United States Transportation Command

WASHINGTON (USTCNS) --- A U.S. Navy ship will be named in honor of Korean War Medal of Honor recipient Army Lt. Col. John U.D. Page at a 10:30 a.m. ceremony, Feb. 21, at Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Norfolk, Va.

The chartered ship, operated for the Navy's Military Sealift Command, the ocean transportation provider for the Department of Defense, will be named MV Lt. Col. John U.D. Page and will preposition Army containerized ammunition at sea, adding greatly to the U.S. military's combat readiness.

Patricia T. Holder, wife of Navy Vice Adm. Gordon S. Holder, commander, Military Sealift Command, will be the ship's sponsor and will break the ceremonial bottle of champagne officially naming the ship; and Vice Adm. Holder will be the keynote speaker for the ceremony.

Page and her sister ship, MV Sgt. Edward A. Carter, Jr. -- scheduled to deliver to MSC in June 2001 - will carry all of the Army's containerized prepositioned ammunition by the end of this year. Each ship will carry a total of 2,500 20-foot containers -- 2,230 under deck and 270 in a cocoon above deck.

Both cargo areas will be air-conditioned and dehumidified to protect the ammunition. Page has four cranes on her deck that allows the ship to on-load and off-load her ammunition without shoreside cranes. This critical feature gives Page the flexibility to off-load in undeveloped ports.

Page will join a fleet of more than 35 Afloat Prepositioning Force ships under MSC's operational control. At-sea prepositioning of combat equipment has become increasingly important as U.S. bases overseas continue to close.

The civilian-crewed, 949.8-foot container ship is owned and operated by Maersk Lines Ltd. of Norfolk, Va., and under a five-year charter to MSC. Page will operate from the Diego Garcia area in the Indian Ocean.

Lt. Col. John U.D. Page was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during an 11-day period from Nov. 29 to Dec. 10, 1950, near Chosin Reservoir, Korea. Lt. Col. Page was given the mission of establishing traffic control on the main supply route to the Chosin Reservoir Plateau. After completing his mission Page chose to stay to aid an isolated signal station cut off from a Marine division.

He voluntarily developed and trained a reserve force of assorted Army troops and Marines to defend an improvised airstrip. Page was given a second opportunity to remain in safety, but he chose to return and assist the isolated troops. He continued to fight courageously and thwart the enemy's attempts until he was mortally wounded.

Col. Page's valiant efforts enabled friendly forces to stand off the enemy and saved many American lives.

Military Sealift Command operates more than 110 ships daily around the world. Ship missions vary from the transport and afloat prepositioning of defense cargo; to underway replenishment and other direct support of 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).

Navy Ship to be named for Army hero

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