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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USNS Shasta (T-AE-33)
ex
 USS Shasta (AE-33) (1972 - 1997)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Romeo - November - Charlie
NRNC
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation (2)- Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (4)
Second Row - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (2) - Navy Expeditionary Medal (Iran/Indian Ocean) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Op. Restore Hope, Somalia)- Vietnam Service Medal (1) - Southwest Asia Service Medal
Fourth Row - Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal - Humanitarian Service Medal (Boat People) - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Kilauea Class Ammunition Ship:
  • Laid down, 10 November 1969, at Ingalls Shipbuilding Division, Litton Systems Inc., Pascagoula, MS.
  • Launched, 3 April 1971
  • Commissioned, USS Shasta (AE-33), 26 February 1972
  • During the Vietnam War USS Shasta participated in the following campaign:

    Vietnam War Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Vietnam Ceasefire Campaign
    January 1973

  • Decommissioned, 10 October 1997
  • Placed in service with the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as USNS Shasta (T-AE-33), 1 October 1997, as part of the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force (PM1) assigned to MSC Pacific
  • Deactivated and struck from the Naval Register, 7 April 2011, to be disposed of
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, June 2013, at NISMF Pearl Harbor to ESCO Brownsville, TX., Removed 14 July 2013,under tow by M/V Rhea, Arrived, 11 September 2013 at Brownsville, Ships anchor donated to Crowley, TX. for placement in Vet's Memorial 28 March 2014, Scrapping completed in May 2014.
    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 Contributed By / Source
    USS Shasta (AE-33)
    Shasta
    09053326    		 111k Launch of Shasta (AE-33), 3 April 1971, at Ingalls Shipbuilding Division, Litton Systems Inc., Pascagoula, MS. Dale Hargrave
    Shasta 2444k Aerial view of USS Shasta (AE-33) under way in San Francisco Bay, July 1972.
    US Navy photo, File Name AE 33 July 1972 TH from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum    		 Darryl Baker
    Shasta 111k USS Shasta (AE-33) entering San Francisco Bay,
    with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background
    US Navy photo    		  
    Shasta 91k USS Shasta (AE-33) under way, date and place unknown.
    ©Marine Photos, San Diego, CA.    		 Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Shasta 47k USS Shasta (AE-33) at anchor in the harbor at Hong Kong, BCC, April 1973. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Shasta 1514k USS Shasta (AE-33) berthed at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA., 14 August 1973 with a large Battle E on her superstructure.
    US Navy photo, File Name AE 33 Aug 14 1973 03 TH from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum    		 Darryl Baker
    Shasta 1748k USS Shasta (AE-33) being presented her Battle E award, 15 August 15, 1973 at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.. Left to right: CAPT. W. C. Graham, Jr. (Commanding Officer), GMG1 L. R. Hamilton (oldest crew member), SR J. R. Hinds (youngest crew member) and CAPT. R. A. Bowling (COMSERGRPONE).
    US Navy photo, File Name AE 33 Aug 15 1973 TH from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum    		 Darryl Baker
    Shasta 1331k USS Shasta (AE-33) outbound to sea passing under the Golden Gate, 26 August 1973.
    US Navy photo, File Name AE 33 Aug 26 1973 TH from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum    		 Darryl Baker
    Shasta 934k Official party for USS Shasta (AE-33) Change of Command, 7 December 1973. Left to right: CAPT. Warren C. Graham, Jr. (retiring CO), CAPT. William W. McKenzie (COMSERGRPONE) and CDR Lawrence E. Masten (relieving CO).
    US Navy photo, File Name AE 33 Dec 7 1973 02 from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum    		 Darryl Baker
    Shasta 142k USS Shasta (AE-33) Change of Command, 7 December 1973. CDR. Lawrence E. Masten relieving CAPT. Warren C. Graham, Jr., 7 December 1973
    US Navy photo, File Name AE 33 Dec 7 1973 03 from the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum    		 Darryl Baker
    Shasta 80k USS Shasta (AE-33) under way in the sea of Japan, circa 1974. Photo source DanMS. Robert Hurst
    Shasta 65k USS Shasta (AE-33) under way, circa 1985, place unknown. Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Shasta 72k USS Shasta (AE-33) coming alongside USNS Kawishiwi (T-AO-146), date and location unknown. Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    CV-61 Ranger 103k USNS Hassayampa (T-AO-145) refueling USS Shasta (AE-33) to starboard and USS Ranger (CV-61) to port.
    Photo from Ranger's 1987 Cruise Book (14 July–30 December).

    		 John Slaughter, Webmaster USS Ranger History & Memorial site
    Shasta 91k USS Shasta (AE-33) under way, date and location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Shasta 105k USS Shasta (AE-33) ships bronze plaque. Cyrus Hoofnsnoot
    USNS Shasta (T-AE-33)
    Shasta 72k USNS Shasta (T-AE-33) comes alongside USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) off the US Pacific coast, 12 October 2001 for a Replenishment at Sea during John C. Stennis's work up for her coming deployment about two weeks later. Fabio Peņa
    Shasta 104k USNS Shasta (T-AE-33) steams alongside USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) to conduct an early morning underway replenishment off the southern California coast, 1 November 2002. Carl Vinson was conducting training in preparation for their next regularly scheduled deployment.
    US Navy photo 021101-N-9236M-013 by Lt. Cdr. Bob Meeker.    		 US Navy Newsstand
    Shasta 70k USNS Shasta (T-AE-33) under way following an ammunition transfer with the conventionally powered aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63), 5 September 2004, in the Pacific Ocean.
    US Navy photo 040905-N-5232L-074 by PHAN Jason D. Landon.    		 US Navy Newsstand
    Shasta 706k USNS Shasta (T-AE-33) left, USNS Flint (T-AE-32), center, and USNS Kiska (T-AE-35) steaming together in the Sea of Japan, 11 November 2005, following a crossdeck evolution that moved approximately 1,500 pallets of ordnance between the ships, while operating as part of Task Force Seven Three (TF-73) the Fleet's logistics task force.
    US Department of Defense photo # 051111-D-1511B-001 Sea of Japan (Nov. 11, 2005) by Byron D. Boyer.    		 US Navy Newsstand
    Shasta 197k USNS Shasta (T-AE-33) moored pierside at Naval Station, San Diego, CA. in 2008. Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret
    Shasta 72k USNS Shasta (T-AE-33) under way in Puget Sound, circa 2010. Photo by Chris Hugo
    Shasta 2572k USNS Shasta (T-AE-33) moored pierside at Naval Station Pearl Harbor across from USS Hopper (DDG-70), 5 April 2011. Photo by Michael Goughan

    For more photos and information about USS / USNS Shasta, see:
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • USS Shasta Welcome Aboard September 1973
  • AE/AOE Sailors Association
  • USS Shasta (AE-33) Last Voyage
    • Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Graham Jr., Warren Curry, USN (USNA 1948-B)26 February 1972 - 7 December 1973
    02CDR. Masten, Lawrence Everett7 December 1973 - 29 December 1975
    03CDR. Kight, James Runnells29 December 1975 - 20 December 1977
    04CDR. Rice, Roy Joe 20 December 1977 - 8 November 1979
    05CDR. Therrien, Edward Louis8 November 1979 - 16 October 1981
    06CDR. Kipp, John Lowell16 October 1981 - 18 November 1983
    07CDR. Kaye, Barry Nelson18 November 1983 - 1987
    08CDR. Finley, Jeffrey Allen1987 - October 1988
    09CDR. Gabe, Daniel Evans, USNOctober 1988 - 5 February 1991
    10CDR. Harris, James Daniel (Dan), USN5 February 1991 - 16 October 1992
    11CDR. Stafford, Joe N., USN16 October 1992 - 14 October1994
    12CDR. Laws Jr., Norman G.14 October 1994 - 8 March 1996
    13CDR. Pottenger, Carol M. :VADM8 March 1996 - 1 August 1997
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 26 November 2021