USNS Rainier ( T - AOE - 7 ) The third US Navy vessel named after Mount Rainier , USNS " Rainier " is the second ship in the " Supply " class of fast combat support ship s . On September 28 , 1991 , the ship ' s sponsor - Mrs . Suzanne Callison Dicks , a most gracious lady and wife of The Honorable Norm Dicks - christened ' AOE - 7 ' as " Rainier " . " Rainier " was commissioned on January 21 , 1995 at Bremerton , Washington - Captain Thomas P . Danaher , USN , commanding . " Rainier " has the speed to keep up with the carrier strike groups . She rapidly replenishes Navy task forces . She receives petroleum products , ammunition and stores from shuttle ships and redistributes these items simultaneously to carrier strike group ships . This reduces the vulnerability of serviced ships by reducing alongside time . In April 2013 , it was announced that the Military Sealift Command will take " Rainier " and her sister USNS " Bridge " out of service in 2014 as a cost - saving measure . Coat of Arms . Shield . Dark blue and gold are the colors traditionally associated with the Navy . Gold is indicative of honor , excellence , and achievement . The dark blue of the shield stands for loyalty and reflects the sea , the theater of naval operations . White suggests integrity and purity of ideals . Black implies solidity . The chevron , a symbol of strength and support , alludes to the prow of the ship and the peak of Mt . Rainier , the ship ' s namesake . The black pellets characterize fuel and ammunition pointing to the ship ' s mission . The pellets are charged with twelve battle stars earned for World War II service in Korea and Vietnam . The three anchors , symbolic of maritime tradition , simulate the past and present ships . Crest . Red symbolizes combat , valor , and zeal . The colors red , yellow and green are the colors associated with Vietnam . The Torii gate recalls service in Korea . The bamboo annulet signifies continuous replenishment operations conducted off Vietnam . The crossed palm fronds represent the ship ' s extensive service in the South Pacific and portray strength , support , honor , and achievement . Motto . A scroll azure doubled and inscribed " LEGEND OF SERVICE " in gold . Construction . Contract design was completed in February 1986 and steel fabrication work for " Rainier " began on August 16 , 1986 at National Steel and Shipbuilding ( NASSCO ) in San Diego , California . The official keel laying was conducted on May 31 , 1990 . NASSCO built the " Rainier " utilizing an efficient modular construction technique - separate sections of the ship were built with piping sections , ventilation ducting and shipboard hardware , as well as major machinery items such as main propulsion equipment , generators and electrical panels installed . These pre - outfitted sections were then brought together to form a complete hull . As a result of this construction technique " Rainier " was nearly 50 percent complete when launched on September 28 , 1991 . The next three years were spent completing the electrical wiring , plumbing systems , ventilation systems , and equipment and hardware installation . As built , USS Rainier included the following ( Self Defense ) Weapon Systems : As built , USS Rainier ' s hull arrangements provided berthing , living , messing , recreation and office spaces for 40 Officers , 36 Chief Petty Officer ' s and 591 enlisted personnel . Additional features included leisure and community facilities , medical and dental spaces , barber shop , ship ' s store , snack bar , laundry and dry cleaning facilities , work shops , laboratories and test areas . Operational History . During the month of May , 1996 , " Rainier " conducted several ammunition onloads , fueling at sea ( FAS ) and CONSOL ' s before arriving in the Hawaiian Operating Area . Throughout June 1996 , " Rainier " participated in Rim of the Pacific ( RIMPAC - 96 ) exercise where numerous FAS , Vertical Replenishments ( VERTREP ) and CONSOL ' s were conducted with US , Australian , Canadian and Japanese ships . During the first half of August , " Rainier " participated in a Joint Task Force Exercise ( JTFX - 96 ) - operating in the Southern California Operating Area ( SOCAL OPAREA ) . During the last half of August and well into September , " Rainier " was inport at Puget Sound Naval Station for upkeep . Maiden Deployment . " Rainier " ' s maiden deployment began when she departed Indian Island , Washington on October 11 , 1996 , en route to Hong Kong via the SOCAL OPAREA . For the month of November , " Rainier " anchored in Hong Kong , providing hotel services to USS Santa Fe ( SSN 763 ) and participated in a relief project : " Helping Hands Home for the Elderly . " " Rainier " anchored in Singapore , participating in a relief project : " Christian School for the Mentally Handicapped . " Towards the end of November , fuel was onloaded in Fujairah , United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) . " Rainier " conducted several FAS ' s with US , United Kingdom and New Zealand ships before a brief inport period at Muscat , Oman - where " Rainier " provided hotel services for USS Stump ( DD - 978 ) . The month of December found " Rainier " transiting the Strait of Hormuz ; anchoring at Bahrain ; conducting FAS and CONSOL ' s ; loading fuel at Jebel Ali , UAE ; transiting the Strait of Hormuz ; conducting FAS ' s ; and on Christmas , loading fuel in Fujairah ; re - transiting the Strait of Hormuz to conduct FAS ' s ; and , anchoring on New Year ' s Eve with the SAG . During the month of January 1996 , " Rainier " fell into a routine of loading fuel in Jebel Ali , conducting numerous FAS , Replenishment at Sea ( RAS ) , VERTREP , and CONSOL ' s . The month eded with " Rainier " anchoring in Bahrain . February , " Rainier " transited through the Strait of Hormuz twice to onload fuel and conduct RAS and VERTREPs . During this period , " Rainier " anchored in Bahrain , was inport Jebel Ali and retransited the Strait of Hormuz for the last time during this deployment . March , " Rainier " was inport briefly in Diego Garcia before spending a week in Melbourne , Australia . Several RAS ' s were conducted en route to Pearl Harbor , Hawaii . The beginning of April consisted of embarking " Tigers " and conducting ammunition downloads to USS Flint ( AE - 32 ) and USS Shasta ( AE - 33 ) . " Rainier " returned to Bremerton , Washington on April 11 , 1997 to complete WESTPAC 96 - 97 . After a month of reduced operations to let the crew recover , the training cycle to prepare for the November 1998 deployment . This training cycle included the Rim of the Pacific ( RIMPAC - 98 ) exercise conducted with over thirteen countries . Second Deployment . " Rainier " ' s second deployment began in November 1998 . After 28 consecutive days underway , " Rainier " pulled into its first liberty port - Singapore . " Rainier " sailors participated in a community relations project , " Project Handclasp " , at Singapore ' s Gracehaven Children ' s Home . " Rainier " ' s second port of call was anchoring off the beach of the resort city of Patong , Thailand . After transiting the Strait of Hormuz , " Rainier " arrived in Jebel Ali to onload fuel . " Rainier " was informed that it won its third Battle Efficiency Award . A majority of " Rainier " ' s operational time was conducting FAS , RAS , VERTREP and CONSOL ' s while in the Persian Gulf . After departing the Persian Gulf , " Rainier " made port calls to Bali and Darwin , Australia . " Rainier " ' s last port of call was Pearl Harbor before returning to Bremerton , Washington in July , 2003 . Fate . After service in the United States Navy from 1995 through 2003 as USS " Rainier " ( AOE - 7 ) , her weapons systems were removed and she was transferred on August 29 , 2003 to the Military Sealift Command , which designated her USNS " Rainier " ( T - AOE - 7 ) . During Operation Unified Assistance , the international relief effort following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami , the " Rainier " provided underway replenishment support to 32 American , British , and Australian warships involved in this operation . Like other fast combat support ships , she is part of MSC ' s Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force . USNS " Rainier " ' s cargo capacities : USNS " Rainier ' s " refueling rigs can pump fuel at a rate of 3 , 000 US gallons per minute ( 200 L / s ) .