U.S.S. Mauna Loa AE8

[Charles68]

My dad served on the Mauna Loa from the Launch, until the end of WW2.

He is gone now, but our liberty remains.

 

 

New Hebrides

The Gilbert Islands

The Marshall Islands

Eniwetok

The Marianas

Palau

The Caroline Islands

Ulithi

Espiritu Santo

 

 

USS MAUNA LOA

(AE-8)

 

All Ahead Bendix

 

USS MAUNA LOA (AE-8) - a Lassen-class ammunition ship

In Commission 1943 to 1971

AE-8 Deployments - Major Events

 

Month Year to Month Year Deployment / Event

DEC 1942 Keel Date: 10 DEC 1942

APR 1943 Launch Date: 14 APR 1943

OCT 1943 Commissioned: 27 OCT 1943

JAN 1965 - JAN 1966 Earned Battle E with Hash Mark

JUL 1966 - JAN 1967 Mediterranean

OCT 1967 - MAY 1968 West Pac-Viet Nam

FEB 1970 - SEP 1970 Mediterranean

FEB 1971 Decommissioned: 26 FEB 1971

AE-8 General Specifications

 

 

 

Named for: Mauna Loa

 

Complement: 280 Officers and Enlisted

 

Length: 459 feet

 

Beam: 63 feet

Draft: 25 feet 11 in

 

 

Western Caroline Islands operation

Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands, 6 September to 14 October 1944

 

Okinawa Gunto operation

5th and 3d Fleet operations in support of Okinawa Gunto operation, 16 March to 11 June 1945

 

 

3 Fleet operations against Japan, 10 July to 3 August 1945

 

USS MAUNA LOA (AE-8) Mauna Loa received three battle stars for World War II service.

 

 

The second Mauna Loa (AE‑8) was laid down by Tampa Shipbuilding Co., Tampa, Fla., 10 December 1942; launched 14 April 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Robert E. Friend; and commissioned 27 October 1943, Comdr. George D. Martin in command.

 

After shakedown in the Chesapeake Bay, Mauna Loa loaded on 5,600 tons of ammunition at Norfolk and departed Hampton Roads, Va., 19 December with a stopover at San Francisco for 2 days, arriving Pearl Harbor 17 January 1944. Assigned to the service force, on 1 February she continued on to the Marshalls escorted by Manlove (DE‑36), reaching Majuro 7 days later to begin rearming the fleet.

 

On 9 February a near disaster occurred while Mauna Loa was supplying Pennsylvania (BB‑38) with gunpowder. With the men on Mauna Loa moving the powder containers over faster than they could be removed to the magazines of the battleship, the cans gradually piled up to more than a hundred on Pennsylvania's forward deck. At 1635 a flash of flame leaped out across her deck, accompanied. by a dull boom-one of the cans had exploded,

 

Grains of burning powder were hurled about, many of them steaking down Mauna Loa's open hold. Without a moment's hesitation, Boatswain F. B. Wilson seized a hose and turned it on the burning can. This stream of water checked the fire until Pennsylvania's men could get the can over the side before it ignited the others. Two of Pennsylvania's men suffered broken legs and the man handling the powder can was blinded. Courageous performance of their duties under such hazardous conditions had become mere routine to the officers and men of the ammunition ship.

 

On 2 March Mauna Loa sailed for the west coast, via Pearl Harbor, arriving San Francisco the 21st to replenish her cargo of ammunition. She got underway 10 April again for the South Pacific, her destination being the New Hebrides. She reached Espiritu Santo 28 April for a month of operations, then proceeded to Eniwetok, Marshalls, where from 13 June to 23 July she supported the Marianas operation.

 

After a return trip to San Francisco, on 8 September Mauna Loa entered the Kossol Passage, Palaus, in company with Shasta (AE‑6) and McCoy Reynolds (DE-440). She then began a 24‑hour‑a‑day rearming of the 3d Fleet, while swept mines exploded all around the anchorage. After an unidentified plane strafed her during the night of 19 September while Portland (CA‑33) was alongside, night operations were halted.

 

By November she was en route to the Carolines, arriving Ulithi the 30th. Mauna Loa remained there until the beginning of the Okinawa campaign. On 13 March 1945 she departed Ulithi with TG 50.8 for 5 successful months on the line, as it came to be termed, replenishing some 99 ships underway. The Japanese capitulation 14 August found her at San Pedro, Philippines.

[hink441]

Great info and story on an often overlooked part (Aux Ships) of the Navy. Thanks for posting.

 

Chris

[vette]

Great info and story on an often overlooked part (Aux Ships) of the Navy. Thanks for posting.

 

Chris

Charles, I have a best friend and hunting buddy that had served on the Mauna Loa. He is 87 and still up and running. Get back to me. He has another story to tell about a Japanese plane. His name is Ward Wike in Ohio. Bill

[ohyeahfriday]

He is gone now, but our liberty remains.

 

Well, for the most part anyway...

 

I know this is an old post, but my grandfather served on this ship and I have been reading around trying to learn more about it. I am sure that he and my grandmother attended reunions in the past but he never really talked too much about what he did or where he went. He has recently talked about some of the incidents which are documented in that account in detail. Next month I will be going to upstate NY for vacation and am planning on visiting the Sampson Navy Memorial Museum.

[powsmias]

Charles, I have a best friend and hunting buddy that had served on the Mauna Loa. He is 87 and still up and running. Get back to me. He has another story to tell about a Japanese plane. His name is Ward Wike in Ohio. Bill

 

 

hey vette. seen your post. if your friend is still with us i'd like some info if he recollects. my dad was a gunners mate on the boat. william culhane from the bronx. any stories would be appreciated.

thanx

eddie

[Charles68]

Charles, I have a best friend and hunting buddy that had served on the Mauna Loa. He is 87 and still up anRay Wad running. Get back to me. He has another story to tell about a Japanese plane. His name is Ward Wike in Ohio. Bill

 

Hi Bill, I am still waiting patiently 6 years later, for you to post your various stories and information.

 

[Steve watts]

Charles68 ... My grandfather served on AE8 Mauna Loa 1943-1946.  He passed in 1961 and there are basically no known family stories from his USN days.  I have a few artifacts from his time on the ship but I'd like to connect with other decendants of AE8 shippies.  Let me know if you'd like to linkup off line.

 

Also considering starting an AE8 facebook group to help connect people related to AE8 service.  Maybe more photos and battle stories will surface if we can connect the right people.