In Baltimore's Port Covington on May 5, the Maritime Administration formally acknowledged the "outstanding performance" of the civilian officers and crew aboard the U.S.-flagged roll-on/roll-off Ready Reserve Force ship Cape Washington during Operation Iraqi Freedom (see Page 12). AMO represents the engine, deck and radio-electronics officers on the ship, and the Seafarers International Union represents the crew in all departments. The vessel is managed and operated under MARAD charter by Crowley Liner Services, of Jacksonville, Fla.
It was a proud moment for our union, which provided the licensed officers for the majority of the U.S.-flagged ships tapped by the Department of Defense through the Navy's Military Sealift Command and MARAD for strategic sealift to Persian Gulf points before and during the war. In all, 117 U.S.-flagged ships were involved in one way or another in the Iraqi operation--including 38 vessels ordered-up from the RRF and 23 chartered in from commercial trade--and AMO members were aboard 60 of them, including the Cape Washington. Here is the complete roster as of April 1:
- The pre-positioned roll-on/roll-off ships 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo, Sgt. William R. Button, 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez and Sgt. Stockham, and the fast sealift roll-on/roll-off USNS Algol, USNS Altair, USNS Antares, USNS Bellatrix, USNS Capella, USNS Denebola, USNS Pollux and USNS Regulus, all operated for MSC by American Overseas Marine Inc., or AMSEA, of Quincy, Mass.
- The T-AGS oceanographic survey vessel USNS Henson, operated for MSC by Dyn Marine Services, of Reston, Va.
- The commercial roll-on/roll-off ship Northern Lights, a Jones Act vessel operated by Interocean Ugland Ship Management Corp., or IUM, of Voorhees, N.J. The ship, which usually operates in domestic trade in the Pacific Northwest, remains on MSC charter at least through mid-May.
- The pre-positioned roll-on/roll-off ships PFC James Anderson, PFC William Baugh, 1st Lt. Alex Bonnyman, Pvt. Franklin J. Phillips and Cpl. Louis Hauge, the ammunition carriers John U.D. Page and Edward Carter Jr., and the large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off sealift ships USNS Soderman, USNS Watson, USNS Sisler, USNS Dahl, USNS Red Cloud, USNS Charlton, USNS Watkins and USNS Pomeroy, all operated for MSC by Maersk Line Ltd., of Norfolk, Va.
- The T-5 tankers Gus Warren Darnell, Lawrence Giannella and Richard Matthiesen, operated for MSC by Ocean Ships Inc., of Houston, Texas.
- The pre-positioned 1st Lt. Harry Martin and the roll-on/roll-off ships Gibson and Titus, operated for MSC by Osprey Ship Management Inc., of Bethesda, Md.
- The commercial car carriers Faust and Tellus and the heavy-lift ship Industrial Challenger, operated by Pacific Gulf Marine, of Gretna, La.
- The roll-on/roll-off William H. Pitsenbarger, operated for MSC by RR&VO LLC, of Rockville, Md.
- The roll-on/roll-off ships Merlin, Bennett and Major Bernard Fisher, operated for MSC by Sealift Inc., of Oyster Bay, N.Y.
- From the Ready Reserve Force, the break-bulk freighters Cape Jacob, Cape John, Cape Johnson and Cape Juby, and the aviation logistics support ship Curtiss and Wright, operated for MARAD by AMSEA.
- The RRF roll-on/roll-off ships Cape Inscription, Cape Intrepid, Cape Isabel, Cape Island, Cape Lambert, Cape Lobos, Cape Washington and Cape Wrath, operated for MARAD by Crowley.
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