Santa Barbara (AE 28) - Naval Cruise Book

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3 1 1 1 Ship is tory E The Keel of USS SANTA BARBARA IAE-281 was laid on 19 DEC 66 at Sparrows Point, Maryland Shipyard of the Bethlehem Steel Corp. SANTA BARBARA was commissioned and joined the Atlantic Fleet on 11 J UL 70. The ship was originally homeported in Davisville, Rhode Island, after intensive training vat Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. SANTA BARBARA completed preparations post-shake-down availability, and ,various other facets of training prior to her maiden journey to the Mediterranean Sea in SEP 71. Shortly ,after arrival back in homeport on 17 MAR 72, she was ordered to the Western Pacific in support of U.S. ,Seventh Fleet Forces already deployed to that area as part of U.S. Armed Forces in Vietnam. SANTA BARBARA sailed on 4 JUN 72. Her subsequent nine months deployment saw SANTA BARBARA set lrecords for replenishment of ship's at sea. Return to homeport came on 19 FEB 73 at Davisville, Rhode 4Island. ' After conversion to Navy Distillate fuel from Navy Standard Fuel Oil in that summer of 1973, SANTA BARBARA was ordered to change homeports to Charleston, South Carolina as part of the Navy's Base Consolidation Program. On 19 SEP 73 SANTA BARBARA was underway for Charleston. From that base the ship has trained in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on five different occasions, deployed fto the MED from APR 74 to SEP 74 and from APR 75 to SEP 75, and underwent her first regular overhaul period in jacksonville, Florida. SANTA BARBARA again deployed to the MED from APR 77 to OCT Q77, from OCT 78 to APR 79 and from MAR 80 to AUG 80, winning her first Battle Efficiency E in 1979 and again in 1980. She underwent her second regular overhaul in Brooklyn, New York from SEP 80 until MAY 81. With another MED Cruise from 30 NOV 81 to 29 MAY 82. This Mediterranean Cruise started on 24 November 1982 starting off with the unusual assignment as Escort for two Royal Saudi Naval Force Gun Boats from Norfolk, Virginia to Tangiers. SANTA BARBARA has earned her fine reputation where the jobs were the hardest, the hours the longest, and the requirements the highest. Praises from BZ messages were many, i.e., Most cleverly disguised fast friga te , Outstanding performance noted, steely eyed professionalism obviously a characteristic of low country gunfighters, keep it up and pass our compliments to ALCON , 'The adventures of Sinbad the Sailor are at an end, SANTA B was most professional throughout, well done to all g Superb execution of Masirah Airhead Ops managed by SANTA BARBARA with SAVANNAH ,assist is best performance by any new battle group to date. 1 1

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