USS Mount Baker (AE‑4), originally named USS Kilauea (AE-4), was acquired by the Navy 14 November 1940 while building by Tampa Shipbuilding Co., Tampa, Fla., as SS Surprise; delivered to Alabama Drydock & Shipbuilding Co., for conversion to Type C2; and commissioned 16 May 1941. Service history 1941-1947 (World War II and aftermath) Kilauea’s dangerous, difficult, and vital service during World War II was to carry ammunition to ships and bases and to issue it to the users. She began operating 17 June 1941 out of Norfolk, serving combatants on the east coast, in the Caribbean, and building up the base at NS Argentia, Newfoundland. Aside from necessary overhaul, and a period as station ammunition ship in the Norfolk area October 1942‑January 1943, she continued American theater duty into 1943. Kilauea was renamed Mount Baker 17 March 1943 to avoid confusion with a similarly named ship. On 8 June, she sailed with ammunition for the Mediterranean, and until 6 November supplied ships in Oran, Algiers, Arzeu, Bizerte, and Palermo. Returning to Norfolk for local duty, Mount Baker then sailed 29 April 1944 to arm ships in the British Isles ports from which the Normandy invasion was to be staged. Returning to Norfolk 23 June, Mount Baker prepared for another mission to the Mediterranean, and upon its completion 30 September sailed directly for the Panama Canal and Ulithi, where she served as station ammunition ship from December 1944 to June 1945. During this time she conducted experiments in at‑sea replenishment with a battleship, a cruiser, and a destroyer. Mount Baker departed Ulithi 3 June for overhaul at San Francisco, still in progress at the close of the year. She sailed in time to bring Christmas mail to occupation forces in the Philippines, then began the long task of bringing back to the United States unused ammunition that had been stockpiled at the various Pacific bases in anticipation of the planned invasion of Japan. She decommissioned in January 1947 and was placed in reserve at San Diego, Calif. 1951-1954 (Korean War) With the rapid expansion of the fleet required by the Korean War, Mount Baker recommissioned 5 December 1951. She sailed 18 February 1952 to supply ammunition to U.S. and other U.N. forces fighting the North Korean Communists, serving in the war zone from 9 March to 8 November, and then returning to San Diego. During this cruise, she collided with one