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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

AE-5 Rainier

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Uniform - Delta

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Second Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Korean Service Medal (4)
Third Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3-Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (1) - Korean Presidential Unit Citation
Fourth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

Lassen Class Ammunition Ship:

Laid down, 14 May 1940, as Rainbow, a Maritime Commission type (C2-T Cargo) hull, under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 124), at Tampa Shipbuilding Corp., Tampa, FL.

Launched, 1 March 1941

Acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission, 16 April 1941

Commissioned USS Rainier (AE-5), 21 December 1941, CAPT. William W. Meek in command

Decommissioned, 30 April 1946, at San Diego, CA.

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group

Recommissioned, 25 May 1951

During the Korean War Rainier (AE-5) participated in the following campaigns:

**Korean War**
Campaigns and Dates 1951-52	Campaigns and Dates 1953
Second Korean Winter 30 November to 9 December 1951 20 December 1951 to 2 January 1952 16 to 24 January 1952 4 February 1952 6 to 16 February 1952 28 February to10 March 1952 17 to 19 March 1952 15 to 25 April 1952	Third Korean Winter 10 to 15 February 1953 26 February to 3 March 1953 18 to 28 March 1953 9 to 15 April 1953 25 to 30 April 1953
Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 12 to 23 May 1952 8 to 20 June 1952 5 to 6 July 1952 15 to 25 July 1952 3 to 9 August 1952	Korea, Summer-Fall 1953 1 to 2 May 1953 11 to 21 May 1953 9 to 17 June 1953 23 June to 1 July 1953 10 to 18 July 1953

During the Vietnam War Rainier (AE-5) participated in the following campaign:

**Vietnam War**
Campaigns and Dates
Vietnam Defense 4 to 7 July 1965 11 to 20 July 1965 26 July to 5 August 1965 13 to 21 August 1965 1 to 11 September 1965 25 September to 5 October 1965 12 to 24 October 1965

Decommissioned and Struck from the Naval Register, 7 August 1970

Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal

Final Disposition, fate unknown

Rainier earned four battle stars during the Korean war and one campaign star for the Vietnam war

Specifications:
Displacement 6,350 t.(lt) 13,876 t.(fl)
Length 459'
Beam 63'
Draft 25' 10"
Speed 15.5 kts.
Complement 281
Armament

one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount

four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts

two twin 40mm AA gun mounts

eight twin 20mm AA gun mounts
Cargo Capacity 5,000DWT
Propulsion diesel, single shaft, 6,000hp

Size	Image Description	Source
111k	Amidships plan view of Rainier (AE-5) at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 15 June 1943. US Navy Yard Mare Island photo # AE-5 4389-43, 6/15/43.	Darryl Baker
46k	Rainier (AE-5) underway off Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 20 June 1943. US Navy photo	Lou Sander
61k	Broadside view of Rainier (AE-5) off Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 30 June 1943. US Navy Yard Mare Island photo # AE-5 4540-43, 6/30/43.	Darryl Baker
65k	Bows on view of Rainier (AE-5) off Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 30 June 1943. US Navy Yard Mare Island photo # AE-5 4542-43, 6/30/43.	Darryl Baker
55k	Stern view of Rainier (AE-5) off Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 30 June 1943. US Navy Yard Mare Island photo # AE-5 4544-43, 6/30/43.	Darryl Baker
30k	Rainier (AE-5) underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	.
101k	Aft plan view of Rainier (AE-5) at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 2 October 1944. *Rainier* was in overhaul at the yard from 20 August to 3 October 1944. *YHB-21, the ex auto ferry, Tamalpais and four berthing barges including YF-508* were moored across from *Rainier. US Navy Yard Mare Island photo # AE-5 6006-44*.	Darryl Baker
110k	Forward plan view of Rainier (AE-5) at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 2 October 1944. *Rainier* was in overhaul at the yard from 20 August to 3 October 1944. Vessels in the background from left to right are *YHB-2* (ex Port of Stockton), four berthing barges and *YHB-21* (ex Tamalpais). US Navy Yard Mare Island photo # AE-5 6009-44.	Darryl Baker
31k	Rainier (AE-5) underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Hyperwar US Navy in WWII
19k	Rainier (AE-5) underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	.
35k	Rainier (AE-5) during underway replenishment with Antietam (CV-36) and Wisconsin (BB-64), January 1952, location unknown. US Navy photo	.
43k	Rainier (AE-5) during underway replenishment with Lexington (CV-16) in August 1957. US Navy photo	.
62k	Rainier (AE-5) underway, date and location unknown. Photo taken from Vesuvius (AE-15) in March 1970	Photo by Darrell Inskeep via USS Rainier (AE-5) web site
148k	Rainier (AE-5) underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	Mike Smolinski
53k	Rainier (AE-5) underway with Hancock (CVA-19) as the carrier prepares to take her station alongside *Rainier* for underway replenishment of ammunitions, date and location unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, August 1964.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.