SS Sgt. Matej Kocak | |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | Sgt. Matej Kocak |
Namesake | Matej Kocak |
Owner |
|
Ordered | 21 November 1978 |
Builder | Sun Shipbuilding |
Laid down | 3 March 1980 |
Sponsored by | Mrs. George B. Moran |
Christened | 25 April 1981 |
Acquired | 23 March 1983 |
Renamed | John B. Waterman (1983–1984) |
Reclassified | from AK-3005 |
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 |
SS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK-3005), (former SS Sgt. Matej Kocak (AK-3005) and USNS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK-3005)), is the lead ship of the Sgt. Matej Kocak-class cargo ship built in 1981. [1] The ship is named after Sergeant Matej Kocak, an American Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War I. [2]
The ship was built in 1981 at the Sun Shipbuilding, Chester, Pennsylvania. She was put into the service of Waterman Steamship Corp. as John B. Waterman. [3] [4]
In 1984, she was acquired and chartered by the Navy under a long-term contract. The ship underwent conversion at the National Steel and Shipbuilding, San Diego until October 1984. [3] Later that year, put into service as SS Sgt. Matej Kocak (AK-3005). [5] Sgt. Matej Kocak was put into the Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron 2, based at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to support the US Marine Corps Expeditionary Brigade. [5] [4]
She was later transferred to the Military Sealift Command Surge Sealift as USNS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK-3005) from 2 October 2012. [6] At 11:30 a.m. of 22 January 2015, she ran aground approximately six nautical miles off the coast of Uruma, Okinawa. She was refloated on 3 February later that year. [7]
Crowley Government Services Inc. was awarded $14,513,105 to maintain USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat, USNS PFC Eugene A. Obregon, USNS Maj. Stephen W. Pless and Sgt. Matej Kocak on 29 September 2020. [8]
On 21 March 2023, Sgt. Matej Kocak was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register [1] alone with another two ships in the class.
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.
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USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo, 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 2nd Lieutenant John P. Bobo. She is the only US Navy ship to bear the name.
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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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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.
SS PFC Eugene A. Obregon (T-AK-3006),, is the second ship of the Sgt. Matej Kocak-class cargo ship built in 1982. The ship is named after Private First Class Eugene A. Obregon, an American Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor during the Korean War.
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.
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