Roanoke (AOR 7) - Naval Cruise Book

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MTHE POLAR EXPRESS ROANOKE HAS A NEW LOOK For many of you who have been aboard USS ROANOKE IAOR-72. One of the first sights to grab your attention was Wally , Wally was the big yellow smiling face that was painted on the aft superstructure. Wally was adopted or should I say, brought to ROANOKE by one of her former Commanding Officers, Captain William Reed. Capt. Reed first met Wally aboard another Navy ship. Immediately, Captain Reed's first impression of Wally, was the symbol of a happy sailor. With that thought in mind, Wally was a reality for ROANOKE. The idea was to instill upon ROANOKE is crew, that a smiling face makes for a happy crew. Well that may have worked at first, but as time went on, Wally's popularity among the crew grew faint. Wally was doomedw! So in November of 1984, in a effort to kick off ROANOKE's combined federal campaign. One of the goals to raise money was that if ROANOKE 's crew donated S20,000, Wally would go. For those who supported keeping Wally as a symbol of the happy sailor, the fight was lost hands down and Wally's sentence was handed down by ROANOKE 's present Commanding Officer, Captain Richard Holly. Wally was to be eliminated by the stroke of a paint roller and some Haze Grey paint. As the crew stood by to watch Wally fade slowly away, a new mascot appeared to carry on where Wally left off. This time it was a giant white f'Polar Bearw. Why a Polar Bear? Well in February 1977 the USS ROANOKE and USNS TALUGA performed cold weather operations in the Bering Sea north of the Aleutian Islands. The operations were to test the working efficiency of men and equipment during Underway Replenishment in extreme cold weather. ROANOKE's mission as a fast attack replenishment oiler is to provide fuel, Petroleum products, cargo, dry provisions, replacement parts and ammunition to the fleet. It was then after days of operating in below freezing weather conditions and with outstanding success, that ROANOKE was to adopt the new nickname the Polar Express . So for years she was known to her customers as the Polar Expressn, but had beared the symbol ot the Happy -Sa1lor ,'together they were too indifferent. So now ROANOKE is a team and her motto IS No job to small, you call, we haul.

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SHIP'S CREST SHIELD: Gules a chevron or bearing three dogwood blossoms proper leafed. Chief azure wavy in base enhanced fess argent wavy in chief and base, in fess four billets sable. CREST: On a wreath of azure and or, one escallop proper surmounted by one battleaxe in saltre one cornucopia proper. MOTTO: On a white scroll with gold letters, DEDICATED TO SERVICE. SYMBOLISM SHIELD: The four billets placed between the blue of the sea represents the three previous ships and the present fourth ship of the Navy to be named ROANOKE. The black billets on the background of white refer to the black and white shell-beads which the Powhatan Indians used for money and from which the word Roanoke originates. Geographically the word was later applied to Roanoke Island fnow a part of North Carolinaj, then to the Roanoke River Qwhich flows from Southern Virginia into Albemarle Soundj and the city of Roanoke, Virginia. The four billets also refer to the mission of ROANOKEQ delivering petroleum, ammunition, provisions and fleet freight to the other operating forces on the high seas so that they may accomplish their mission. The rendezvous for replenishment at sea is indicated by the apex of the chevron intersecting the blue of the ocean. The dogwood blossoms the Virginia state flower, symbolize the three origins of the name ROANOKE and together ith the four billets indicaie the seventh ship of the class operating on the seven seas. The dogwood is a hard, tough w and strong wood, and is thus symbolic of fortitude and achievement under difficulty. As its bark is used for a substitute for quinineg its wood as charcoal in the production of gunpowderg and oil from its berries has been used in lamps, it can, by extension, be considered illustrative of the stores and services provided by ROANOKE. The colors of crimson and yellow are those of the international code flag indicating l'm on course and speed and ready to receive you alongside. The blue also represents the Blue Ridge Mountains, the origin of the Roanoke River as it flows to the blue of the ocean. CREST: Th allo shell from the supply corps crest indicates the product source of weaponry and the multitude of e sc p liquid and bulk cargo symbolized by the battleaxe and cornucopia, bound to the shield of ROANOKE by a wreath of Navy Blue and gold representing the solidarity of sea service. MOTTO: DEDICATED TO SERVICE, proclaims ROANOKE 's devotion to provide maximum service to the forces afloat. 3

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ROANOKE'S MISSION The mission of an AOR is to supply the operating forces with petroleum products, refrigerated and dry provisions, consumables, and ammunitions, including missiles and torpedoes. Because of our capability, what was once a multi-ship replenishment operation can now be performed by one ship, and at a rate as fast as the receiver ship is able to accommodate replenishment. ROANOKE'S CHARACTERISTICS The ship is 658 feet in length, has a 96 foot beam and can steam at a sustained speed of 20 knots. The ship has a full load draft of 33 feet and a full load displacement of 37,000 tons. The ROANOKE also has a total of 32,000 horsepower, delivered to twin shafts. This power is provided by three 600 pound 850 degree boilers. The ROANOKE is provided with two 26-foot motor whale boats, two 40-foot utility boats. Its armament consists of a Dual Channel NATO Seasparrow Missile system instead of the 3 f50 guns that have been installed on the other AORs. The ship also has two 20mm guns. The ROANOKE will accommodate 457 crew members including an embarked staff and helicopter detachment as compared to 390 crew members for the older AORs. Hanger facilities are provided for two H-45 helicopters. These helicopters are used for replenishment of other ships along with the conventional replenishment at sea deck equipment. 5