1944 - 1970
Ship Motto
"DON'T TANGLE WITH THE WRANGELL!"
FEBRUARY
12,2001
Wrangell (AE-12) was laid down
as SS Midnight on February 1944 in Wilimington, North
Carolina, by the North Carolina Shipbuilding
Corporation: launched on 14 April 1944; and
commissioned on 10 October 1944, Commander
Haskel C. Todd in command.
The ammunition ship transited
the Panama Canal on 7 December 1944. The Wrangell arrived
at Pearl Harbor on 21 December, got underway
again on Christmas Eve, bound for the Marshalls.
Arriving at Eniwetok on the last day of 1944.
Wrangell dropped anchor in Ulithi Lagoon on 5 January.
Over the next 5 months, Wrangell
operated from Ulithi supporting the Fleet's operations
against Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the Japanese
home islands. On her first operation, Wrangell
reached Iwo Jima on 22 February. After retiring
from Iwo Jima on 28 February, Wrangell
proceeded to the Marianas and arrived at Saipan
on 3 March. However, with the Okinawa
campaign at its height, her respite from operations
proved to be a short one.
Thus after 10 days of round-the-clock
reloading, Wrangell departed Ulithi on 2 May.
From 6 May to 1 June, Wrangell passed ammunition
"to all comers". She then retired to
San Pedro Bay, Leyte.
Wrangell was detached from TG 30.8
on 2 August and headed south for the Phillippines.
Arriving at San Pedro Bay on 6 August. Work
was interrupted on 10 August though, when
the fleet received the news the Japan was
willing to surrender. After Japan capitulated,
Wrangell paused briefly in Tokyo Bay. Wrangell
steamed via Pearl Harbor, reached the
coast of Panama on 21 November, and transited
the canal late that day. Proceeding directly
to Earle, New Jersey, arriving in November
1945. She was decommissioned and laid up at
Orange, Texas on 19 November 1946.
With the outbreak of war in Korea in
the summer of 1950, she was recommissioned on
14 November 1951 at Orange, Texas. Captain
Olin P. Thomas was in command. Wrangell
loaded ammunition at Earle, New Jersey between
23 May and 18 June. Wrangell made
her first deployment to the Mediterranean
between January and June 1953, returned to
New York on 10 July, via Gilbratar. Wrangell
sailed for her second Mediterranean
deployment into the late 1950's
The ship's first replenishment of a
nuclear-powered warship came on 17 August 1962.
In the autumn of 1962, Wrangell spent 35 days
in the Carribbean, arming and rearming
various units of the blockage force.
Wrangell conducted three more Mediterranean
deployments. Transiting the Panama
Canal on 2 October, Wrangell arrived at Pearl
Harbor on the 19th, operating out of Subic
Bay, Phillippines, and making seven stints
to the "line" provided ammunition for ships
operating on both the "Yankee" and the "Dixie"
stations into the spring of 1966.
On 21 June Wrangell arrived back in
Charleston, South Carolina. On 15 May 1967
Wrangell departed for the Mediterranean.
On 4 September 1968 the ammunition ship
got underway; transited the Panama Canal for
the coast of North Vietnam and
deployment on the "Yankee Station."
The Wrangell was assigned to US Navy Task
Force 71 in April 1969. Deployment was
to Sasebo, Japan along with the Battleship
New Jersey, BB-62.
The Wrangell arrived back at her home
port, Charleston, South Carolina on 10 June 1969.
In September 1969 she was deployed to the
Med until March 1970. This
veteran ammunition ship was decommissioned
at Charleston, SC. on 21 December 1970.
The Wrangell was mothballed and towed to the
yards in St. James, VA. in February 1971.
Wrangell was struck from the Navy list on
1 October 1976.
Wrangell earned three battle stars
for her World Was II service and a further five
for her performance in the Vietnam War.
Most
of the USS Wrangell sailors are joining the AE Sailors Association
and finding their old buddies at the Annual AE Sailors Reunion!
CLICK ON THE AE SAILORS
LINK!
USS
NITRO AE-2/23USS
RAINIER AE-5
