USS Diamond Head AE-19

• Namesake: USS Diamond Head (AE-19) was named after the famous volcanic tuff cone on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, a landmark for ships approaching Pearl Harbor. • Class and Type: She was a Mount Hood-class ammunition ship, designed to transport and supply munitions to the fleet at sea. • Launched During WWII: The ship was launched on August 5, 1944, and commissioned on December 10, 1944, near the end of World War II. • Wartime Service: USS Diamond Head began her career supplying ammunition in the Pacific theater, supporting the final operations against Japan. • Post-War Activity: After World War II, she was placed in reserve in 1946 but recommissioned in 1951 due to the outbreak of the Korean War. • Cold War Role: Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, USS Diamond Head played a vital role in NATO and U.S. Navy exercises, supplying both Atlantic and Mediterranean fleets. • Cuban Missile Crisis: The ship was active during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, providing ammunition to ships enforcing the naval quarantine of Cuba. • Vietnam War Support: She was deployed to the Western Pacific in 1966 and 1968, supplying ammunition to U.S. Navy ships operating off Vietnam. • Notable Operations: USS Diamond Head conducted over 500 underway replenishments during her Vietnam deployments, a testament to her crew’s efficiency and importance. • Decommissioning and Fate: The ship was decommissioned on August 1, 1973, and struck from the Naval Vessel Register. She was sold for scrap in 1979, ending her long and varied service.