>From the "Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships," 

(1970) Vol. 5, p.214.





PARICUTIN





	A volcano in West Central Mexico which grew in a 

cornfield at Michoacan 20 February 1943.





AE-18

Displacement:  15,295 t.

Length:  459’2”

Beam:  63’

Draft:  28’3”

Speed:  16.4 k.

Complement:  267

Armament:  1 5”; 4 3”; 4 40mm

Class:  MOUNT HOOD

Maritime Commission Standard Type:  C2-S-AJ1





	PARICUTIN (AE-18) was laid down under Maritime 

Commission Contract, 7 December 1944 by North Carolina SB 

Co., Wilmington, N.C. as MC hull 1708; launched 30 January 

1945, sponsored by Senora Arias De Garcia Jurado, Mexican 

Embassy, Wash., D.C.; acquired and commissioned 3 March 

1945.



	After shakedown, she joined the Pacific Fleet and was 

engaged in the transfer of excess ammunition from the 

forward areas in the Pacific to Bangor, Wash., and Port 

Chicago, Calif., until 20 November 1947 when she was ordered 

to Mare Island Naval Shipyard for inactivation.  On 30 April 

1948, PARICUTIN was placed out of commission in reserve and 

berthed with the San Francisco Group of the Pacific Reserve 

Fleet.



	Reactivated 24 June 1950, due to the Korean War, 

PARICUTIN recommissioned 28 July 1950 and was assigned to 

Service Squadron 1.  She sailed for the Far East 8 October 

and arrived Japan 24 October.  Operating out of Sasebo, she 

rearmed the carrier task forces off both coasts of Korea, 

surface bombardment and blockading forces, and shore based 

Marine air groups.  PARICUTIN spent 18 months servicing 

combat units before returning to the States in March 1952.  

On 31 July, she sailed again for operations off Korea, this 

time spending nearly seven months on the line rearming 

warships.  She returned to San Francisco 19 March 1953 and 

was stateside when the Korean Truce was announced in July.



	August 1953 saw the beginning of a series of peacetime 

annual WestPac deployments for PARICUTIN, as she sailed from 

San Francisco, bound for Sasebo, Japan, on the 7th.  These 

normally consisted of six or seven months of operations and 

training with 7th Fleet units with port calls at Hong Kong, 

Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, Guam and other 

Pacific islands.  PARICUTIN continued these deployments into 

the mid-1960's when she was directed to support American 

operations in Vietnam.  She has since supplied 7th Fleet 

units with ammunition on a rotational basis with her sister 

ships during WestPac deployments, while fulfilling her 

commitments at home, in coastal operations, assigned by 

Pacific Service Force Commands.



	Into 1970, PARICUTIN continues a vital service to the 

U.S. Navy.



	[Stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 June 

1973, PARICUTIN was disposed of by Maritime Administration 

sale on 16 October 1975.  Since then, she has remained with 

MarAd as part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet.]



Internet Web Site:

	Naval Vessel Register

		www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/AE18.htm





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com