New AMO Jobs Aboard 'SSG Edward A. Carter, Jr.'

New AMO Jobs Aboard 'SSG Edward A. Carter, Jr.'

Second Maersk Ammunition Carrier Converted, Named For Medal Of Honor Recipient

      An ammunition carrier new to the American Maritime Officers fleet June 12 was officially named for U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Edward A. Carter, Jr., a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for his valor in World War II.
     The mv SSG Edward A. Carter, Jr., is one of two ships to be operated under a long-term charter to Military Sealift Command (MSC) by Maersk Line, Ltd. American Maritime Officers will provide the licensed officers aboard the Carter and the other ammo carrier, the mv Lt. Col. John U.D. Page. The Carter and Page will replace three lighter-aboard ships that were operated by a non-AMO company.
     The Carter was previously operated by Maersk as a commercial containership. The ship arrived at NORSHIPCO In Norfolk, Va., in March, where it was converted to a self-sustaining, prepositioning ammunition containership, with a capacity of 2,500 containers. NORSHIPCO also performed the conversion work on the Page.
     The Carter will join a fleet of more than 35 ships in MSC's Afloat Prepositioning Force and will operate from Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
     Staff Sgt. Carter was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 1997 by President Clinton. Previously, Sgt. Carter was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second highest decoration for valor in combat, for his heroic actions March 23, 1945, near Speyer, Germany. The tank he rode was assaulted with heavy bazooka and small arms fire. Sgt. Carter attempted to lead a group of three across an open field. Two of his men were killed and the third seriously wounded in the crossing. Continuing on alone, Sgt. Carter was wounded five times and finally forced to take cover when eight riflemen attempted to capture him. He killed six of the eight and captured the remaining two. He returned across the field with his prisoners and obtained valuable information regarding the position of enemy troops. Despite his wounds, he refused to be evacuated for treatment and conveyed enough information to his superiors about the position of the enemy to enable his company to clear a road to Speyer and capture the city from the Nazis.
     During a second tour in the Army, Carter was promoted to sergeant first class. However, he was denied re-enlistment in 1949, and was not allowed to rejoin the Army despite several attempts during the 1950s. Carter died of lung cancer in 1963 and was buried in the National Cemetery in Los Angeles, Calif.
     His family, led by daughter-in-law Allene Carter, investigated his career and the treatment he received from the Army. It was discovered that Sgt. Carter was suspected of having communist ties--suspicions that were later proved completely unfounded.
     In 1992, then Acting Army Secretary John Shannon ordered a research study, commissioning five historians from Shaw University in North Carolina. They delivered a report showing there was no official proof that black soldiers had even been considered for the Medal of Honor. Seven former soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor, including Sgt. Carter.
     President Clinton presented the family with his Medal of Honor and apologized for the unjust treatment to which Sgt. Carter was subjected. The Army Board of Corrections agreed to correct all of Sgt. Carter's records and his body was re-interred in Arlington National Cemetery.

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