----------------------------------------------------------------
           The Navy Public Affairs Library (NAVPALIB)
   A service of the Navy Office of Information, Washington DC
     Send feedback/questions to navpalib@opnav-emh.navy.mil
----------------------------------------------------------------
The following was released by the Office of the Assistant to the
Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs):
                                           No. 101-94
                                           (703)697-5342(media)
                                           (703)697-3189(copies)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE      February 24, 1994   (703)697-
                                           5737(public/industry)

       NAVY TO COMMISSION FAST COMBAT SUPPORT SHIP SUPPLY
                            (AOE 6)

     The U.S. Navy will commission the fast combat support ship
Supply (AOE 6), the first of a new class of ships, in a ceremony
to be held at Naval Air Station, North Island, San Diego,
California, on Saturday, February 26, 1994 commencing at 11:00
a.m.

     Representative Duncan Hunter will be the ceremony's
principal speaker.  Carol Walker, wife of Rear Admiral Edward K.
Walker, U.S. Navy (Ret.), former Commander, Naval Supply Systems
Command, is the ship's sponsor.

     This ship is named in honor of three previous U.S. Navy
fleet support units, all of which saw distinguished service in
support of the fleet, and in honor of the men and women of the
Supply Corps.

      Supply is the lead ship of four authorized for construction
in the Navy's new fast combat support class of ships.  Supply is
a large replenishment ship designed to operate in support of a
joint task group, providing petroleum products, munitions, and
other supplies to aircraft carriers and surface combatants.
These ships are intended to replace the aging ammunition ships
(AE) of the Nitro and Suribachi classes, and subsequently, the
combat store ships (AFS) of the Mars and Lyness classes.

     Supply, built by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company,
San Diego, California, is 754 feet in length, has a waterline
beam of 107 feet and displaces approximately 48,800 tons fully
loaded.  The ship will have a crew of 35 officers and 625
enlisted men.  Captain John J. Bepko, III, a native of Milford,
Connecticut, will be the ship's commanding officer.
                               -USN-