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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive


Contributed by Don McGrogan BMCS, USN (Ret.) - Popular Patch


Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Mount Baker (AE-4)
ex
USS Kilauea (AE-4) (1941 - 1943)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Charlie - Echo - Juliet
NCEJ
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Debark (I)ndia - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Defense Service Medal (with "A" device) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Korea Service Medal (4) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Taiwan Straits, Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (7)
Fourth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Lassen Class Ammunition Ship
  • Laid down, date unknown, as MV Surprise a Maritime Commission type (C2-T Cargo) hull, under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 24) at Tampa Shipbuilding Corp., Tampa, FL.
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission, 14 November 1940
  • Converted to an Ammunition Ship at Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Co., Mobile, AL.
  • Commissioned USS Kilauea (AE-4), 16 May 1941, Capt. W. I. Causey in command
  • Renamed USS Mount Baker (AE-4), 17 March 1943
  • During World War II USS Kilauea / Mount Baker was assigned to both the Europe-Africa-Middle East and Asiatic-Pacific Theaters
  • Decommissioned in January 1947 at San Diego, CA.
  • Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group
  • Recommissioned, 5 December 1951, Capt. Richard Mueller Nixon in command
  • During the Korean War USS Mount Baker participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean Service Medal
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Second Korean Winter
    23 March to 3 April 1952
    21 to 30 April 1952
    Korean Summer-Fall 1953
    3 to 8 May 1953
    23 May to 5 June 1953
    14 to 24 June 1953
    30 June to 10 July 1953
    25 to 27 July 1953
    Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    1 to 5 May 1952
    18 to 29 May 1952
    20 June to 1 July 1952
    26 July to 2 August 1952
    10 to 23 August 1952
    16 to 30 September 1952
    16 to 27 October 1952
    Third Korean Winter
    4 March 1953
    14 to 17 March 1953
    1 to 6 April 19 53
    17 to 22 April 1953

  • During the Vietnam War USS Mount Baker participated in the following campaigns:

    Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Vietnam Advisory Campaign
    13 to 19 January 1965
    23 January to 14 February 1965
    3 to 21 May 1965
    27 May to 5 June 1965
    8 to 18 June 1965
    Tet Counteroffensive
    30 January to 2 February 1968
    24 February to 10 March 1968
    18 to 29 March 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    13 to 28 February 1966
    16 to 25 March 1966
    16 to 26 April 1966
    22 May to 3 June 1966
    14 to 19 June 1966
    23 to 30 June 1966
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    27 November to 3 December 1968
    10 to 19 December 1968
    19 to 31 January 1969
    12 to 22 February 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    1 to 10 July 1966
    1 to 12 August 1966
    20 September to 11 October 1966
    25 October to 10 November 1966
    Tet 69/Counteroffensive
    23 February 1969
    12 to 22 March 1969
    31 March to 16 April 1969
    25 April to 6 May 1969
    14 to 23 May 1969
    5 to 8 June 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    30 October to 27 November 1967
    17 December 1967 to 5 January 1968
    12 to 14 January 1968
    22 to 29 January 1968
    Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    9 to 12 June 1969

  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 2 December 1969
  • USS Mount Baker earned four battle stars for Korean War service, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with seven campaign stars for Vietnam War service
  • Title transferred, 15 March 1974, to the Maritime Administration, for disposal
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 15 March 1974, to Seangyong Trading Co., Ltd, Seoul, South Korea, delivered 23 April 1974
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6,350 t.(lt) 14,225t.(fl)
    Length 459'
    Beam 63'
    Draft 25' 11"
    Speed 15.3 kts (trial)
    Complement
    Officers 21
    Enlisted 260
    Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
    eight twin 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity 5,000 DWT
    non-refrigerated 387,000 Cu ft.
    Fuel Capacity 10,925 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two Nordberg Diesel, TSM219 Diesel engine
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    Ship's Service Generators
    four Diesel-drive 300Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    one Diesel-drive 150Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    single propeller, 6,000shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Source
    USS Kilauea (AE-4)
    Mount Baker
    09050427
    224k The C2 cargo vessel Surprise being modified at Alabama Shipbuilding to become the ammunition ship Kilauea (AE-4), mid-1941.
    Photos by George Strock, Life Magazine. Used for educational and non-commercial purpose.
    John Chiquoine
    Mount Baker
    09050428
    172k
    Mount Baker
    09050429
    172k
    Mount Baker
    09050430
    99k
    Mount Baker
    09050431
    111k
    USS Mount Baker (AE-4)
    Mount Baker 306k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) alongside USS Missouri (BB-63) while conducting a replenishment at sea, date and location unknown. Michael Mohl
    Mount Baker 365k
    Mount Baker 350k
    Mount Baker 286k
    Mount Baker 366k
    Mount Baker 153k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) alongside USS Chara (AKA-58) while conducting a transfer between ships during the Korea War, circa 1951-52. David Kusel courtesy Wilbur Karsten USS Chara
    Mount Baker 135k
    Mount Baker 94k
    Mount Baker 280k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) conducting an underway replenishment with the cruiser USS Helena (CA-75) and the aircraft carrier USS Princeton (CVA-37),/a> in 1952 off Korea.
    US Navy photo Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum File AE 4 139X2-7-52 TH.
    Darryl Baker
    Mount Baker 102k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) arriving at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA., for overhaul. USS Mount Baker underwent repairs at Mare Island from 9 November 1953 to 20 January 1954.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 19287-11-53, 11/9/53
    Darryl Baker
    Mount Baker 305k CAPT. Adolph J Petersen USN (left) relieves CAPT Theodore H. Brittan on 3 November 1953 of the command of USS Mount Baker (AE-4) while the ship was at Mare Island Naval Shipyard.
    US Navy photo, courtesy Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum.
    Darryl Baker
    Mount Baker 129k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) berthed at Mare Island Naval Shipyard with Vallejo in the background, circa 1953-1954. The ship was in overhaul at Mare Island from 9 November 1953 to 17 January 1954. Note that much of the Vallejo waterfront area has been bulldozed for redevelopment.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo, courtesy Shipscribe.com.
    Robert Hurst
    Mount Baker
    09050423
    118k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) off San Francisco Naval Shipyard, 16 December 1955, following a regular overhaul.
    U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photo 19-NN-AE-4 Mt. Baker-153710. This image is available in the holdings of the National Archives and Records Administration, cataloged under the National Archives Identifier (NAID) 6927518
    Robert Hurst
    Mount Baker 93k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) departing Naval Shipyard Mare Island on trials, 3 September 1957. Mount Baker was undergoing repairs at Mare Island from 21 June to 10 September 1957.
    Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 36384-9-57, 9/3/57
    Darryl Baker
    Mount Baker 46k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) overhead view, at anchor, date and location unknown. Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
    Mount Baker 46k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) underway, date and location unknown "AE" Sailors Association
    Mount Baker 608k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) passing under the Golden Gate Bridge at San Francisco, date unknown. Phil Bird LTjg MPA USS Mount Baker
    Mount Baker 327k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) moored to a buoy, location unknown, circa 1960.
    US Navy Photo courtesy Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.
    Darryl Baker
    Mount Baker 208k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) under way, date and location unknown
    US Navy Photo
    Mike Smolinski
    Mount Baker
    09050424
    249k CAPT. Norman E. White, USN (at podium) reads his orders relieving CAPT. Louis P. Pressler, USN (standing behind White) as Commanding Officer of USS Mt. Baker (AE-4) at NAD Concord, CA., 8 April 1963. LCDR Vernon E. Stenberg (CHC) is Chaplain at NAD Conocord.
    U.S. Navy photo from the collectiosn of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum, Vallejo, CA.
    Darryl Baker
    Mount Baker 484k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) and USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) during an underway replenishment off the coast of California, 2 September 1965. Carrier Air Wing (CAW-5) deployed with USS Ticonderoga from 1960 to 1966. The A4 Skyhawk aircraft visible on the flight deck belong to VA-56 "Champions" and VA-144 "Roadrunners."
    .US Navy photo CVA-14-2854-9-65 9/2/65.
    Phil Bird LTjg MPA USS Mount Baker
    Mt. Baker 100k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) conducts a replenishment-at-sea with USS Paul Revere (APA-248) and USS Valley Forge (LPH-8) during a WestPac deployment, circa 1960-1962.
    US Navy photo.
    Charles Schiele, Radioman, Comservron Three
    Mt. Baker
    09050422
    300k USS Mount Baker (AE-4) inbound from sea passing under the Golden Gate Bridge as she enters San Francisco Bay, date unknown. Nicholas Tiberio

    USS Mount Baker (AE-4)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Causey Jr., William Isiah USN (USNA 1913)16 May 1941 - 15 June 1942
    02LCDR. Hamblin, Francis Dow15 June 1942 - 20 June 1942
    03CDR. Brashears Jr., George Washington USNR20 June 1942 - 23 June 1944
    04LCDR. Brooks, Leroy Robert USNR23 June 1944 - 28 May 1945
    05LCDR. Perry, Emil Bates USN28 May 1945 - 7 February 1946
    06LCDR. Domingues, Milton P. USNR7 February 1946 - 15 August 1946
      Decommissioned15 August 1946 - 5 December 1951
    07CAPT. Nixon, Richard Mueller USN (USNA 1930)5 December 1951 - 3 November 1952
    08CAPT. Brittan, Theodore Harry3 November 1952 - November 1953
    09CAPT. Petersen, Adolph John USN3 November 1953 - 21 December 1954
    10CAPT. Klein, Doyan USN (USNA 1935)21 December 1954 - 6 February 1956
    11CAPT. Stewart, William Sidney USN (USNA 1937)6 February 1956 - 2 March 1957
    12CAPT. Odening, Robert Ernest USN (USNA 1936)2 March 1957 - 27 May 1958
    13CAPT. Slaughter, John Sim (Jack) USN (USNA 1937)27 May 1958 - 13 August 1959
    14CAPT. Gugliotta, Guy Frank USN (USNA 1938)13 August 1959 - 27 May 1960
    15CAPT. Privette Jr., William Garland USN27 May 1960 - 4 May 1961
    16CAPT. Dobie Jr., Ernest William (Bill) USN (USNA 1940) :RADM4 May 1961 - 2 April 1962
    17CAPT. Pressler, Louis Philip USN 2 April 1962 - 8 April 1963
    18CAPT. White, Norman Edward USN (USNA 1943)8 April 1963 - 25 February 1964
    19CAPT. Gallagher Jr., Thomas James USN25 February 1964 - 27 March 1965
    20CAPT. Tyler, Claude Leonidus USN27 March 1965 - 28 March 1966
    21CAPT. Wolf, Robert Lowell USN (USNA 1944)28 March 1966 - 3 March 1967
    22CAPT. Stankowski Sr., Robert John USN3 March 1967 - 21 June 1968
    23CAPT. Hoke Sr., Charles Hearn USN21 June 1968 - 1 October 1969
    24LCDR. Henry Jr., John Archie1 October 1969 - 2 December 1969
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Ammunition Ship (AE) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 6 October 2023

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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