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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Milwaukee (AOR-2)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Lima - Delta - Lima
NLDL

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation
Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Joint Meritorious Unit Award - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (3)
Second Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (Libya, Lebanon) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Lebanon, Libya)
Third Row - Vietnam Service Medal (1) - Coast Guard SOS Ribbon - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal


Wichita Class Replenishment Oiler:
  • Laid down, 29 November 1966, at General Dynamics Corp., Quincy, MA.
  • Launched, 1 January 1969
  • Commissioned USS Milwaukee (AOR-2), 1 November 1969
  • During the Vietnam War USS Milwaukee participated in the following Campaign:

    Vietnam War
    Campaign and Dates
    Vietnam Ceasefire
    12 to 14 November 1972
    24 November to 10 December 1972
    18 to 30 December 1972
    12 to 11 and 19 to 20 February 1973
  • Decommissioned, 27 January 1994
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 8 April 1997
  • USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) earned one campaign star for Vietnam War service
  • Title transfer to MARAD, 24 February 2001, for disposal
  • Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River, Fort Eustis, VA.
  • Final Disposition, MARAD announced, 14 January 2009, that Milwaukee was sold for $56,410 for scrapping by Bay Bridge Enterprises, Chesapeake, VA.
  • Removed from Reserve Fleet and arrived, 10 February 2009, at Bay Bridge Enterprises, 10 February 2009
    Specifications:
    Displacement 14,048 t.(lt) 39,790 t.(fl)
    Length 659'
    Beam 96'
    Draft 37' (max.)
    Speed 20 kts.
    Complement
    Officers
    Enlisted 463
    Armament
    two Phalanx Close-In-Weapons System (CIWS)
    Sparrow Missile System (NSSMS)
    Aircraft
    two CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters
    Propulsion
    two steam turbines
    three boilers
    twin propellers, 32,000shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Source
    Milwaukee 289k Christening by Mrs. Henry W. Maier, wife of the Mayor of Milwaukee, WI. and launch of Milwaukee (AOR-2), 1 January 1969, at General Dynamics Corp., Quincy, MA, in 1969. Dale Hargrave
    Milwaukee 227k Milwaukee (AOR-2) being fitted out at General Dynamics Corp., Quincy, MA, in 1969.
    General Dynamics/Quincy Division photo.
    Robert Hurst
    Milwaukee
    09210231
    615k Milwaukee (AOR-2) running trials prior to her commissioning date, 1 November 1969. She is underway near the General Dynamics Corp. Shipyard, Quincy, MA.
    General Dynamics/Quincy Division photo # 0 382- -1
    Jos Haver
    Milwaukee
    09210235
    355k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) replenishing the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CV-59) during Forrestalīs deployment to the Mediterranean Sea from 5 January to 2 July 1971.
    U.S. Navy photo from the USS Forrestal (CVA-59) 1971 cruise book
    Robert Hurst
    Milwaukee 980k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) under way in Chesapeake Bay, January 1976.
    Naval Photographic Center photo # 1167113 by PH2 Kelly
    DCC(SS/SW) David Johnston, USN
    Milwaukee 133k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) while under way after completing an underway replenishment of an unidentified Knox-class frigate, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Jerrod W. Brown SM1 (SW) USN Ret. USS Milwaukee 1980-84
    Milwaukee 84k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
    Jerrod W. Brown SM1 (SW) USN Ret. USS Milwaukee 1980-84
    Milwaukee 108k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) replenishing an unidentified Aircraft Carrier off her port side while an unidentified Destroyer prepares to come alongside for replenishment off her starboard side. Jerrod W. Brown SM1 (SW) USN Ret. USS Milwaukee 1980-84
    Milwaukee 106k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) under way, date and location unknown. Jerrod W. Brown SM1 (SW) USN Ret. USS Milwaukee 1980-84
    Milwaukee 88k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from the collections of the US Navy Memorial.
    Stan Svec
    Milwaukee 278k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) at anchor in the harbor at Genoa, Italy, 1 November 1978. Photo by Carlo Martinelli
    Milwaukee 134k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) during underway replenishment of USS Nimitz (CVN-68) and USS Concord (AFS-5), circa 1980, location unknown. Jerrod W. Brown SM1 (SW) USN Ret. USS Milwaukee 1980-84
    Milwaukee 105k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) and the Dutch replenishment ship HNLMS Poolster (A-835) about to commence an underway replenishment, date and place unknown. Jerrod W. Brown SM1 (SW) USN Ret. USS Milwaukee 1980-84
    Milwaukee 142k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) and the Dutch replenishment ship HNLMS Poolster (A-835) during an underway replenishment, date and place unknown. Jerrod W. Brown SM1 (SW) USN Ret. USS Milwaukee 1980-84
    Milwaukee 129k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) under way, date and location unknown. Jerrod W. Brown SM1 (SW) USN Ret. USS Milwaukee 1980-84
    Milwaukee 142k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) under way, date and location unknown. Jerrod W. Brown SM1 (SW) USN Ret. USS Milwaukee 1980-84
    Milwaukee 60k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
     
    Milwaukee 71k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
     
    Milwaukee 60k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) replenishing USS Spruance (DD-963), date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo
     
    Milwaukee
    09210232
    224k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) underway off San Diego, CA., date unknown.
    ©Nobe Smith
    Nicholas Tiberio
    CVA-59 Forrestal 245k USS Forrestal (CV-59) conducting an underway replenishment (UNREP) from USS Milwaukee (AOR-2), sometime in 1986–1990.

    Ken Killmeyer, USS Forrestal Association Historian
    Milwaukee 448k During exercise West Wind '88 USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) conducts a replenishment at sea with USS Forrestal (CV-59), 4 September 1988.
    US Navy photo # DN-SC-89-02713 Sept 4 1988 by PH3 Haley.
    Robert M. Cieri
    Milwaukee
    09210233
    413k The guided missile destroyer USS Semmes (DDG-18), USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) and the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CV-59) during underway replenishment operations in the Mediterranean Sea, June 1988. Forrestal, with assigned Carrier Air Wing 6 (CVW-6), was deployed to the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean from 25 April to 7 October 1988.
    U.S. National Archives Identifier (NAID) 6439966 and 6439969 by PH3 Buckner
    Robert Hurst
    Milwaukee
    09210234
    374k
    Milwaukee 342k During exercise Team Work '88 fuel lines span the distance between USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) and USS Forrestal (CV-59) during a replenishment at sea . Sailing astern of Milwaukee is the guided missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53).
    US Navy photo # DN-SC-90-03043 Sept 15 1988 by PH3 Haley.
    Robert M. Cieri
    Milwaukee 83k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) under way, date and location unknown. Jack Dowd CDR. USNR Ret.
    Milwaukee 115k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) under way, date and location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Milwaukee 78k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) under way, date and location unknown. Jerrod W. Brown SM1 (SW) USN Ret. USS Milwaukee 1980-84
    Milwaukee 80k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) at anchor off Palma de Mallorca, Spain, circa 1993. Photos by Pedro Vidal Terrasa
    Milwaukee 89k
    Milwaukee
    09210225
    268k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) underway off San Diego, CA., date unknown.
    ©Nobe Smith
    Nicholas Tiberio and
    Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Iwo Jima 1088k
    An aerial view of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard looking west/northwest, 30 October 1995. The shipyard closed, 30 September 1995, but the Navy Intermediate Ship Maintenance Facility (NISMF) continues to store decommissioned ships. Vessels visible , left to right: the battleships USS Iowa (BB-61), and USS Wisconsin (BB-64) at the DD wharf; USS Sylvania (AFS-2), USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) and USS Savannah (AOR-4) at pier 5; the aircraft carriers USS Forrestal (CV-59) and USS Saratoga (CV-60); at pier 4; the amphibious assault ships USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2) and USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7) at pier 2. In the back pool is the heavy cruiser USS Des Moines (CA-134) and numerous destroyers and frigates.DOD photo # DN-SC-97-00422 PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (30 October 1995), a US Navy photo by Robert J. Sitar, now in the collections of Defense Imagery.mil.
    Robert M. Cieri
    Milwaukee 119k View southwest of the 350 ton crane at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard with the decommissioned USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) moored just forward of the crane.
    Library of Congress, HAER PA,51-PHILA,709F-1
    Mike Green
    Milwaukee 117k USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) sticker sold in ships store. Jerrod W. Brown SM1 (SW) USN Ret. USS Milwaukee 1980-84


    For more photos and information about USS Milwaukee, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
  • MARAD Vessel History Data Base

  • Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Martin, James Whitney1 November 1969 - 15 May 1971
    02CAPT. Terry, Harold L.15 May 1971 - 22 July 1972
    03CAPT. Shaughnessy, William David22 July 1972 - 22 June 1974
    04CAPT. Barth Jr., Joseph John (Joe), USN :RADM22 June 1974 - 30 July 1975
    05CAPT. Wright, Richard Taliaferro 30 July 1975 - 10 June 1977
    06CAPT. Hawkins Jr., Cecil B.10 June 1977 - 15 January 1979
    07CAPT. Page, Arthur M.15 January 1979 - 30 May 1980
    08CAPT. Baker, Donald Adrian. USN30 May 1980 - 25 February 1982
    09CAPT. Magner, Lawrence Richard, USN (USNA 1957)25 February 1982 - 4 August 1984
    10CAPT. Finn, Edward Stephen4 August 1984 - 20 August 1986
    11CAPT. Franz, Rodney C.20 August 1986 - 15 April 1988
    12CAPT. Refo, Carter Beaumont, USN (USNA 1965)15 April 1988 - 24 October 1989
    13CAPT. Ernst, Larry Lee24 October 1989 - 10 January 1991
    14CAPT. Coleman, Richard G.10 January 1991 - 4 March 1992
    15CAPT. Polatty III, David Pierce, USN (USNA 1971) :RADM4 March 1992 - 27 January 1994
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

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

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    Last Updated 16 December 2022