- USS Nitro (AE-2)
USS "Nitro" (AE–2) was laid down 19 March 1919 by Puget Sound Navy Yard; launched 16 December 1919; sponsored by Mrs. Henry Suzalo; and commissioned 1 April 1921, Comdr. R. W. Vincent in command.
Carrying explosives and ammunition for the Battle Fleet, "Nitro" averaged three cruises yearly between the east and west coast by way of the
Caribbean andPanama Canal . In addition, she made five voyages from the west coast toPearl Harbor , seven toManila , and one toShanghai , as well as carrying men, ammunition and supplies to Marines inNicaragua in 1928–30. With Norfolk her home port at the beginning ofWorld War II , the veteran ammunition ship carried ammunition to the Caribbean bases and twice toRecife ,Brazil , base for the South Atlantic patrols, until she sailed 20 April 1944 forBelfast ,Northern Ireland , with ammunition for the invasion ofEurope . She operated from Belfast,Plymouth , andRoseneath ,Scotland , supplying battleships with the heavy projectiles they fired with such effect during the Normandy invasion.On 25 July 1944, "Nitro" arrived in
Mers-el-Kebir ,Algeria , for similar duty in the invasion of southernFrance , serving there and atAlgiers andCorsica until 28 September, when she sailed for the Panama Canal and Pearl Harbor. After loading ammunition, she sailed forUlithi arriving 1 December. Here she armed ships engaged in thePhilippines ,Iwo Jima , andOkinawa campaigns through 20 May 1945, when she sailed for local cargo and rearming operations in the Philippines."Nitro" returned to
Puget Sound 15 August, repaired atPortland, Ore. , then sailed for the Panama Canal and Norfolk, arriving 28 October to decommission 30 November. Transferred to the Maritime Commission 30 March 1948, "Nitro" was sold toWelding Shipyards, Inc. ,New York 19 September 1949.Awards and honors
"Nitro" received one
battle star forWorld War II service.External links
* [http://www.usnavylinks.com/AE-2 AE-2 Internet Links]
ee also
* See USS|Nitro for other ships of the same name.
References
*
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