USS Paricutin
USS Paricutin (AE-18) was a Wrangler-class ammunition ship named after Parícutin, a volcano. It was built by North Carolina Shipbuilding Company in Wilmington, North Carolina. Laid down December 7, 1944; launched January 30, 1945; commissioned March 3, 1945.
After shakedown, Paricutin served with the Pacific Fleet, transferring excess ammunition from forward areas in the Pacific to Bangor, Washington, and Port Chicago, California, until November 20, 1947. It was placed out of commission in reserve on April 30, 1948.
Reactivated for the Korean War, Paricutin recommissioned July 28, 1950, and joined Service Squadron 1. It sailed for the Far East on October 8, arriving in Japan October 24. Based at Sasebo, it rearmed carrier groups off both coasts of Korea, supported surface bombardment and blockades, and backed shore-based Marine air units. After 18 months on the frontline, it returned to the United States in March 1952. A later Korea deployment began July 31, 1952, with nearly seven months on the line rearming warships. It returned to San Francisco March 19, 1953.
Starting August 1953, Paricutin began peacetime WestPac deployments, typically six to seven months of operations with Seventh Fleet units, visiting Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, Guam, and other Pacific sites. It continued these deployments into the mid-1960s, then supported U.S. operations in Vietnam, supplying ammunition to Seventh Fleet ships during Western Pacific rotations while also handling home-front tasks assigned by ServPac.
Through 1970, Paricutin continued its vital Navy service. It was struck from the Navy List June 1, 1973, and transferred to MARAD for disposal. It was sold for scrapping October 16, 1975.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 14:59 (CET).