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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Kilauea (T-AE-26)
ex
 USS Kilauea (AE-26) (1968 - 1980)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Sierra - Hotel - India
NSHI
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top row - Joint Meritorious Unit Award - Navy Unit Commendation (3) - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (3) - Navy Expeditionary Medal (1-Iran/Indian Ocean) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Persian Gulf, 1-Unidentified) - Vietnam Service Medal (4) - Southwest Asia Service Medal
Fourth Row - Humanitarian Service Medal (1-Boat People) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Kilauea Class Ammunition Ship:
  • Laid down, 10 March 1966, at General Dynamics, Quincy, MA.
  • Launched, 9 August 1967
  • Commissioned, USS Kilauea (AE-26), 10 August 1968, CAPT. William L. McGonagle in command
  • During the Vietnam War USS Kilauea (AE-26) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaign
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII
    7 to 23 August 1970
    1 to 25 September 1970
    1 to 2 October 1970
    12 to 24 October 1970
    2 to 11 November 1970
    30 November to 11 December 1970
    5 January to 26 January 1971     		Consolidation II
    1 to 8 December 1971
    25 December 1971 to 3 January 1972
    12 to 21 January 1972
    28 January to 22 February 1972
    5 to 29 March 1972
    Consolidation I
    3 to 11 September 1971
    22 to 30 September 1971
    19 to 26 October 1971
    5 to 24 November 1971     		Vietnam Ceasefire
    30 March to 15 April 1972
    21 April to 6 May 1972
    13 to 23 May 1972
    30 May to 12 June 1972

  • Decommissioned. and placed in service with the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as USNS Kilauea (T-AE-26), 1 October 1980
  • USNS Kilauea is part of the 33 ship Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force (PM1) currently in reduced operating status (ROS 90)
  • Kilauea was towed from San Francisco, 28 March 2008, bound for Point Hueneme and ultimately for lay up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet at Pearl Harbor in August 2008
  • Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register, 15 September 2008
  • USS Kilauea earned four campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    Specifications:
    Displacement 9,340 t.(lt) 19,940 t.(fl)
    Length 564'
    Beam 81'
    Draft 29'
    Speed 20 kts.
    Complement
    MSC 125 -133 Civilian Mariners
    Naval Detachment 30
    Cargo Capacity 60,000 cu ft 6,000DWT
    Armament
    USS - four twin 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mounts
    USNS - none
    Aircraft two MH60S Seahawk helicopters
    Propulsion
    one General Electric turbine
    three Foster-Wheeler 600psi boilers
    single six blade fixed propeller, 22,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    USS Kilauea (AE-26)
    Kilauea 326k Kilauea (AE-26), foreground, and Butte (AE 27), background, christening ceremonies, 9 August 1967, at General Dynamics, Quincy, MA. S. Dale Hargrave
    Kilauea 109k USS Kilauea (AE-26) getting underway for the first time, circa-August 1968, Quincy, MA.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine September 1968    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Kilauea 89k USS Kilauea (AE-26) underway, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine June 1970    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Wichita 70k USS Kilauea (AE-26) and USS Wichita (AOR-1) exchange provisions during a training exercise, date and place unknown..
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, October 1970.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Kilauea 67k USS Kilauea (AE-26) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Kilauea 72k USS Kilauea (AE-26) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Kilauea 92k USS Kilauea (AE-26) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Kilauea 62k USS Kilauea (AE-26) and an unidentified destroyer during a refreshment at sea in 1972. Photo by Tom Sparkman
    Kilauea 70k USS Kilauea (AE-26) underway, date and location unknown. Robert Hurst
    USNS Kilauea (T-AE-26)
    Kilauea 1118k USNS Kilauea (T-AE-26) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Robert Hurst
    Kilauea 68k USNS Kilauea (T-AE-26) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Military Sealift Command
    Kilauea 827k USNS Kilauea (T-AE-26) outbound, approaching the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay, outbound for sea, 28 July 2007. Photo by CAPT. Jack C. Goldthorpe, USCG Ret.
    Kilauea 90k USNS Kilauea (T-AE-26) under flat tow, 24 March 2008. She was being towed alongside by commercial tugs from her berth to anchorage 7 east of Treasure Island. There she was picked up by USNS Navajo (T-ATF-169) and towed to sea Photos by CAPT. Jack C. Goldthorpe, USCG Ret.
    Kilauea 99k
    Kilauea 73k
    Kilauea 54k
    Kilauea 54k
    Navajo 149k USNS Navajo (T-ATF-169) underway, 24 March 2008, with flat tow USNS Kilauea (T-AE-26) outbound to sea. Charles Tompkins
    Navajo 94k
    Navajo 57k USNS Kilauea (T-AE-26) hand-off from commercial tugs to USNS Navajo (T-ATF-169) off Treasure Island and passing under the Golden Gate Bridge as see from Navajo, 24 March 2008. Fred Woody
    Navajo 55k
    Navajo 52k
    Navajo 55k
    Navajo 54k
    Kilauea 911k USNS Salvor (T-ARS-52) with ex-USNS Kilauea (T-AE-26) in tow outbound from Pearl Harbor, 18 July 2012. Kilauea was sunk as a RIMPAC 2012 off Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii on the morning of 20 July 2012. Captain Wade Armstrong Pearl Harbor Pilots
    Kilauea 95k Photos and video of ex-USNS Kilauea (T-AE-26) being sunk as a target during RIMPAC 2012 in position 23-00 N 159 55 W (60 miles NNW of Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii) on the morning of 20 July 2012.
    Live Fire Sink Exercise video from Defense Media Network.    		 Ron Reeves
    Kilauea 62k
    Kilauea 42k
    Kilauea 62k
    Commanding Officers
    01*CAPT. McGonagle, William Loren10 August 1968 - 19 July 1969
    02CDR. Shipman, James L.19 July 1969 - 10 September 1970
    03CAPT. Anderson, Charles Raymond10 September 1970 - 28 December 1971
    04CAPT. Salin, Robert Sven28 December 1971 - 30 May 1973
    05CAPT. Sutphen, Harold J.30 May 1973 - 15 August 1975
    06CDR. Glickman, Thomas W.15 August 1975 - 2 July 1977
    07CDR. Verona, Francis Michael2 July 1977 - 12 October 1979
    08CDR. Balian, Alexander George12 October 1979 - 1 October 1980
    *Captain McGonagle received the Medal of Honor as Commanding Officer, USS Liberty (AGTR-5).
    Courtesy CAPT. Tom Glickman USN Ret. / Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    USS Kilauea (AE-26)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    US Navy Fact File - Ammunition Ships T-AE
    AE/AOE 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
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 24 August 2012