USS SANTA BARBARA (AE-28)

USS SANTA BARBARA (AE-28) was a Kilauea-class ammunition ship commissioned by the United States Navy on July 11, 1970. Homeported in Naval Weapons Station Earle, New Jersey, she provided underway replenishment of ammunition and explosives to fleet units, playing a vital logistic role during the Cold War and supporting operations in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Caribbean. SANTA BARBARA participated in numerous NATO exercises and deployments with the U.S. Sixth Fleet, ensuring combat readiness for naval strike groups. The ship was decommissioned on December 30, 1998, after nearly three decades of distinguished service.