The USS Sacramento (AOE-1) was the lead ship of her class of fast combat support ships, the quickest of these vessels ever. She was laid down in 1961, launched in 1963, and commissioned in 1964. The ship incorporated the functions of three logistics ships: fleet oiler (AO), ammunition ship (AE), and refrigerated stores ship (AFS). The support ship was known as the "floating supermarket" during her deployment in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War, and her service was rewarded with the Vietnam Service Medal with 13 campaign stars. 1977, she received the STREAM underway replenishment system instead of the original FAST cargo handling system. The vessel supported operations in the First Gulf War, including Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The ship's MK-23 TAS system was installed in 1995 to facilitate NSSMS and locate and track air threats. In 1996, the combat support ship underwent another major system upgrade and became the first AOE to qualify for an electromagnetic interference certificate. The USS Sacramento was decommissioned and stricken from the Register in 2004 and was scrapped a year later. Asbestos was heavily used in building, repairs, and decommissioning of ships. As a consequence, many Navy veterans are now dealing with severe diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, or mesothelioma.
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