Mauna Kea (AE 22) - Naval Cruise Book

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A WESTPAC deployment for many crawls by painfully slow. For others, it is a split second of time in a long life. Regardless of the slowness, deployments are filled with a variety of events from Unreps to Vertreps, Liberty ports to Hostile fire zones. The following pages are an attempt to share some of the experiences of mobility, endurance, action and support encountered by a proud ship, her men and their mutual determination to keep their country and others free. AIA? A Y if L ff s . iifi V , Q U .5 AUM, ffgq 32 OUR MISSION IS SUPPQRT. USS MAUNA KEA CAE-225 is a fleet loaded ammunition , , , . . ' - H 'h 't' Ship Wlth the prlmary mlsslon of resupplymg the combatant forces a oat W1t ammuni ion and ordnance items by mea11S of UHCICIWHY replenishment' This Suppoff enables our fighting . , . - - f action and thereby maintain maximum h l se roxlmlty to the scene o . S ips to remain at Sea m C O P ed of selected ordanance 1tems normally used by the combative forces Transfer of ammunition at sea is achieved by rigging, C011- nected between the ships as they Steam Side'by'Side' combat effectiveness. The fleet issue load is comPf1S

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HISTORY USS MAUNA KEA CAE-225 was built by Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard, Inc., Sparrows Point, Maryland. Her keel was laid 19 May 1955, she was launched 3 May 1956 and comi missioned a United States Ship on 30 May 1957. MAUNA KEA is 512 feet long, has a beam of 72 feet, a maximum draft of 31 feet, and a full load displacement of 17,500 tons. Under normal operating conditions she has a crew of 16 officers and 300 enlisted men. Her hydraulically operated hatches, electric fork trucks and cargo elevators provide her with a capability and efficiency far superior to others of her type. Upon completion of her shakedown cruise at GUANTANAMO BAY, MAUNA KEA steamed through the PANAMA CANAL in July 1957 to become part of the PACIFIC FLEET SERVICE FORCE. In November 1957, she departed her home port of Vallejo, California to join the U. S. Seventh Fleet in the Western Pacific to carry out her primary mission of rearmament through underway replenishment. In October 1960, she became the first ammunition ship in the Pacific Fleet to transfer missiles at sea during an underway replenishment with the USS PREBLE CDLG-155. In July 1961 her home port was changed to Concord, California. During the Viet Nam crisis in August 1964, MAUNA KEA played a vital role in coordinating the Seventh F1eets's Service Force Ships. On station in the South China Sea, MAUNA KEA assumed command of Task Unit 73.3.1, making her responsible for the assignment of all Service Force Ships in the area. For her action during the crisis the ship and crew received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. The years 1965 and 1966 found MAUNA KEA at Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Co., Seattle, Washington where she underwent FAST conversion CFAST Automatic Shuttle Transfer Systemj enabling her to transfer missiles quickly and safely at sea. MAUNA KEA's conversion and updating included the addition of a Helicopter landing and fueling facility-allowing VERTREP capability. Since December of 1966 MAUNA KEA has completed three eight month deployments to the Western Pacific. Working in conjunction with U. S. Naval Forces off North and South Viet Nam she transferred nearly 60,000 tons of ammunition to some 600 combatant ships. In her 11 deployments to the Western Pacific MAUNA KEA has surpassed the standard of excellence in over 905 of her rearmings. In 1968 she distinguished herself with such outstanding mobile logistic support by not missing one operational commitment that she and her crew received the Meritorious Unit Commendation. In March of this year, MAUNA KEA once again headed for the Asian Arena, knowing that her continued service, in the highest traditions of the United States Navy, would help keep millions around the globe, free.