USS Camden (AOE-2)
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 USS Camden (AOE-2) |
|
| Career (US) |  |
|---|---|
| Ordered: | 25 April 1963 |
| Laid down: | 17 February 1964 |
| Launched: | 29 May 1965 |
| Commissioned: | 1 April 1967 |
| Decommissioned: | 14 October 2005 |
| Status: | |
| Homeport: | Bremerton, Washington |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 54,000 tons full load |
| Length: | 795 ft (242.3 m) |
| Beam: | 107 ft (32.6 m) |
| Draught: | 38 ft (11.6 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × steam turbines, 2 × shafts, 100,000 shp (75 MW) |
| Speed: | 25 knots (46 km/h) |
| Complement: | 27 officers, 587 enlisted |
| Armament: | 2 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS Mark 15 guns;1 × 8 cell NATO Sea Sparrow Mark 29 missile launcher |
| Aircraft carried: | 2 × CH-46 Sea Knight Helicopters |
| Motto: | Flexibility, Readiness, Endurance |
| Nickname: | The Powerful Pachyderm of the Pacific |
The USS Camden (AOE-2) is the second ship of the United States Navy named after the city of Camden, New Jersey that lies on the Delaware River across from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was a Sacramento-class fast combat support ship, combining the functions of three logistic support ships in one hull - fleet oiler (AO), ammunition ship (AE), and refrigerated stores ship (AF).
Camden (AOE 2) was commissioned 1 April 1967 as the second of four vessels in its class. Assigned to the Pacific Fleet in September 1967, it was initially homeported in Long Beach, California. For their accomplishments during her first deployment to WestPac in 1968-1969, her crew was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. On 7 February 1974, Camden moved to its new homeport of Bremerton, Washington. The ship operated extensively up and down the West Coast of the United States and deployed frequently to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans to support units of the Seventh Fleet.
1983 Deployment
On July 20, 1983 the New York Times reported that the Camden along with seven other vessels in the Carrier Ranger Battle Group left San Diego on Friday July 15, 1983 and were headed for the western Pacific when they were rerouted and ordered to steam for Central America to conduct training and flight operations in areas off the coasts of Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras as part of major military exercises planned for that summer.
Besides the Ranger, the battle group is composed of the carrier Ranger, the cruiser Horne, the guided missile destroyer Lynde McCormick, the destroyers Fletcher and Fife, the frigate Marvin Shields, the oiler Wichita and the support ship Camden.
In March 1996, Camden was awarded its third consecutive Battle "E" for demonstrating excellence in all warfare and mission categories.
In January 2005, Camden left on its final deployment, an eight month world tour with the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) escorting that carrier to its new homeport in Norfolk, Virginia. Camden was decommissioned October 14, 2005 at Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton, Washington, and is awaiting final disposition.
For other US Navy ships bearing the name Camden, see USS Camden.
[edit] Trivia
USS Camden's power plant was one of two built for the Iowa-class battleship USS Kentucky (BB-66), which was cancelled in 1947 when 72.1 percent complete. (The other plant was used to power the lead ship of the class, USS Sacramento.)
USS Camden was the 542nd and final contract in the 68-year history of New York Shipbuilding, and the last vessel completed and launched at the shipyard.
[edit] External links
| Sacramento-class fast combat support ship |
| Sacramento | Camden | Seattle | Detroit |
List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy |
