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USS Detroit (AOE-4)

Please see bleow for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Detroit (AOE-4)

USS Detroit (AOE-4) was laid down on 29 November 1966 by Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA; 21 June 1969; and commissioned on 28 March 1970.

After her initial shakedown cruise, USS Detroit (AOE-4) departed Bremerton for her first operational home port, Newport, RI, rounding the horn of South America en route. In March 1971,USS Detroit (AOE-4) was involved in a minor collision with a US Navy oiler off the coast of South Carolina. Shortly thereafter, USS Detroit (AOE-4) deployed for six months of extended operations with the 6th Fleet, returning to Newport in December 1971. A shore establishment realignment led to USS Detroit (AOE-4)'s home port shift to Norfolk, VA in January 1974. USS Detroit (AOE-4) sailed from Norfolk 14 July 1974, en route to her third Mediterranean deployment in support of 6th Fleet operations.

On 10 June 1981 USS Detroit (AOE-4) ran aground when she veered from the dredged channel and ran aground in shallow water in Hampton Roads while the ship was entering port. On 20 October 1983, USS Detroit (AOE-4) departed for deployment with the 6th Fleet. While in the Mediterranean, Detroit was the principal combat logistics force ship supporting U.S. and Allied units of the Multi-National Peacekeeping Force, in Beirut, Lebanon. In March 1986, USS Detroit (AOE-4) departed Norfolk for her tenth deployment with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. She supported three carrier operations off the coast of Libya in March and April 1986. 

In August 1990, USS Detroit (AOE-4) deployed to the Mediterranean for the 11th time since commissioning, but was diverted to the Red Sea in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. She remained on station in the Red Sea through the remainder of the year. From July through November 1997, USS Detroit (AOE-4) underwent a four-month phased maintenance availability, which extended the life of her propulsion plant at least another ten years. On 27 August 2000, USS Detroit (AOE-4) was involved in a collision with USS Nicholson (DD-982) approximately 100 miles off the Virginia Capes.

Detroit deployed with the USS Enterprise battle group to the Persian Gulf 2 October 2003 and returned to her homeport 1 March 2004. USS Detroit (AOE-4) was decommissioned on 17 February 2005.