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USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE-4)
Encyclopedia
USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE-4) is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship
in the United States Navy
. She is the second United States Navy
ship to be named after polar explorer Rear Admiral
Richard E. Byrd (1888–1957).
The contract to build her was awarded to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
(NASSCO) of San Diego, California
, on 18 July 2003. She was launched
from the building ways into the San Diego Bay
on the evening of 15 May 2007; Bolling Byrd Clarke, Admiral Byrd's eldest daughter, broke the ceremonial bottle of champagne on the ship's bow to start the launch amid fireworks
and fanfare. Construction continued until the U.S. Navy accepted her on 14 November 2007. Additional construction work continued until she was delivered to Military Sealift Command
(MSC) for crewing and placed in service on 8 January 2008.
She completed a fitting-out period as well multiple operational inspections and trials, including a full INSURV inspection on 27 March 2008. A final period of modifications and design alterations was completed during a 70-day availability before full fleet introduction on 25 July 2008. The ship joined the Pacific Fleet
and predominantly operates in the Far East
and Indian Ocean
operation areas.
In May 2009, Richard E. Byrd was identified to conduct Pacific Partnership 2009 as a last minute replacement for the USS Dubuque
(LPD-8), which was sidelined due to an outbreak of H1N1 virus. Pacific Partnership 2009 visited American Samoa
, Tonga
, New Caledonia
, Kiribati
(Tarawa), and the Marshall Islands
from June to September. In the few weeks after being selected, the ship was outfitted with a quick-designed Reverse Osmosis
Unit to make sufficient clean water while loitering in the remote waters and additional logistical items were brought aboard. Byrd embarked PHIBRON2 and staff, several NGOs, and allied partners during an at-sea transfer from USNS Amelia Earhart
(T-AKE-6). This embarkation swelled the crew size to over 300 persons, requiring a USCG waiver. After completing the mission, the ship offloaded the embarked crew and Reverse Osmosis Unit and returned normal duties. One of those duties did included providing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief efforts to Padang
, Indonesia
, in October 2009.
In March 2011 during Operation Tomodachi
, Richard E. Byrd embarked SA-330J Puma helicopters airlifted hundreds of pallets of relief supplies to Preble and landing dock ships USS Harpers Ferry and USS Tortuga. Byrd completed 16 underway replenishment evolutions, delivering 210,000 gallons (800 m³) of fuel to Tomodachi-support ships.
Lewis and Clark class dry cargo ship
The Lewis and Clark class of dry cargo ship is the next class of Combat Logistics Force underway replenishment vessels to be constructed for the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. Lewis and Clark-class ships will replace the existing fifteen Mars- and Sirius-class combat store ships...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. She is the second United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
ship to be named after polar explorer Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Richard E. Byrd (1888–1957).
The contract to build her was awarded to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, commonly referred to as NASSCO, is a shipyard in San Diego, California and Norfolk, Virginia and a division of General Dynamics. The shipyard specializes in constructing commercial cargo ships and auxiliary vessels for the US Navy and Military Sealift...
(NASSCO) of San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, on 18 July 2003. She was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
from the building ways into the San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port adjacent to San Diego, California. It is 12 mi/19 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km–3 mi/4.8 km wide...
on the evening of 15 May 2007; Bolling Byrd Clarke, Admiral Byrd's eldest daughter, broke the ceremonial bottle of champagne on the ship's bow to start the launch amid fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
and fanfare. Construction continued until the U.S. Navy accepted her on 14 November 2007. Additional construction work continued until she was delivered to Military Sealift Command
Military Sealift Command
The Military Sealift Command is a United States Navy organization that controls most of the replenishment and military transport ships of the Navy. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's...
(MSC) for crewing and placed in service on 8 January 2008.
She completed a fitting-out period as well multiple operational inspections and trials, including a full INSURV inspection on 27 March 2008. A final period of modifications and design alterations was completed during a 70-day availability before full fleet introduction on 25 July 2008. The ship joined the Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
and predominantly operates in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
and Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
operation areas.
In May 2009, Richard E. Byrd was identified to conduct Pacific Partnership 2009 as a last minute replacement for the USS Dubuque
USS Dubuque (LPD-8)
USS Dubuque , an Austin-class amphibious transport dock, is the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the city of Dubuque, Iowa....
(LPD-8), which was sidelined due to an outbreak of H1N1 virus. Pacific Partnership 2009 visited American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
, Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
, New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
, Kiribati
Kiribati
Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...
(Tarawa), and the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
from June to September. In the few weeks after being selected, the ship was outfitted with a quick-designed Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis
Reverse osmosis is a membrane technical filtration method that removes many types of large molecules and ions from solutions by applying pressure to the solution when it is on one side of a selective membrane. The result is that the solute is retained on the pressurized side of the membrane and...
Unit to make sufficient clean water while loitering in the remote waters and additional logistical items were brought aboard. Byrd embarked PHIBRON2 and staff, several NGOs, and allied partners during an at-sea transfer from USNS Amelia Earhart
USNS Amelia Earhart (T-AKE-6)
USNS Amelia Earhart , a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for noted American aviation pioneer and women's rights advocate Amelia Earhart . The contract to build the ship was awarded to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego,...
(T-AKE-6). This embarkation swelled the crew size to over 300 persons, requiring a USCG waiver. After completing the mission, the ship offloaded the embarked crew and Reverse Osmosis Unit and returned normal duties. One of those duties did included providing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief efforts to Padang
Padang, Indonesia
Padang is the capital and largest city of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located on the western coast of Sumatra at . It has an area of and a population of over 833,000 people at the 2010 Census.-History:...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, in October 2009.
In March 2011 during Operation Tomodachi
Operation Tomodachi
is a United States Armed Forces assistance operation to support Japan in disaster relief following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. As of March 22, 2011, twenty U.S. naval ships, 140 aircraft, and 19,703 Marines and Sailors were involved in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief...
, Richard E. Byrd embarked SA-330J Puma helicopters airlifted hundreds of pallets of relief supplies to Preble and landing dock ships USS Harpers Ferry and USS Tortuga. Byrd completed 16 underway replenishment evolutions, delivering 210,000 gallons (800 m³) of fuel to Tomodachi-support ships.