NASSCO Holds Naming Ceremonies For Two Ship Conversions

Naming ceremonies were held recently at National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) for the Sgt. Matej Kocak, a Maritime Prepositioning Ship converted for the Department of the Navy, and the USNS Algol (TAKR- 287), a Fast Sealift Ship converted for the United States Navy.

The Sgt. Matej Kocak is the first of three roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) vessels that NASSCO is converting into Maritime Prepositioning Ships. The vessels are being converted for the Waterman Steamship Corporation; upon completion, each will be time-chartered to the Military Sealift Command in support of the U.S. Marine Corps.

A keel-laying ceremony for the Sgt. Matej Kocak was held in November 1983, and the ship will be delivered in September 1984. Start of construction for the USNS Algol was January 1983 and delivery is scheduled for this summer.

Mrs. Everett Pyatt, wife of the Hon. Everett Pyatt, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Designate) for Shipbuilding and Logistics, was the guest of honor for the Sgt. Matej Kocak. Mrs. Warren C. Hamm, wife of Rear Adm. Warren C.

Hamm Jr., Vice Commander/Director of Operations, Military Sealift Command, was the guest of honor for the USNS Algol. Mrs.

John W. Hanselman, sister of Admiral Hamm, served as matron of honor for the Algol.

The Sgt. Matej Kocak is 821 feet in length, 105 feet in beam, with a draft of 33 feet. This ship will provide the capacity to rapidly transport to any desired locations throughout tbe world 25 percent of the vehicles and initial supply of ammunition, fuel, and rations for a marine amphibious brigade. All ships in the T-AK Maritime Prepositioning Ship program will be named for deceased Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipients. The Sgt. Matej Kocak was named for the marine who received the Medal of Honor posthumously from both the Army and Navy for heroism displayed above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy on July 18, 1918.

The USNS Algol is 946 feet in length, 105 feet in beam, with a draft of 37 feet. The Algol will be stationed in the United States and, if an emergency arises, will be loaded with military cargo to provide rapid, second-wave support to deployed combat troops.

The T-AKR ships will be named after stars. The USNS Algol was named after a star located in the constellation Perseus (The Hero).

National Steel and Shipbuilding Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Morrison-Knudsen Company, Inc. of Boise, Idaho.

Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 14, Jul 1984

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