USNS Maj. Stephen W. Pless | |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | Maj. Stephen W. Pless |
Namesake | Stephen W. Pless |
Owner |
|
Builder | Sun Shipbuilding |
Launched | 24 October 1982 |
Completed | 1983 |
Acquired | 1983 |
Renamed | Charles Carroll (1983–1985) |
Reclassified | from AK-3007 |
Stricken | 21 March 2023 |
Identification |
|
Status | Stricken |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Sgt. Matej Kocak-class cargo ship |
Displacement |
|
Length | 821 ft 0 in (250.24 m) |
Beam | 105 ft 6 in (32.16 m) |
Draft | 33 ft 10 in (10.31 m) |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
Capacity | |
Complement | 34 mariners and 10 technicians |
Aviation facilities | Helipad |
USNS Maj. Stephen W. Pless (T-AK-3007), (former SS Maj.Stephen W. Pless (AK-3007)), is the third ship of the Sgt. Matej Kocak-class cargo ship built in 1983. [1] The ship is named after Major Stephen W. Pless, an American Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. [2] [3]
The ship was built in 1983 at the Sun Shipbuilding, Chester, Pennsylvania. She was put into the service of Waterman Steamship Corp. as Charles Carroll. [4]
In 1985, she was acquired and chartered by the Navy under a long-term contract as SS Maj.Stephen W. Pless (AK-3007). The ship underwent conversion at the National Steel and Shipbuilding, San Diego. [4]
On 13 December 1990, she unloaded cargos during Operation Desert Shield. [5]
Maj. Stephen W. Pless was put into the Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron 3, based in the Indian Ocean. She was later transferred to the Military Sealift Command Surge Sealift as USNS Maj. Stephen W. Pless (T-AK-3007). A mariner fell from the ship which caused a US Navy search party to be sent on 11 February 2014. [6] On 20 February 2016, Maj. Stephen W. Pless anchored off the Gulf of Thailand during Exercise Cobra Gold 2016. [7] [8]
Crowley Government Services Inc. was awarded $14,513,105 to maintain USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat (T-AK-3016), USNS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK-3005), USNS PFC Eugene A. Obregon (T-AK-3006) and Maj. Stephen W. Pless on 29 September 2020. [9]
On 21 March 2023, Maj. Stephen W. Pless was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register. [1]
Strategic sealift ships are part of the United States Military Sealift Command's (MSC) prepositioning program. There are currently 17 ships in the program, strategically positioned around the world to support the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Defense Logistics Agency. Most are named after Medal of Honor recipients from the service they support. The ships are assigned to two Military Prepositioning Ship (MPS) squadrons located in the Indian Ocean at Diego Garcia and in the Western Pacific Ocean at Guam and Saipan.
The 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.
Stephen Wesley Pless was a major in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. He earned the Medal of Honor as a UH-1 Iroquois "Huey" helicopter pilot for rescuing soldiers trapped by heavy enemy fire.
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 Sgt. Archer T. Gammon (T-AK-243) was a Boulder Victory-class cargo ship built at the end of World War II and served the war and its demilitarization as a commercial cargo vessel. From 1946 to 1950 she served the U.S. Army as a transport named USAT Sgt. Archer T. Gammon. In 1950 she was acquired by the United States Navy and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service. In 1973 she ended her career and was struck and scrapped.
SS Algol is an Algol-class vehicle cargo ship that is currently maintained by the United States Maritime Administration as part of the Military Sealift Command's Ready Reserve Force. She was built as a high speed container ship by Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij N.V. in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, hull no. 331, for Sea-Land Service, Inc. and named SS Sea-Land Exchange, USCG ON 546383, IMO 7303205. Due to her high operating cost, Sea-Land Exchange was sold to the United States Navy in October 1981 as USNS Algol (T-AK-287).
SS Bellatrix is an Algol-class vehicle cargo ship that is currently maintained by the United States Maritime Administration as part of the Military Sealift Command's Ready Reserve Force (RRF). She was built as a high-speed container ship by Rheinstahl Nordseewerke, Emden, West Germany, hull no. 430, for Sea-Land Service, Inc. and named SS Sea-Land Trade, USCG ON 545201, IMO 7236153. Due to her high operating cost, Sea-Land Trade was sold to the United States Navy in October 1981 as USNS Bellatrix (T-AK-288).
SS Denebola is an Algol-class vehicle cargo ship that is currently maintained by the United States Maritime Administration as part of the Military Sealift Command's Ready Reserve Force (RRF). She was built as a high speed container ship by Rotterdamsche D.D.Mij N.V. in Rotterdam, Netherlands, hull no. 332, for Sea-Land Service, Inc. and named SS Sea-Land Resource, USCG ON 550723, IMO 7325253. Due to her high operating cost, she was sold to the United States Navy in October 1981 as USNS Denebola (T-AK-289).
SS Regulus is an Algol class vehicle cargo ship that is currently maintained by the United States Maritime Administration as part of the Military Sealift Command's Ready Reserve Force (RRF). She was built as a high-speed container ship by A.G. Weser in Bremen, West Germany, hull no. 1383, for Sea-Land Service, Inc. and named SS Sea-Land Commerce, USCG 545200, IMO 7302897. Due to her high operating cost, she was sold to the United States Navy on 27 October 1981 as USNS Regulus (T-AK-292).
USNS PFC Dewayne T. Williams (T-AK-3009), , is the second ship of the 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo-class cargo ship and one of the maritime prepositioning ships of the US Navy. She is named after Medal of Honor recipient and US Marine Dewayne T. Williams.
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USNS 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK-3011),, is the fourth ship of the 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo-class cargo ship built in 1986. The ship is named after First Lieutenant Jack Lummus, an American Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II.
USNS Sgt. William R. Button (T-AK-3012),, is the fifth ship of the 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo-class cargo ship built in 1986. The ship is named after Sergeant William Robert Button, an American Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor during United States occupation of Haiti.
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