About this Unit
USS Vega (AF-59) was an Alstede-class stores ship commissioned by the United States Navy in 1956. Designed to provide underway replenishment of food, refrigerated items, and dry goods, she played a crucial logistical role in supporting fleet operations, particularly in the Pacific. During her service, Vega participated in numerous deployments, including support missions during the Vietnam War, ensuring frontline units remained supplied in combat zones. After nearly two decades of service, USS Vega was decommissioned in 1977 and later struck from the Naval Vessel Register.
Historical Facts
• Namesake and Class: USS Vega (AF-59) was the third U.S. Navy ship to bear the name "Vega," named after the brightest star in the constellation Lyra. She was an Alstede-class stores ship.
• Commissioning: USS Vega was commissioned on 10 December 1955, after being laid down as a C2-S-B1 type cargo ship and later converted for naval service.
• Supply Role: As a stores ship, Vega’s main mission was to deliver refrigerated and dry provisions to Navy ships and bases, playing a crucial role in sustaining fleet operations at sea.
• Far East Deployments: Vega made regular deployments to the Western Pacific, supplying the 7th Fleet during peacetime and crisis operations, particularly during the Cold War era.
• Vietnam War Service: During the Vietnam War, USS Vega was instrumental in logistics support, providing supplies to ships engaged in combat and patrol operations off the coast of Vietnam.
• Notable Incident: In January 1967, Vega aided the fire-damaged USS Forrestal (CVA-59) by transferring vital stores and supplies, exemplifying the importance of support ships during emergencies.
• Innovative Resupply: Vega often conducted "vertical replenishment" (VERTREP) operations using helicopters, a relatively new method at the time, to quickly transfer cargo to other vessels at sea.
• International Engagements: The ship frequently visited ports in Japan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and other Pacific locations, fostering goodwill and logistic ties with allied nations.
• Decommissioning: After over two decades of service, USS Vega was decommissioned on 28 September 1977 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register the same day.
• Final Fate: The ship was eventually sold for scrapping in 1982, but her legacy endures as a vital support vessel that kept the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed fleets supplied and mission-ready.
