USS SANTA BARBARA (AE-28)

• Commissioning and Namesake: USS SANTA BARBARA (AE-28) was commissioned on July 11, 1970, and named after the city of Santa Barbara, California, as well as the patron saint of artillerymen, Saint Barbara. • Class and Role: She was the lead ship of the Kilauea-class of ammunition ships, designed to deliver ammunition and explosives to ships at sea, enabling naval forces to remain operational without returning to port. • Vietnam War Service: Shortly after entering service, SANTA BARBARA participated in operations supporting U.S. forces during the Vietnam War, providing crucial underway replenishment to combat ships. • First All-Female Replenishment Team: In 1979, she made history by completing the Navy's first underway replenishment with an all-female crew team, supporting the growing integration of women into the fleet. • North Atlantic and Mediterranean Deployments: Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the ship regularly deployed with the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean and participated in NATO exercises in the North Atlantic. • Lebanon Peacekeeping Support: In 1983, during the Lebanon crisis, SANTA BARBARA played a key logistics role, supplying ammunition and support to U.S. forces off the Lebanese coast. • Libyan Operations: The ship supported U.S. naval operations in the Gulf of Sidra during confrontations with Libya in the 1980s, providing ammunition to combatant vessels. • Operation Desert Storm: USS SANTA BARBARA was deployed during the Gulf War in 1991, supplying ammunition to coalition ships enforcing operations in the Persian Gulf. • Decommissioning and Fate: She was decommissioned on December 30, 1998, after nearly 29 years of service, and was later scrapped in 2005. • Awards and Honors: Over her career, the ship and her crew earned numerous awards, including the Navy Unit Commendation, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Southwest Asia Service Medal.