USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat
USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat (T-AK-3016), is the only ship of the LCPL Roy M. Wheat-class cargo ship built in 1987.[1] She became one of the only Soviet ship to enter United States service.[2] The ship is named after Lance Corporal Roy M. Wheat, an American Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor during Vietnam War.[3]
![]() USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat | |
History | |
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Name | LCPL Roy M. Wheat |
Namesake | Roy M. Wheat |
Owner |
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Builder | Chernomorski Shipyard |
Laid down | 1 July 1983 |
Acquired | 15 August 1987 |
Renamed |
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Homeport | See Awards |
Identification |
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Honours and awards | See Awards |
Status | Active |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | LCPL Roy M. Wheat-class cargo ship |
Displacement |
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Length | 864 ft 0 in (263.35 m) |
Beam | 98 ft 05 in (30.00 m) |
Draft | 34 ft 11 in (10.64 m) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion | 2 × CPGAS turbine engines |
Speed | 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) |
Range | 1,600 nmi (3,000 km; 1,800 mi) |
Capacity | |
Complement | 39 mariners |
Aviation facilities | Helipad |
Construction and commissioning
The ship was built in 1987 at the Chernomorski Shipyard, Nikolaiev, Mykolaiv Oblast.[4] She was put into the service of Black Sea Shipping Company.[5]
In 1997, the ship was purchased by the Military Sealift Command and was put into the Prepositioning Program and the Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron 1 on 7 October 2003.[5] The Navy awarded the contract in the amount of $150 million to Ocean Marine Navigation Company.[6]
On 1 August 2002, Roy W. Wheat was moored at Norfolk Shipbuilding and Corporation Shipyard, Portsmouth.[7] Sailors from the ship set up the Improved Navy Lighterage System (INLS) causeway ferries, off Liberia on 21 March 2008.[8]
From 1 October 2012, Roy M. Wheat alongside ships of the Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron 1 would be transferred to the Military Sealift Command Surge Sealift due to the disestablishing of the squadron on 28 September.[9]
Crowley Government Services Inc. was awarded $14,513,105 to maintain USNS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK-3005), USNS PFC Eugene A. Obregon (T-AK-3006), USNS Maj. Stephen W. Pless (T-AK-3007) and LCPL Roy. M. Wheat on 29 September 2020.[10]
Gallery
- LCPL Roy M. Wheat's funnel with color bands
- Aft view of LCPL Roy M. Wheat
References
- "USNS LCPL ROY M WHEAT (T-AK 3016)". Naval Vessel Register. 7 October 2003. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- Rozin, Igor (11 August 2020). "What's known about this Soviet ship on US service". www.rbth.com. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- "The namesake of "America's Soviet Ship"". The American Legion. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- admin (30 April 2020). "Naval Ships – USNS LCPL ROY M WHEAT T-AK 3016". Malta Movements - Transportation. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- "Cargo Ship Photo Index". www.navsource.org. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- admin (30 April 2020). "Naval Ships – USNS LCPL ROY M WHEAT T-AK 3016". Malta Movements - Transportation. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- "Port bow side view of the US Navy (USN) Military Sealift Command (MSC) Maritime Preposition Ship USNS LCPL ROY M. WHEAT (T-AK 3016) moored to the pier at the Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Corporation shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia (VA)". The U.S. National Archives. 1 August 2002. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- staff, Defense Industry Daily. "Whatever Floats Your Tank: the USNs Improved Navy Lighterage System". Defense Industry Daily. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- "MSC's Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron One Disestablished". MarineLink. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- Keller, Katie (29 September 2020). "Palantir Awarded $91 Million Contract R&D for the US Army Research Laboratory". ClearanceJobs. Retrieved 12 February 2022.