USNS Sgt. William R. Button
![]() USNS Sgt. William R. Button
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History | |
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Name | Sgt. William R. Button |
Namesake | William Robert Button |
Owner |
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Builder | Fore River Shipyard |
Laid down | November 1984 |
Launched | May 1986 |
Acquired | June 1986 |
Reclassified | from AK-3012, 2007 |
Homeport | Diego Garcia |
Identification |
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Status | Active |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo-class dry cargo ship |
Displacement | 44,330 t (43,630 long tons), full |
Length | 672 ft 6 in (204.98 m) |
Beam | 106 ft 0 in (32.31 m) |
Draft | 29 ft 5 in (8.97 m) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion | 2 × Werkspoor 16TM410 diesel engines |
Speed | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
Capacity | |
Complement | 55 mariners |
Aircraft carried | 1 × Sikorsky CH-53E |
Aviation facilities | Helipad |
USNS Sgt. William R. Button (T-AK-3012), (former MV Sgt. William R. Button (AK-3012)), is the fifth ship of the 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo-class cargo ship built in 1986.[1] The ship is named after Sergeant William Robert Button, an American Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor during United States occupation of Haiti.
Construction and commissioning[]
The ship was laid down in November 1984 and launched in May 1986 at the Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts. Later acquired in June 1986 by the Maritime Administration for operation by American Overseas Marine.[2]
The ship unloaded equipments and supplies in Saudi Arabia during the Operation Desert Shield on 13 December 1990.[3] On 15 October 1998, William R. Button unloaded equipments and supplies in Pohang for Exercise Foal Eagle '98.[4]
On 17 January 2006, the ship was purchased by the Military Sealift Command and was put into the Prepositioning Program and the Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron 2.[5] The ship operates in the Indian Ocean, out of Diego Garcia. Later that year during Southeast Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism (SEACAT) on the 28 May, sailors from USS Crommelin (FFG-37) and USS Hopper (DDG-70) conducted an inspection on board the ship.[6] Sailors from the KD Kasturi (F-25) also conducted simulated boarding on board the ship.[7]
The ship took part in Exercise Pacific Horizon 2011, off the coast of Camp Pendelton, California.[8] William R. Button was moored off the coast of Latvia for the Saber Strike 17 Maritime Prepositioning Force offload operations on 25 May 2017.[9] On 21 December 2021, mariners on board the ship and few others voluntarily donated toys and trinkets for residents of Guma’ Esperansa, Saipan.[10]
Gallery[]
Sailors from USS Crommelin (FFG-37) and USS Hopper (DDG-70) performed an inspection on board the ship on 28 May 2006
View of Sgt. William R. Button from the aft on 3 March 2011
Sgt. William R. Button's cranes on 3 March 2011
Sgt. William R. Button on 4 March 2011
References[]
- ^ "USNS SGT WILLIAM R BUTTON (T-AK 3012)". Naval Vessel Register. 15 January 2009. Archived from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ "USNS SGT William R. Button (T-AK 3012)". www.navysite.de. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ "The vehicle cargo ship SGT. WILLIAM R. BUTTON (T-AK-3012) offloads cargo during Operation Desert Shield. The vessel is part of Maritime Pre-positioning Squadron 1". The U.S. National Archives. 13 December 1990. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ "An LAV is driven off of the MV Sgt. William R. Button in Pohang for Foal Eagle '98". www.defense.gov. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ "Cargo Ship Photo Index". www.navsource.org. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ Limited, Alamy. "060528-N-3392B-015 South China Sea (May 28, 2006) - U.S. Navy Sailors from USS Crommelin (FFG 37) and USS Hopper (DDG 70) begin an inspection of the main deck of the Military Sealift Command prepositioning ship MV Sgt. William R. Button (T-AK 3012). The team conducted a thorough search of the ship, including the main deck, cargo holds, bridge, and living spaces as part of exercise Southeast Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism. The U.S. Navy team located a cache of smuggled weapons in the ship's cargo hold. SEACAT is a weeklong exercise designed to highlight the value of information sharing and Stock Photo - Alamy". www.alamy.com. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ Limited, Alamy. "060524-N-3392B-008 Strait of Malacca (May 24, 2006) - Personnel designated as ship's crew members are isolated for questioning by Sailors from the Royal Malaysian Navy frigate KD Kasturi, during simulated boarding of the Military Sealift Command (MSC) maritime prepositioning ship MV Sgt. William R. Button (T-AK 3012), during Southeast Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism (SEACAT) 2006. Each crew member was required to show identification and questioned about the ship's cargo content. As part of the exercise, Button is suspected of smuggling contraband goods. SEACAT is a weeklong at-sea exercise Stock Photo - Alamy". www.alamy.com. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ "American Maritime Officers - AMO". www.amo-union.org. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ "Civilian Mariners File Grievance Over Military Sealift Command COVID-19 Restrictions". USNI News. 1 May 2020. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ "Military Sealift Command Contracted Mariners Share Holiday Cheer in Saipan". DVIDS. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- 2nd Lt John P. Bobo-class dry cargo ship
- 1986 ships
- Ships built in Quincy, Massachusetts
- Gulf War ships of the United States
- Merchant ships of the United States
- Cargo ships of the United States Navy
- Container ships of the United States Navy