United States Transportation Command

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WASHINGTON (USTCNS) --- USNS Mendonca, the ninth of fifteen new construction large medium speed roll-on/roll-off ships, or LMSR, officially joined the Military Sealift Command fleet on Jan. 30.

Built by Litton-Avondale Industries in New Orleans, La., Mendonca is joining MSC's surge sealift fleet of LMSRs.

The LMSR program consists of 15 new construction and four conversion LMSRs. Five commercial container ships were converted to transport U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps equipment, seven new construction LMSRs have been under construction by Avondale Industries, and eight have been under construction by National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. in San Diego, Calif. Mendonca will be followed by three more LMSRs from Avondale.

The need for MSC's LMSR program was identified after the Persian Gulf War. The Mobility Requirements Study of 1992 found a shortage of militarily useful transport ships available in the commercial sector, a concern as U.S. forces depend increasingly on power projection "Forward. . .from the sea."

More than 95 percent of all military equipment and supplies needed to support a war or contingency moves via sea. Large, medium-speed roll-on/roll-off ships like Mendonca were developed specifically for transporting oversized combat equipment.

Mendonca is named for a Medal of Honor recipient, Army Sgt. LeRoy A. Mendonca. Only 19 years old, Sgt. Mendonca was killed in action at Chinch-on, Korea, on July 4, 1951. After successfully taking over a strategic position on a hill, Sgt. Mendonca's platoon was attacked at night by an overwhelming enemy force. Sgt. Mendonca voluntarily remained exposed to enemy fire while his platoon withdrew, firing his weapon and hurling grenades into enemy positions. His ammunition eventually exhausted, Sgt. Mendonca fought the enemy in hand to hand combat with his bayonet until he was mortally wounded. An after action report credits Mendonca with an astounding 37 enemy casualties.

USNS Mendonca is joining MSC's surge sealift force, which includes sister LMSRs USNS Fisher and USNS Seay, both of which are layberthed in Baltimore, Md. A request for proposals for Mendonca's layberth will be released by MSC in the coming weeks.

Patriot Contracting Services will be crewing Mendonca, which also operates Fisher and Seay. The fifth Avondale LMSR, USNS Pililaau, will be delivered to MSC this July.

Military Sealift Command is the ocean transportation provider for the Department of Defense. The command, part of the U.S. Navy, operates more than 110 active ships around the world. Ship missions vary from the transport and afloat prepositioning of defense cargo; to underway replenishment and other direct support to Navy ships at sea; to at-sea data collection for the U.S. military and other U.S. government agencies. (FROM MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).