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USNS Rainier Returns from Deployment with Carrier Strike Group

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS041102-08
Release Date: 11/2/2004 11:44:00 AM

From Military Sealift Command Office of Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Fast combat support ship USNS Rainier (T-AOE 7) returned from a five-month deployment to the Western Pacific as a part of the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Carrier Strike Group Nov. 1.

The Stennis strike group participated in three major exercises during this deployment - Exercise Northern Edge, Rim of the Pacific exercise 2004 and a joint air and sea training exercise with the USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) strike group.

During her deployment, Rainier provided more than 49 million gallons of fuel for the strike group. That amount of fuel would fill 100 Olympic-size swimming pools. The ship also transferred more than 10 million pounds of food, ammunition, mail and various dry cargo to re-supply other ships. Rainier's on-board Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 11, Det. 2 performed vertical replenishments to lift cargo to the other ships in the strike group.

"This deployment taught us a great deal. Every day, we learned how to better operate a multiproduct ship in a strike group environment," said Capt. William Baldwin, the master of Rainier. "We have matured from a concept of operation to a smooth running operation."

Operation of the Supply-class ships by the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) saves the strike groups time since they can receive all of the fuel, cargo and ammunition needed from one ship. Fewer ships in operation for one mission reduce the cost to taxpayers, as well. In the past, two ships - an oiler and either a combat stores ship or an ammunition ship - were needed to fulfill the same mission as a single Supply-class ship.

With a top speed of 29 knots, Rainier has no difficulty keeping pace with the other ships. The 754-foot ship is crewed by 160 civil service mariners, a 28-member active-duty Navy support department and a 32-member Navy helicopter detachment.

The ship was transferred to MSC in August 2003. She was decommissioned as a combatant ship, and civil service mariners replaced her active-duty Navy crew.

Following a brief voyage repair period, Rainier will again deploy, but with a different carrier strike group. She will sail with USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in early November.

MSC operates more than 110 noncombatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish Navy ships at sea, chart ocean bottoms, conduct undersea surveillance, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world, and move 95 percent of military equipment and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces.