05.02.03

Facts About the U.S.S. Camden

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) will proudly join the men and women of the U.S.S. Camden, their families, and the local community at the Bremerton homecoming celebration on Monday, May 5.

The Lincoln and other ships in its carrier strike group are returning from a record-setting deployment. The ship deployed on July 20, 2002, and set a record for the longest naval deployment by a nuclear powered aircraft carrier in history by remaining deployed for 290 consecutive days. In that time, the Lincoln and its crew traveled more than 100,000 miles – a distance equivalent to circling the globe more than four times. This is the longest deployment of a carrier strike group in the last 30 years, and the ninth-longest since the end of World War II.

Interesting Facts About the Camden

Length 796 feet Top speed +30 knots Crew 600 Oiler cargo capacity 8 million gallons marine propulsion and jet fuels Ammunition cargo capacity Can replenish the ordnance of an entire aircraft carrier Food cargo capacity 1,000 tons of frozen, chilled, and dry foods

Contributions to the war effort

• On her 2002-2003 deployment, Camden remained on station for nine months as part of the Abraham Lincoln Battle Group, playing a vital role in supporting the United States and coalition forces’ effort to free the people of Iraq.

• During the Camden’s latest deployment, she traveled more than 100,000 nautical miles and conducted more than 225 Underway Replenishments.

• On top of that, she has also provided 4,000,000 pounds of ordinance that was used to help bring down the Iraqi regime during the initial few weeks of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

• During her extended deployment, Camden issued and received over 100,000,000 gallons of JP5 and DFM fuel that went to support coalition war ships. She has also delivered 1,000 pallets of soda, over 5,000 pallets of frozen and chilled goods, and 2,000 pallets of dry goods.

• To put the Camden’s service into perspective, she has transported more than two thirds of the entire weight of the ship, totaling some 21,000 tons in supplies alone.

• The total pallet count that Camden has transferred is over 15,000 pallets of material totaling well over 25 million tons.

• During her 2000-2001 deployment, Camden was one of the first Naval vessels to come to the aid of the U.S.S. Cole after she was severely damaged by a terrorist attack off the coast of Yemen. Camden’s quick response played a major role in keeping the Cole afloat as well as sustaining her crew.

• Camden also played a vital role in Operation Noble Eagle following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks.

Replenishment operations

• As a Fast Combat Support Ship, the primary mission of the Camden is to provide the battle group with high speed, multiple-commodity logistics support. Camden is the lifeline of the battle group as she provides virtually everything that other ships require for unlimited endurance.

• The Camden combines the functions of three major service force ships in one hull: fleet oilier (AO), ammunition ship (AE), and refrigerated stores ship (AFS). As an oilier, she carries over eight million gallons of marine propulsion fuel and jet fuel. On average, she will pump 50,000,000 gallons of fuel a year to other ships. As an ammunition ship, she can replenish the entire ordnance requirements of an aircraft carrier. Camden also carries missiles and ammunition for cruisers, destroyers, and frigates. As a refrigeration ship, she carries over 1,000 tons of frozen, chilled, and dry foods. During a normal deployment, close to 7,000 tons of provisions and 100 tons of fleet freight are processed by Camden.

• Camden is designed to operate with naval strike forces, necessitating fast handling of cargo. Sophisticated automatic cargo handling equipment like Standard Tensioned Replenishment Alongside Method (STREAM) provides for rapid transfer of material from Camden to other ships. The crew also uses Two Boeing Sea Knight helicopters (CH-46) to transfer freight, personnel, provisions, and ammunition. Vertical Replenishments (VERTREP) allow Camden to transfer loads of up to 4,000 pounds to other ship flight decks. A system of elevators and package conveyors permit ready access to ammunition and cargo holds. Camden operates and maintains a cargo handling fleet of forklift trucks, allowing breakout and positioning of cargo/ammunition with efficiency.

For more information about the U.S.S. Camden, please visit this website: http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=20447.

Facts courtesy of the U.S. Navy.