About this Unit
**USS Virgo (AE-30)** and **USS Mount Hood (AE-29)** were both Kilauea-class ammunition ships commissioned by the United States Navy to provide underway replenishment of ordnance to ships at sea. USS Mount Hood (AE-29) was commissioned in 1971 and served primarily in the Pacific, supporting carrier battle groups and other naval operations until decommissioning in 1999. USS Virgo (AE-30) was originally projected as the tenth ship of the class but was cancelled before construction began, and thus never saw service. Both vessels reflect the Navy’s Cold War emphasis on sustained, global fleet logistics through specialized support ships.
Historical Facts
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USS Virgo (AE-30) – Never Built:
The ship designated as USS Virgo (AE-30) was planned as a Kilauea-class ammunition ship for the U.S. Navy, but the contract was cancelled before construction began. Thus, there is no active service history or stories directly associated with this hull number.
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USS Mount Hood (AE-29) – Kilauea-Class Ammunition Ship:
USS Mount Hood was the last of the eight Kilauea-class ammunition ships, commissioned on 22 May 1971, serving as a vital logistics support vessel for the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
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Named After a Volcano:
The ship was named after Mount Hood, a prominent stratovolcano in Oregon. This continued the tradition of naming ammunition ships after volcanoes.
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Homeport in Concord, California:
Mount Hood was homeported at Naval Weapons Station Concord, California, which was a major ammunition staging area for the Pacific Fleet.
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Vietnam War Service:
Although commissioned towards the end of the Vietnam War, Mount Hood supported U.S. operations by supplying ammunition to combat ships in the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia.
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Replenishment at Sea:
Mount Hood specialized in underway replenishment, delivering munitions to navy ships at sea through complex and hazardous transfer operations, often in rough waters and under tight schedules.
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Cold War Operations:
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Mount Hood played a significant role in Cold War naval exercises and readiness patrols, supporting carrier battle groups and other task forces.
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Persian Gulf Deployments:
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the ship supported U.S. naval operations in the Persian Gulf, including Operation Earnest Will and Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
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Women at Sea:
USS Mount Hood was among the early combat logistics ships to integrate female sailors into the crew, reflecting changing U.S. Navy policies in the 1980s.
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Decommissioning and Fate:
Mount Hood was decommissioned on 10 August 1999, struck from the Naval Vessel Register, and later scrapped. Her service spanned nearly three decades of significant naval history.
