USS Nitro (AE-2)
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USS Nitro (AE-2)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
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| Laid down: | 19 March 1919 |
| Launched: | 16 December 1919 |
| Commissioned: | 1 April 1921 |
| Decommissioned: | 30 November 1945 |
| Honors and awards: |
1 Battle Star |
| Fate: | scrapped |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 482 ft 9 in (147 m) |
| Beam: | 60 ft 11 in (18.6 m) |
| Draft: | 20 ft 11 in (6.4 m) |
| Armament: |
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USS Nitro (AE–2) was laid down 19 March 1919 by Puget Sound Navy Yard; launched 16 December 1919; sponsored by Mrs. Henry Suzalo; and commissioned 1 April 1921, Comdr. R. W. Vincent in command.
Carrying explosives and ammunition for the Battle Fleet, Nitro averaged three cruises yearly between the east and west coast by way of the Caribbean and Panama Canal. In addition, she made five voyages from the west coast to Pearl Harbor, seven to Manila, and one to Shanghai, as well as carrying men, ammunition and supplies to Marines in Nicaragua in 1928–30. John S. McCain Sr. became her commanding officer in June 1931, joining the ship in Hingham Bay on June 9. The ship was specially built to refrigerate and carry explosives and ammunition. Additionally, Nitro was "configured to accommodate 10 officer and 250 enlisted passengers". When Slew McCain's son "Jack" eloped with Roberta McCain (parents of Senator John McCain) in 1933 in Tijuana, Captain McCain was able to attend given Nitro was docked in San Diego at the time. The Captain ended his command after a year and a half.
With Norfolk her home port at the beginning of World War II, the veteran ammunition ship carried ammunition to the Caribbean bases and twice to Recife, Brazil, base for the South Atlantic patrols, until she sailed 20 April 1944 for Belfast, Northern Ireland, with ammunition for the invasion of Europe. She operated from Belfast, Plymouth, and Roseneath, Scotland, supplying battleships with the heavy projectiles they fired with such effect during the Normandy invasion.
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