USS BUTTE
- Name: USS BUTTE
- Ship Class: Destroyer Tender
- Ship Number: AE-27
- Date Commissioned: 1967-08-07 00:00:00 UTC
- Status:
Ship History:
USS BUTTE’s primary mission is to “Keep the Guns Loaded.” She delivers at sea the bombs, missiles and other ordnance required by naval combatants.To carry out her mission, BUTTE has seven Underway Replenishment stations and a fully equipped flight deck for two CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters. These helicopters provide significant increase in the speed with which cargo can be transferred to and from BUTTE. For conventional transfer operations, BUTTE’s “UNREP” stations contain modern at sea equipment which maintain constant tension on a wire line between her and a ship alongside – despite movement between the two ships. This system is called Standard Tensioned Replenishment Alongside Method (STREAM). During UNREPS, STREAM rigs will be utilized to transfer simultaneously all types of ammunition with up to two ships alongside.
With a full displacement of 19,000 tons, BUTTE has the size, speed and capability to safely re-arm four ships at once, thus providing a required contribution to the logistic support of the Fleet. Self-defense for BUTTE is provided by two twin 3"/50 Dual Purpose Gun Mounts and two 20mm Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) Chaff Launchers.
The Air Detachment deployed on USS BUTTE consists of two vertical replenishment CH-46 helicopters with six officers and 25 enlisted personnel to fly and maintain the aircraft. The CH-46 is designed to carry up to 25 passengers or 4000 lbs of mail and cargo. Cargo can also be transported externally using UNREP techniques to help supply the Fleet. Additionally, the CH-46 can be used as a Search and Rescue platform. The Air Detachment “Keeps the Guns Loaded.”
USS BUTTE was christened and launched August 7, 1967 in Quincy, Massachusetts and commissioned December 14, 1968 in the Boston Naval Shipyard. She was fitted out in Boston and was moved to her homeport of Norfolk, Virginia in December 1969. In July 1978, her homeport was temporarily shifted to Brooklyn, New York where she underwent a major overhaul. In June 1979, her homeport then became Naval Weapons Station Earle, Leonardo, New Jersey. BUTTE underwent another major overhaul in Mobile, Alabama from August 1985 to May 1986 and a short Phased Maintenance refitting yard period from April 1988 to September 1988.Over the next eight months, USS BUTTE was very busy preparing for upcoming assignments, including a deployment to the Mediterranean in May 1989. She passed every inspection with flying colors and got underway on 31 May 1989 for a five and one-half month deployment.
USS BUTTE has serviced more than 900 ships and has made thirteen major deployments along with several short cruises for “shakedown and training.” The first was in the Western Pacific from December 1972 to July 1973 where she operated in the Tonkin Gulf and was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal with one battle star. Twelve of BUTTE’s deployments were to the SIXTH Fleet in the Mediterranean. During the 1970 Jordan crises, the ship was awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation for her peacekeeping role in that operation. BUTTE was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal for a 1981 Indian Ocean deployment which also took her to the Mediterranean. A 1983 deployment took BUTTE to the shores of Beirut, Lebanon where she was awarded a second Navy Expeditionary Medal for her support of U.S. Embassies overseas, including those in Beirut, Lebanon and Tunis, Tunisia. During a 1984-85 Mediterranean deployment, she was rated as best ship in Service Squadron Two and, in May 1985, was awarded the Battle Efficiency “E” in Engineering, Damage Control, Command Control and Communications, Navigation/Deck Seamanship and Fleet Support. USS BUTTE was a big part of “OPERATION GOLDENROD” during a 1987 Mediterranean deployment when she helped with the arrest of two Lebanese terrorists in international waters off the coast of Lebanon. For the period 1 October 1987 to 30 March 1988, BUTTE was again awarded the Battle “E” Efficiency Award, demonstrating outstanding performance in Deck Seamanship, Communications, and Navigation.
USS BUTTE (AE 27)LENGTH 564 feet DISPLACEMENT 19,000 tons
DRAFT 28 feet HORSEPOWER 22,000 shaft
BEAM 81 feet SPEED 22 knots
Battle History:
Ship Comments:
Left by: WILLIAM HERRING
Comment: i served on butte i was sailor of month april71 nice ship made med cruise 70
Left by: WILLIAM HERRING
Comment: i served on butte i was sailor of month april71 nice ship made med cruise 70 any one that served on butte i would love to hear from especily guys in during my time on ship my e-mail www.wildbil410@aol.com my address is 465 shore rd 4-0 long beach ny 11561 hope to hear from guys soon i have lots of fond memorys on butte
Left by: WILLIAM HERRING
Comment: arrived on butte in 12/69-8/71 ship was almost brand new. made med cruise 70 capt.gregory was capt. very nice man I was separated same day change in command capt.gregory was airdale started as enlisted man during ww11 left to be commending officer airbase in penscola fla.probably promoted to rear admiral lots of nice memories of ship seems like yesterday i was on ship i would love to talk with shipmates. time really does fly GOD BLESS TO ALL BILLY HERRING
Left by: Patrick Benadum - BTFN (Boiler Technician/Fireman)
Comment: Served on USS Butte AE-27 from 1987 to 1990. First in STREAM Division, then M-Division, then mostly in B-Division. Mess Cranked twice, too. Earned the BATTLE "E" and Sea Service Ribbon during 1987 Meditaranean Sea cruise for 5 and a half months. What a "Blast" for a single 20 year old young man. Visited several countries on this cruise, these I can remember: Turkey, Israel, Greece, France, and Spain. Went to Guatanamo, Cuba for 1 month before this Meditaranean Sea cruise. This was way before U.S.A. had ever even considered holding Terorist Prisoners in Cuba. I had a great time on the USS Butte and wish that I could do it all over again! I remember those SPADE TOURNAMENTS in our Engineering Berthing (sleeping and living quarters).
Left by: Patrick Benadum
Comment: Correction... I recived the Battle "E" and Sea Service Ribbon during the 1989 Mediteranean Sea cruise, not '87. Anyone wishing to contact me: PatrickBenadum@yahoo.com I thought it was sad watching the video of my old ship being blown up on purpose. I put allot of man hours, blood and sweat cleaning and repairing this old ship to see it just destroyed. I even went inside the boilers cleaning the inside of the boliers and also had to clean the bilges on the Bottom of the ship. Here is that live video of the USS BUTTE AE- 27 actually being blown up and then sinking: (at 2347 hours with the sin shining, so I am guessing this must be on the equator because I think the sun can shine at midnight at the equator). http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=7735185
Left by: Bill Gambardella
Comment: I served on the USS Butte from 1975 thru 1979. I was a BM2 and made 2 Med cruises, 1 in 1976-77 and another in 1977-78. I am looking for one of my ship mates, BM3 Bill Mcclure from Akron Ohio, anybody know where he is?
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