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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Mauna Loa (AE-8)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Alpha - Whiskey - Hotel
NAWH
Voice Call -"Elbow Uniform"
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - National Defense Service Medal - Vietnam Service Medal (3) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Lassen Class Ammunition Ship:
  • Laid down, 10 December 1942, as a Maritime Commission (C2 Cargo) hull, under a Maritime Commission contract at Tampa Shipbuilding Corp., Tampa, FL.
  • Launched, 14 April 1943
  • Commissioned, USS Mauna Loa (AE-8), 27 October 1943, CDR. George D. Martin in command
  • During World War II USS Mauna Loa was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns
    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Marshall Islands operation
    Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 8 February 1944     		Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 8 September 1944
    Marianas operation, 13 June to 23 July 1944 .

  • Decommissioned, 2 June 1947, at Bremerton, WA. and laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Bremerton Group
  • Recommissioned, 31 January 1955, at San Diego, CA., CAPT. Elgin B. Hurlbert USN in command
  • Decommissioned, 16 December 1958, at Orange, TX., laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Texas Group, Orange
  • Towed to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Philadelphia, 12 November 1960
  • Re-acquired and recommissioned, 27 November 1961, CAPT. Vernon P. O’Neil USN in command
  • During the Vietnam War USS Mauna Loa (AE-8) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    29 November to 18 December 1967
    30 December 1967 to 17 January 1968
    29 January 1968     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    5 to 11 April 1968
    Tet Counteroffensive
    30 January to 9 February 1968
    17 to 29 February 1968
    9 to 16 March1968     		.

  • Decommissioned (date unknown)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1976
  • Transferred to the Maritime Administration for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • Administrative custody transfer to the Maritime Administration, 20 March 1984
  • Final Disposition, believed scrapped
  • Mauna Loa received three battle stars for World War II service and three campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 6.350 t.(lt) 14,225 t.(fl)
    Length 459'
    Beam 63'
    Draft 26' 5"
    Speed 15.3 kts.
    Complement 281
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
    four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    eight single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo capacity 5,000 DWT
    Propulsion diesel, single shaft, 6,000hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Mauna Loa 74k USS Mauna Loa (AE-8) at anchor, date and place unknown. .
    Newport News 118k From left to right Sixth Fleet ships moored at Barcelona, Spain in April 1956: USS Cassin Young (DD-793), USS Albany (CA-123), USS Newport News (CA-148), USS Mercury (AKS-20), and USS Mauna Loa (AE-8). Newport News had just taken over as Flagship for Vice Admiral Harry D. Felt, Commander Sixth Fleet, when this photo was taken. George Klos
    Mauna Loa 108k USS Mauna Loa (AE-8) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, July 1959.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Springfield 227k USS Springfield (CLG-7) breaking away from USS Mauna Loa (AE-8) after completing a replenishment at sea while in the Mediterranean Sea, circa 1965. William C. Swisher
    View the USS Mauna Loa (AE-8)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    "AE" Sailors Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Ammunition Ship (AE) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 29 August 2008