscribing all facets of CAMDEN s emblem emphasizes the unity required for CAMDEN to function as an effective unit of the fleet. BUILDER: KEEL LAID: LAUNCHED: COMMISSIONED: COST: LENGTH: BEAM HEIGHT: DRAFT: DISPLACEMENT: SPEED: LOAD CAPACITY: ARMAMENT: OTHER: CREW: STATISTICS New York Shipbuilding Corporation Camden. New Jersey 17 February 1964 2 May 1965 1 April 1967 (Approximate) $70,000,000.00 795 ' 107 ' 179 ' 38.5 ' (Full load) 53,600 tons. Carries 2 anchors. 25,000 pounds apiece. Anchor chain links, 130-160 pounds apiece. 26 knots (30 miles per hour). Range 10,000 miles Twin propellers. 23 ' in diameter. Generates 6 million watts of electricity. Fuel (aviation gas. jet fuel), ships fuel oil): 30.000 tons Ammunition: 1,700 tons. Food and stores: 1,300 tons. 4 twin 3 50 caliber mounts. 150 telephones 2 UH-46A (Sea Knight) helicopters (Current allowance) 28 officers, 560 enlisted men. opponent ' llieAijeric Ike A Vivyiobei ' M ii ' ■■-ileiiSlat Cojsti Fleet in SeJ ieployment ]kA 191 CAMDEN « M, On 21 Beach, Cali period to J :rffBM0Bf ::eitiiiiebe. lir 1972 Si ti LoDg Bei -i?ii prepa ■at to thf Mueporttri •el in He i IleDS ' toplers. I

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INFORMATIONAL FOR CAMDEN ' S One more time- Just prior to the CAMDEN ' s deployment in March of 1973. a half day informational seminar was arranged for the dependent families. This pre-deployment briefing, as they have come to be tabbed, is usually conducted to in- form, advise and sometimes offer warnings to dependent families concerning the good and bad possibilities available at the home front while the ship is gone. While it is impossible to cover all points, this gathering was ad- dressed not only by the Commanding Officer and Ex- ecutive Officer, but by a representative from the Navy Relief, the Red Cross, the Family Assistance Office, Special Services, Family Counseling Services, the Local Police Department and the local Type-Command Representative, Directly following the briefing, those in- terested were invited to form a CAMDEN WIVE ' S GROUP. If I have one every 10 minutes...