One Hundred Years of U.S. Navy Replenishment at Sea

Navy Admin Message
UNCLASSIFIED

ROUTINE R
161747Z MAY 17
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS
NAVADMIN 121/17
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N4/MAY/

SUBJ/MARKING 100 YEARS OF UNDERWAY REPLENISHMENTS//
RMKS/
1. MAY 2017 MARKS THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF OUR NAVYS MODERN UNDERWAY REPLENISHMENT (UNREP) CAPABILITIES. THIS UNIQUELY AMERICAN OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY ENABLES THE NAVYS COMBAT LOGISTICS FORCE (CLF) TO PROVIDE A CRITICAL LIFELINE TO OUR OPERATING FORCES AT SEA. THROUGH UNDERWAY REPLENISHMENT, THE CLF PROVIDES FUEL, AMMUNITION, FOOD, SPARE PARTS AND OTHER SUPPLIES NECESSARY TO ENABLE OUR CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS (CSGS) AND AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS (ARGS) TO OPERATE WORLDWIDE, WITH LITTLE TO NO RELIANCE ON HOST NATION SUPPORT.

2. THE FIRST OPEN-OCEAN REPLENISHMENT OF A US NAVY WARSHIP WAS CONDUCTED BY CAPTAIN SILAS TALBOT IN DECEMBER 1799 ONBOARD THE USS CONSTITUTION. BY USING SMALL BOATS TO REPLENISH, CONSTITUTION WAS ABLE TO STAY AT SEA FOR OVER 347 DAYS, PROTECTING AMERICAN SHIPPING IN THE CARIBBEAN WHILE AVOIDING ENTANGLEMENTS IN FOREIGN HARBORS. ON 28 MAY 1917, THEN LIEUTENANT CHESTER NIMITZ, EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF USS MAUMEE (AO 2), PIONEERED OUR MODERN METHOD OF UNREP, BY REFUELING SIX DESTROYERS EN ROUTE TO ENGLAND FOR OPERATIONS IN WWI. DURING WWII, FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN UNDERWAY REPLENISHMENT, INCLUDING THE FIRST TRANSFER OF ORDNANCE, ENABLED THE NAVYS CARRIER TASK FORCES TO OPERATE INDEPENDENT OF FORWARD OPERATING BASES FOR MONTHS ON END. FOLLOWING WWII, THE NAVY CONTINUED TO IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF ITS UNREP SYSTEM. THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 390 FUEL AND CARGO DELIVERY STATIONS IN THE NAVY AND AN UNTOLD NUMBER AMONG OUR ALLIES, ALLOWING SHIPS FROM DOZENS OF NATIONS TO OPERATE TOGETHER FOR PROLONGED PERIODS AT SEA.

3. TODAY, THE CIVILIAN MARINERS OF THE MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE NAVYS 29 COMBAT LOGISTICS FORCE REPLENISHMENT SHIPS. THE SKILL AND PROFESSIONALISM OF OUR SAILORS AND CIVILIAN MARINERS IN THE EXECUTION OF SAFE AND EFFICIENT UNREPS EACH YEAR ENABLE THE NAVY TO REMAIN ON STATION AROUND THE WORLD, PROTECTING AMERICA FROM ATTACK AND WHEN REQUIRED, ENABLING DECISIVE COMBAT OPERATIONS. BRAVO ZULU!//