About this Unit
USS SANTA BARBARA (AE-28) was a Kilauea-class ammunition ship commissioned by the United States Navy on July 11, 1970. Designed to carry and deliver munitions and explosives to fleet ships underway, she played a crucial logistical role during the Cold War and participated in numerous exercises and deployments, including operations in the Mediterranean and Atlantic. The ship supported carrier battle groups and NATO allies, ensuring combat readiness with efficient underway replenishment. USS SANTA BARBARA was decommissioned on December 30, 1998, after nearly three decades of distinguished service.
Historical Facts
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Namesake: USS Santa Barbara (AE-28) was named after the city of Santa Barbara, California, following the tradition of naming ammunition ships after American cities and towns.
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Class & Type: She was a Kilauea-class ammunition ship, part of a class specifically designed to deliver ammunition and explosives to ships at sea.
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Commissioning: USS Santa Barbara was commissioned on July 11, 1970, at the Charleston Naval Shipyard in South Carolina.
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Operational Role: Her primary mission was to provide underway replenishment of ammunition, missiles, and other ordnance to U.S. Navy ships, allowing them to stay at sea and combat-ready for extended periods.
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Vietnam War Service: Shortly after her commissioning, she supported combat operations during the final years of the Vietnam War, earning multiple campaign stars for her service.
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Cold War Deployments: Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Santa Barbara participated in numerous Cold War operations and exercises in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Caribbean region.
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Operation Desert Storm: USS Santa Barbara played a crucial logistic support role during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, supplying ammunition to U.S. and allied naval forces in the Persian Gulf.
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Innovative Capabilities: She featured advanced cargo handling systems for rapid transfer of munitions, and could perform both alongside and vertical (helicopter) replenishment.
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Decommissioning: After nearly 24 years of service, USS Santa Barbara was decommissioned on December 30, 1998, and later transferred to the Maritime Administration for disposal.
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Legacy: The ship and her crew were recognized for their professionalism and vital support roles in both peacetime and conflict, symbolizing the unseen but essential work of naval logistics.
