Concord celebrates birthday

By SK2 (SW) Mellissa A. Thomas, USN

The crew aboard Military Sealift Command combat stores ship USNS Concord celebrated the ship’s 36th birthday on Nov. 23. Cutting the cake (from left to right): officer-in-charge Capt. (sel) Patrick McCabe, SC, USN, able seaman Ivan Washburne, Concord’s logistics officer Ensign Daniel Johnson, SC, USN, and Concord’s master Capt. Michael Murphy. SK2(SW) Mellissa A. Thomes, USN, photo

Nov. 23 found the crew of Military Sealift Command’s combat stores ship USNS Concord gathered in the crew’s mess celebrating the ship’s 36th birthday with remarks and a commemorative cake. Speakers included Concord’s master, Capt. Michael Murphy, the military department’s officer-in-charge Capt.(sel) Patrick McCabe, SC, USN, and ship’s logistics officer Ensign Daniel Johnson, SC, USN.

Johnson spoke about the history of the five U.S. Navy Concord namesakes all named in honor of U.S. municipalities named Concord, but especially named for Concord, Mass., scene of the April 19, 1775, Battle of Concord.

The first USS Concord, a sloop of war, was commissioned in 1830 and served in the Mediterranean Sea, the West Indies, South America and the Indian Ocean. The second Concord, a twin-screw gunboat commissioned in 1891, served worldwide, but most notably as part of Admiral Dewey’s squadron in the Battle of Manila in 1898. The third Concord, an ocean-going tug commissioned in 1917, rendered honorable service. The fourth Concord, a light cruiser commissioned in 1923, served in the Pacific theater during World War II and participated in the bombardment of the Kurile Islands, reducing their effectiveness to the Japanese. MSC’s USNS Concord is the fifth ship to bear the name.

A replica of Daniel Chester French’s famous Minute Man Statue in Concord, Mass., was presented to the second USS Concord by the people of that city in 1891. The statue has remained with each subsequent Concord namesake ship and will be passed on to any future ships bearing that name. The Minute Man is to remain with the ship as long as she is in commission.

The ship’s birthday celebration marked the completion of another year of Concord’s dedication to meeting the Navy’s readiness goal. Since her last birthday, Concord has supported five ships during Operation Carat ‘04 and was recently the 7th Fleet’s combat stores ship during Operation Summer Pulse ’04, supporting USS John C. Stennis and USS Kitty Hawk carrier strike groups. In December, Concord continued her logistics mission by supplying the Bonhomme Richard expeditionary strike group in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

As the seventh oldest USNS ship in the Navy, Concord continues to be a vital logistics lifeline to the fleet. A quote posted aboard the ship best describes her consistent readiness motto: “Tactics may decide the battles, but logistics will always decide the wars.”