Camden (AOE 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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UNDERWAY FOR WESTPAC

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THE CAMDEN WAY WE ' RE NUMBER TWO HARDER! TRY HISTORY AND NAME AOE-2 is named for the city of Camden, New Jersey, located on the east side of the Delaware River opposite Philadelphia. The site, 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 as 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 - March 1969. For operations of that deployment, CAMDEN was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. On 21 August 1969, she left her home port of Long Beach, California for a second deployment with the SEVENTH Fleet. For her third deployment, covering the period from 14 August 1970 to April 1971, CAMDEN was again awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. The CAMDEN departed Long Beach on 4 February 1972, commen- cing her fourth Vietnam War deployment, arriving home again on 15 September. She departed Long Beach 9 March 1973 on her fifth deployment retur- ning there on 22 December 1973. CAMDEN ' s home port was changed to Bremerton, Washington in February 1974. She departed there on 16 September 1974 for her sixth deployment. 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 heavyduty 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 com- plemented by the lifting power of two helicopters. Her length is 795 feet, longer than IVi football fields, and the 179 feet height would be equal to an 18 story building. 14