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.
Eugene Arnold Obregon was a United States Marine who was posthumously awarded the United States' highest military decoration for valor — the Medal of Honor — for sacrificing his life to save that of a wounded comrade during the Second Battle of Seoul. On September 26, 1950, Private First Class Obregon was fatally wounded by enemy machine gun fire while using his body to shield a wounded fellow Marine.
MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett (T-AK-4296) was a container ship and lead ship of her class. Originally named TNT Express, she was built by Samsung Heavy Industries in Koje, South Korea in 1984. She was named after United States Air Force Medal of Honor recipient Captain Steven L. Bennett. The ship was a Logistics Prepositioning Ship sponsored by the U.S. Air Force. The ship returned to commercial service after the MSC contract ended in October 2012.
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 PFC Dewayne T. Williams (T-AK-3009), formerly MV PFC Dewayne T. Williams (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.
The Type C7 ship(Lancer Class) is a United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) designation for a cargo ship and the first US purpose-built container ship. The vessels were constructed in US shipyards and entered service starting in 1968. As US-built ships they were Jones Act qualified for shipments between US domestic ports. Under the Jones Act, domestic US maritime trade is restricted to US-built and flagged vessels of US owners and crewed by predominantly US-citizens. The last active Lancer container-configured ship was scrapped in 2019. Lancers of the vehicle Roll-on/Roll-off (RO/RO) configuration remain held in the Ready Reserve Force, National Defense Reserve Fleet and the US Navy Military Sealift Command. All are steam powered.
MV PFC James Anderson Jr. (AK-3002),, was the third ship of the Cpl. Louis J. Hauge Jr.-class cargo ship built in 1979. The ship is named after Private First Class James Anderson Jr., an American Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War.
USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo (T-AK-3008), formerly MV 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo (AK-3008) is a strategic sealift ship currently in service with the United States Navy since its original charter in 1985. The ship is named after US Marine Medal of Honor recipient Second Lieutenant John P. Bobo. She is the only US Navy ship to bear the name.
USNS 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez (T-AK-3010) / (AK-3010) is the third ship of the 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo-class cargo ship built in 1985. The ship is named after First lieutenant Baldomero López, a US Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor during the Korean War.
USNS 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK-3011), formerly MV 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (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), formerly MV Sgt. William R. Button (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.
USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat (T-AK-3016), the only ship of its class, is a cargo ship built in 1987. She became one of the only Soviet ships to enter United States service. The ship is named after Lance Corporal Roy M. Wheat, an American Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor during Vietnam War.
USNS LTC John U.D. Page (AK-4496), was the lead ship of the LTC John U.D. Page-class cargo ship built in 1985. The ship is named after Lieutenant Colonel John U. D. Page, an American soldier who was awarded the Medal of Honor during Korean War.
The ship was towed through the Gulf of Mexico to the Port of Brownsville Texas on Sept 13, 2024.
USNS Maj. Stephen W. Pless (T-AK-3007),, is the third ship of the Sgt. Matej Kocak-class cargo ship built in 1983. The ship is named after Major Stephen W. Pless, an American Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War.
MV Cpl. Louis J. Hauge Jr. (AK-3000),, was the lead ship of the Cpl. Louis J. Hauge Jr.-class cargo ship built in 1979. The ship is named after Corporal Louis J. Hauge Jr., an American Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II.
USNS Pvt. Joseph F. Merrell (T-AK-275),, was a Victory ship and the second ship of the Lt. James E. Robinson-class cargo ship built in 1944. The ship is named after Private Joseph F. Merrell, an American soldier who was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II.
United States
