Military Sealift Command (MSC) is an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the United States Navy. Military Sealift Command has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all US military services as well as for other government agencies. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's ocean transport needs. The MSTS was renamed the Military Sealift Command in 1970.
USS Tucson (SSN-770), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Tucson, Arizona. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 10 June 1988 and her keel was laid down on 15 August 1991. She was launched on 20 March 1994 sponsored by Mrs. Diane C. Kent.
USS Deyo (DD-989), a Spruance-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Vice Admiral Morton L. Deyo (1887–1973), a veteran destroyerman and distinguished naval gunfire support task force commander of World War II.
Vice Admiral Morton Lyndholm Deyo was an officer in the United States Navy, who was a naval gunfire support task force commander of World War II.
SS Shughart (T-AKR-295) is the lead ship of her class of cargo ships operated by the United States Navy. She is a 'roll-on roll-off' non-combat vessel designated as a "Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off" (LMSR) ship.
USNS Comet (T-AK-269), later T-LSV-7, later T-AKR-7, later SS Comet, is a vehicle landing ship built for the United States Navy. The lone ship of her class, she is named for the comet, and is the fourth U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
USNS Sea Lift (T-LSV-9) was a roll on/roll off (Ro/Ro) cargo ship built for the United States Navy's Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), currently the Military Sealift Command (MSC). She became the first ship of Ro/Ro-type to deliver cargo to Vietnam during the war in Indochina.
USNS GySgt Fred W. Stockham (T-AK-3017) is a Shughart-class container & roll-on roll-off support vessel in the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC). The vessel is the second Navy ship named after Marine Gunnery Sergeant Fred W. Stockham (1881–1918), who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor during World War I.
USNS Soderman (T-AKR-317) is a Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off Ship (LMSR) and is part of the Military Sealift Command. The USNS Soderman is in the Preposition Program which stations ships across the world with military equipment. The Soderman is Watson-class vehicle cargo ship built by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. The ship was launched on April 26, 2002 and put into service on the 24 of September 2002. The ship was named after Private First Class William A. Soderman, a Medal of Honor Recipient for World War II.
USNS Pollux (T-AK-290), later T-AKR-290, the fourth United States Navy ship of the name, is an Algol-class vehicle cargo ship that is currently maintained by the United States Maritime Administration as part of the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) as SS Pollux (T-AKR-290).
SS Fisher (T-AKR-301) is a Bob Hope-class roll on roll off vehicle cargo ship of the United States Navy. She was built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, New Orleans and delivered to the Navy on 4 August 1998. They assigned her to the United States Department of Defense's Military Sealift Command. Fisher is named for Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher, and is one of 11 Surge LMSRs operated by a private company under contract to the Military Sealift Command. When not operational Fisher was formerly berthed at Baltimore. She is assigned to the MSC Atlantic surge force and is maintained at a 96-hour readiness status, however sits in Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington.
USNS Gordon (T-AKR-296) is a Gordon-class roll on roll off vehicle cargo ship of the United States Navy. She was originally built as a merchant vessel but later acquired and converted by the Navy, and assigned to the United States Department of Defense's Military Sealift Command. Gordon was built in Denmark in 1972 as MV Jutlandia, and entered commercial service on 1 June 1973. After some time spent in commercial service she was lengthened by Hyundai Heavy Industries in 1984, and later went on to be acquired by the US Navy under a long-term charter. She was converted to a US Navy Vehicle Roll-on/Roll-off Ship at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company and on delivery to the Navy was assigned to the Military Sealift Command on 23 August 1996 under the name USNS Gordon, after Medal of Honor recipient Master Sergeant Gary Gordon. Gordon is one of 28 Strategic Sealift Ships operated by the Military Sealift Command. She is assigned to the MSC Atlantic surge force and is maintained at Canton, Baltimore, Maryland in Reduced Operational Status 4, meaning she can be on her way to pick up cargo within 4 days of notification.
USNS Mendonca (T-AKR-303) was a Bob Hope-class roll on roll off vehicle cargo ship of the United States Navy. She was built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, New Orleans and delivered to the Navy on 30 January 2001. They assigned her to the United States Department of Defense's Military Sealift Command. Mendonca is named for Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant Leroy A. Mendonca, and is one of 11 Surge LMSRs operated by a private company under contract to the Military Sealift Command. She was assigned to the MSC Atlantic surge force and is maintained in Ready Operational Status 4. On 26 September 2022, Mendonca left service and was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register.
SS Brittin (T-AKR-305) is a Bob Hope-class roll-on/roll-off vehicle cargo ship of the United States Navy. She was built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, New Orleans and delivered to the Navy on 11 July 2002. They assigned her to the United States Department of Defense's Military Sealift Command. Brittin is named for Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant First Class Nelson V. Brittin, and is one of 11 Surge LMSRs operated by a private company under contract to the Military Sealift Command. She is assigned to the MSC Atlantic surge force and is maintained in Ready Operational Status 4.
USNS Benavidez (T-AKR-306) was a Bob Hope-class roll on roll off vehicle cargo ship of the United States Navy. She was built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, New Orleans and delivered to the Navy on 10 September 2003. They assigned her to the United States Department of Defense's Military Sealift Command. Benavidez is named for Medal of Honor recipient Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez, and is one of 11 Surge LMSRs operated by a private company under contract to the Military Sealift Command. She was assigned to the MSC Atlantic surge force and is maintained in Ready Operational Status 4. On 21 September 2022, Benavidez left service and was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register.
Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off (LMSR) refers to several classes of Military Sealift Command (MSC) roll-on/roll-off type cargo ships. Some are purpose-built for military cargo, while others were converted.
SS Yano (T-AKR-297) was originally constructed as the container ship Leise Maersk in 1980. In 1987, the ship was lengthened and again in the 1990s before it was purchased by the United States Navy. When the transfer was complete, the ship underwent a conversion to a large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ship at NASSCO.
Naval Support Activity Charleston, originally designated Naval Weapons Station Charleston, is a base of the United States Navy located on the west bank of the Cooper River, in the cities of Goose Creek and Hanahan South Carolina. The base encompasses more than 17,000 acres (69 km²) of land with 10,000 acres (40 km²) of forest and wetlands, 16-plus miles of waterfront, four deep-water piers, 38.2 miles (61.5 km) of railroad and 292 miles (470 km) of road. The current workforce numbers more than 11,000 with an additional 3,600 people in on-base family housing.
United States
