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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

AE-27 / T-AE-27 Butte

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Whiskey - Uniform - Oscar

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation (4)
Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (5)
Second Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (1-Iran/Indian Ocean) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3-Lebanon, 1 Op. Restore Hope, Somalia)
Third Row - Vietnam Service Medal (1) - Armed Forces Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Kilauea Class Ammunition Ship:

Laid down, 21 July 1966, at General Dynamics Shipyard, Quincy MA.

Launched, 9 August 1967

Commissioned, USS Butte (AE-27), 14 December 1968, Boston Naval Shipyard, Boston, MA., CAPT. Wallace M. Riggs in command

During the Vietnam War Butte (AE-27) participated in the:

Vietnam Ceasefire Campaign

6 and 8 to 14 February 1973

22 February to 3 March 1973

28 March 1973

Decommissioned, 3 June 1996 and placed in service with the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as USNS Butte (T-AE-27)

Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register, 24 May 24, 2004

Final Disposition, disposed of as a target in support of fleet training exercises, 30 June 2006

Butte earned one campaign star for service during the Vietnam War

Specifications:
Displacement 11,915 t.(lt) 19.937 t.(fl)
Length 564'
Beam 81'
Draft 31'
Speed 21 kts.
Complement

USS 402

USNS 125 Civilian Mariners, 55 Navy
Cargo Capacity 60,000 cu ft/6,000t. ammunition
Armament four twin 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
Aircraft two UH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
Propulsion three Foster-Wheeler 600psi boilers, one steam turbine, single six bladed fixed propeller, 22,000hp

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
190k	Butte (AE-27) while under construction at General Dynamics, Quincy MA. Note: Riggers lowering bow section *Butteinto place. US Navy photo from "All Hands"* magazine September 1968.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
79k	Butte (AE-27) underway during sea trials in 1968. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine March 1970.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
95k	Butte (AE-27) underway, date and place unknown. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine October 1970.	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
49k	Butte (AE-27) underway, date and place unknown. US Navy photo	.
77k	Butte (AE-27) underway, date and place unknown. US Navy photo	.
50k	Butte (AE-27) underway, date and place unknown. ©Atlantic Fleet Sales, Norfolk, VA.	Mike Smolinski
61k	Butte (AE-27) underway in the Ionian Sea in 1993.	CDR. Dave Wood USN Ret. ex-CO USS Butte
78k	Butte (AE-27) and Charleston (LKA-113) laid up at the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Philadelphia, PA., September 2004	Photo by Jon White STG-3, USS Luce, 1985-87
77k	Butte (AE-27) and El Paso (LKA-117), Moosbrugger (DD 980) and John Hancock (DD 981) laid up at the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Philadelphia, PA., September 2004	Photo by Jon White STG-3, USS Luce, 1985-87
51k	Ex-Butte (AE-27) with her back broken and sinking during SINKEX, 30 June 2006. Photo by Paul Shepard	TJ Tropea
44k	Ex-Butte (AE-27) with her back broken and sinking during SINKEX, 30 June 2006. Photo by Paul Shepard	TJ Tropea

View the Butte (AE-27)
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
"AE" Sailors Association

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Last Updated 20 July 2007