About this Unit
USS Mauna Kea (AE-22) was a Kilauea-class ammunition ship commissioned by the United States Navy in 1960. Designed to transport and deliver ordnance to fleet units at sea, she played a vital logistic support role during the Vietnam War, conducting numerous underway replenishments to U.S. and allied vessels. Throughout her service, Mauna Kea participated in multiple operations in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, demonstrating the importance of at-sea resupply in modern naval warfare. Decommissioned in 1995, she was eventually struck from the Naval Vessel Register, marking the end of her 35 years of distinguished service.
Historical Facts
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Namesake: USS Mauna Kea (AE-22) was named after the Mauna Kea volcano, the highest point in Hawaii, reflecting the Navy tradition of naming ammunition ships after volcanoes.
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Class and Role: She was a Suribachi-class ammunition ship, designed to deliver ammunition, explosives, and other ordnance to ships at sea, enabling sustained naval operations.
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Commissioning: Mauna Kea was commissioned on March 30, 1957, at the Concord Naval Weapons Station, California, after being laid down in 1955 and launched in 1956.
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Vietnam War Service: The ship played a crucial support role in the Vietnam War, providing underway replenishment to the 7th Fleet and supporting carrier operations in the Gulf of Tonkin.
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FAST Conversion: In 1965, Mauna Kea underwent the "FAST" (Fully Automated Shuttle Transfer) conversion, installing a helicopter deck to allow vertical replenishment (VERTREP) using helicopters, increasing her operational versatility.
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Historic First: After her FAST conversion, she became the first ammunition ship to perform a vertical replenishment at sea, transferring ammunition by helicopter to USS Ranger (CV-61) in 1966.
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Long Pacific Deployments: Throughout her career, Mauna Kea conducted repeated deployments to the Western Pacific, operating primarily out of Subic Bay, Philippines, and supporting various U.S. and allied navies.
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Humanitarian Assistance: Besides combat support, the ship participated in humanitarian missions, such as providing aid after natural disasters in the Pacific region.
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Decommissioning: After more than 35 years of service, USS Mauna Kea was decommissioned on December 30, 1994, and struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1995.
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Final Fate: The ship was eventually scrapped, but her legacy continues in the stories of those who served aboard and in the evolution of naval underway replenishment tactics she helped pioneer.
