USS Mauna Kea (AE-22)

• 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. • 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. • 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. • 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. • 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. • 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. • 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. • Humanitarian Assistance: Besides combat support, the ship participated in humanitarian missions, such as providing aid after natural disasters in the Pacific region. • 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. • 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.