Prepositioning Ships – 38 (as of Sept. 30, 2001) Combat Prepositioning Ships – 15 LMSRs USNS Charlton (T-AKR 314) USNS Dahl (T-AKR 312) USNS Bob Hope (T-AKR 300) USNS Pomeroy (T-AKR 316) USNS Red Cloud (T-AKR 313) USNS Sisler (T-AKR 311) USNS Watkins (T-AKR 315) USNS Watson (T-AKR 310) CONTAINER SHIPS MV Staff Sgt. Edward A. Carter Jr.      (T-AK 4544) MV Spec. 5 Eric G. Gibson      (T-AK 5091) MV Lt. Col. John U.D. Page      (T-AK 4496) MV Lt. Col. Calvin P. Titus      (T-AK 5089) HEAVY LIFT SHIP MV Strong Virginian      (T-AK 9205) FLOAT-ON/FLOAT-OFF SHIP MV American Cormorant      (T-AK 2062) CRANE SHIP SS Gopher State (T-ACS 4) Maritime Prepositioning Ships – 15 Squadron One MV 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo      (T-AK 3008) SS Sgt. Matej J. Kocak      (T-AK 3005) USNS 1st Lt. Harry L. Martin      (T-AK 3015) SS PFC Eugene A. Obregon      (T-AK 3006) SS Maj. Stephen W. Pless      (T-AK 3007) Squadron Two MV Pvt. James Anderson Jr.      (T-AK 3002) MV PFC William B. Baugh      (T-AK 3001) MV 1st Lt. Alex Bonnyman      (T-AKR 3003) MV Cpl. Louis J. Hauge      (T-AK 3000) MV Pvt. Franklin J. Phillips      (T-AK 3004) USNS Gunnery Sgt. Fred W. Stockham      (T-AK 3017) Squadron Three MV Sgt. William R. Button      (T-AK 3012) MV 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez      (T-AK 3010) MV 1st Lt. Jack Lummus      (T-AK 3011) MV PFC Dewayne T. Williams      (T-AK 3009) Logistics Prepositioning Ships – 6 defense logistics agency (TANKERS) SS Chesapeake (T-AOT 5084) USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AOT 187) SS Petersburg (T-AOT 9101) U.S. Air force (container Ships) MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett      (T-AK 4296) MV Maj. Bernard F. Fisher      (T-AK 4396) U.S. Navy (BREAKBULK Ship) SS Cape Jacob (T-AK 5029) Logistics Prepositioning Ships – 2 SS Curtis (T-AVB 4) SS Wright (T-AVB 3)

t the end of FY 2001, MSC’s Afloat Prepositioning Force consisted of 38 ships, with 36 operating at sites in the Mediterranean Sea, Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and Guam/Saipan in the western Pacific Ocean. The remaining two, SS Curtis and SS Wright, are aviation logistics ships that support U.S. Marine Corps fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. The two ships are maintained in reduced operating status in layberths, one each on the East and West Coasts of the United States.

MSC is moving closer to the additional two million square feet of prepositioning capacity called for in the 1992 Defense Mobility Requirements Study.

The Afloat Prepositioning Force is divided into three projects: Combat Prepositioning Ships operated for the U.S. Army; Maritime Prepositioning Ships operated for the U.S. Marine Corps; and Logistics Prepositioning Ships operated for the U.S. Navy, Air Force and Defense Logistics Agency.

Combat Prepositioning Ships
     Combat Prepositioning Ships carry the equipment and supplies needed to support a U.S. Army 2x2 heavy brigade of up to 6,000 personnel for up to 15 days. At the end of FY 2001, there were 15 Combat Prepositioning Ships: eight large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ships, or LMSRs; four container ships; one heavy-lift ship; one float-on/float-off ship and one crane ship activated from the Ready Reserve Force.

During FY 2001, two new LMSRs, USNS Watkins and USNS Pomeroy, delivered to MSC. Watkins deployed with U.S. Army equipment to her post in Diego Garcia, moving MSC closer to the additional two million square feet of prepositioning capacity called for in the 1992 Defense Mobility Requirements Study.

USNS Watson, MSC’s first new-construction gas-turbine-powered LMSR, returned to the United States from Diego Garcia to off-load her cargo and undergo extensive overhaul, including an upgrade to her controllable pitch propeller. She on-loaded her new cargo under an accelerated schedule, reducing a typical 10-day load to five days.

The sponsor of MV Staff Sgt. Edward A. Carter Jr., Allene Carter, cracks the ceremonial bottle of champagne on the ship's new bell, officially naming the ship in honor of her father-in-law. Capt. Bob Vranish, master of the ship, observes.

During FY 2001, all three chartered LASH (lighter aboard ship) vessels used to carry palletized munitions for the Army were redelivered to their owners. The vessels were replaced by two chartered container ships outfitted with deck mounted cocoons and climate control equipment throughout. MV Lt. Col. John U.D. Page loaded in February, and MV Staff Sgt. Edward A. Carter Jr. began loading in July. The Carter loading was interrupted by an engine room fire. She is scheduled to return to the prepositioning fleet in January 2002 following repairs.

USNS Bob Hope, first of the new-construction diesel-powered LMSRs, returned to the United States to off-load her prepositioning cargo and transition to MSC’s surge sealift fleet. However, due to the Carter engine room fire, Bob Hope was re-loaded with much of Carter’s cargo and placed in ready status, able to deploy on a moment’s notice, until Carter returns to the fleet.

Maritime Prepositioning Ships
     Fifteen Maritime Prepositioning Ships are divided into three squadrons, each carrying equipment and supplies sufficient to sustain a Marine Corps Air/Ground Task Force for up to 30 days of operations. Squadrons are located at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, in the Mediterranean Sea and at Guam/Saipan in the Western Pacific Ocean.

Each of the 15 ships contains a variety of cargo items – from tanks and ammunition to food, hospital supplies and fuel – to support a full range of missions from low-intensity humanitarian operations to major theater conflicts involving the U.S. Marine Corps.

The second of three Maritime Prepositioning Force (Enhanced) vessels, USNS Gunnery Sgt. Fred W. Stockham, delivered to MSC, loaded at Blount Island, Fla., and deployed to Diego Garcia in July. One ship will be assigned to each of the MPS squadrons, expanding squadron capabilities with expeditionary airfield, Seabee and fleet hospital cargo.

BELOW: Ship's sponsor, Kitty Crenshaw, wife of U.S. Congressman Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.), breaks the ceremonial bottle of champagne on the rail of USNS Gunnery Sgt. Fred W. Stockham, officially naming the ship in a ceremony July 6 in Jacksonville, Fla. Photo by PH2 Charles L. Withrow, USN.
	ABOVE: USNS Gunnery Sgt. Fred W. Stockham is the second of three Maritime Prepositioning Force (Enhanced) ships to deliver to MSC. Here is an aerial view of the stern ramp as the ship rounds the Cape of Good Hope in Africa on her way to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

MV 1st Lt. Jack Lummus participated in exercise Tandem Thrust in Australia during May and June. Other MPS ships played roles in various smaller-scale exercises.

Logistics Prepositioning Ships
     Logistics Prepositioning Ships included six prepositioning vessels carrying various cargoes for the U.S. Navy, Defense Logistics Agency and U.S. Air Force.

Two vessels carried munitions for the Air Force. Combination roll-on/roll-off/container vessel MV Maj. Bernard F. Fisher operated from Diego Garcia under Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron Two control.

The sun sets on MV Buffalo Soldier as she returns to service as a merchant vessel after five years as an MSC asset. Photo by BMC Douglas Smith, USN.

Container vessel MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett operated in the Mediterranean Sea under Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron One control. A third ship that had carried Air Force munitions, MV Buffalo Soldier, was redelivered to its owner in early September after five years of successful service. She will be replaced by a container vessel, MV Airman 1st Class William A. Pitsenbarger, in FY 2002. Pitsenbarger will mark the final conversion from breakbulk to containerized munitions for Air Force prepositioning needs.

SS Cape Jacob, a Ready Reserve Force breakbulk ship activated in FY 1999, continued to preposition Navy munitions in Diego Garcia.

Three government-owned tanker vessels prepositioned jet fuel for the Defense Logistics Agency. USNS Henry J. Kaiser, a former Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force oiler capable of underway replenishment, was based in Diego Garcia. Two activated Ready Reserve Force offshore petroleum discharge system tankers, SS Petersburg and SS Potomac, were based in Guam and Diego Garcia, respectively. Ready Reserve Force OPDS tanker SS Chesapeake participated in Pacific Fleet joint-logistics-over-the-shore exercise Turbo CADS and then replaced SS Potomac. Logistics Prepositioning Force tankers provide a total capacity of about 750,000 barrels of fuel.