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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

USNS Santa Barbara (T-AE-28)
ex
USS Santa Barbara (AE-28) (1970 - 1998)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Xray - Uniform NDXU

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Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation (2)
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (4) - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row -Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Op. Restore Hope, Somalia) - Vietnam Service Medal (1) - Southwest Asia Service Medal (2)
Fourth row - Sea Service Deployment Ribbon - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

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During the Vietnam War USS Santa Barbara (AE-28) participated in the following campaign:

Vietnam War Campaign

Vietnam Ceasefire Campaign 26 July to 7 August 1972 14 to 23 August 1972 8 to 14 September 1972 22 September to 3 October 1972 24 October to 5 November 1972 12 November to 3 December 1972 11 to 21 December 1972 6 to 18 January 1973

USS Santa Barbara was deployed in December 1990 to the Red Sea during Operation Desert Shield.

She remained on station in the Red Sea during January 1991 in support of Operation Desert Storm, delivering over

7,000 tons of ammunition during the Desert war

Decommissioned, 25 September 1998, at Naval Weapons Station, Charleston, S.C.

Placed in service by the Military Sealift Command (MSC), 1 October 1998 as USNS Santa Barbara (T-AE-28)

Santa Barbara is one of the Sealift Commands six Ammunition Ships and is part of the 37 ships in the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force

While assigned to MSC Santa Barbara was in Ready Operational Status 45 until downgraded to planned disposal, 3 August 2005

Struck from the Naval Register, 3 August 2005

Final Disposition, scrapping contract awarded to ESCO, Brownsville, TX., 9 November 2006

USS Santa Barbara earned one campaign star for Vietnam War service

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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

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Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By
USS Santa Barbara (AE-28)
	62k	USS Santa Barbara (AE-28) underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo		MSC web site
	41k	USS Santa Barbara (AE-28) underway, date and location unknown. ©Atlantic Fleet Sales, Norfolk VA.		Mike Smolinski
	88k	USS Santa Barbara (T-AE-28) underway while conducting Vertical Replenishment (VertRep) weapons on-load with the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), off the Virginia coast, sometime during 20 or 21 October 1995. The crates of ordnance are being transferred from Santa Barbara to USS Theodore Roosevelt via CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters. US Navy photo.		Edward Cleary
	966k	USS Santa Barbara (AE-28) underway, date and location unknown.		Wolfgang Hechler
	2237k	USS Santa Barbara (AE-28) underway alongside USS George Washington (CVN-73), circa 20 May-17 November 1994.		Wolfgang Hechler
	153k	Ex-Santa Barbara (T-AE-28) being scrapped at ESCO, Brownsville, TX., 15 November 2006. Forward of Santa Barbara are ex-Des Moines (CA-134) also being scrapped, and ex-Texas A&M USTS Texas Clipper I [ex-Queens (APA-103)] which is being prepared for sinking as an artificial reef.		Photo by Michael Martin, Brownsville, TX.
	136k	Ex-Santa Barbara (T-AE-28) being scrapped at ESCO, Brownsville, TX., 15 November 2006. Forward of Santa Barbara are ex-Des Moines (CA-134) also being scrapped.		Photo by Michael Martin, Brownsville, TX.
	114k	Ex-Santa Barbara (T-AE-28) with part of her bow removed while being scrapped at ESCO, Brownsville, TX., in February 2007.		Photo by Michael Martin, Brownsville, TX.

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View the USS Santa Barbara (AE-28)
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command

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Commanding Officers
01	CAPT. Whitmore, Charles Abbott	11 July 1970 - October 1971
02	CAPT. Page Jr., Louis Covington	October1971 - October 1972
03	CAPT. Johnson, Ian J.	October 1972 - July 1974
04	CDR. Bassin, Paul H.	July 1974 - June 1976
05	CDR. Bass Sr., William F.	June 1976 - 15 September 1978
06	CAPT. Mitchell Jr., Albert Hoyt	15 September 1978 - 7 November 1980
07	CAPT. Willandt, Theodore A.	7 November 1980 - November 1982
08	CDR. Sloane, Richard T.	November 1982 - 8 March 1985
09	CDR. Kauffman, Gordon E.	8 March 1985 - 7 April 1987
10	CAPT. Cummings, Kevin P.	7 April 1987 - May 1989
11	CDR. Frimenco Jr., Michael	May 1989 - June 1991
12	CDR. Watson, Michael G.	June 1991 - February 1993
13	CDR. Graham, James M.	February 1993 - 17 November 1994
14	CDR. Roemmich, Gary L.	17 November 1994 - 20 September 1996
15	CAPT. Moser, Alan C.	20 September 1996 - 30 September 1998

Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

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Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
US Navy Fact File - Ammunition Ships T-AE
"AE" Sailors Association

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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 30 October 2009