SS Sgt. Matej Kocak
SS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK-3005), (former SS Sgt. Matej Kocak (AK-3005) and USNS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK-3005)), is the lead ship of the Sgt. Matej Kocak-class cargo ship built in 1981.[1] The ship is named after Sergeant Matej Kocak, an American Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War I.[2]
 SS Sgt. Matej Kocak | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Sgt. Matej Kocak |
| Namesake | Matej Kocak |
| Owner |
|
| Ordered | 21 November 1978 |
| Builder | Sun Shipbuilding |
| Laid down | 3 March 1980 |
| Sponsored by | Mrs. George B. Moran |
| Christened | 25 April 1981 |
| Acquired | 23 March 1983 |
| Renamed | John B. Waterman (1983–1984) |
| Reclassified | from AK-3005 |
| Stricken | 21 March 2023 |
| Identification |
|
| Status | Stricken |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Sgt. Matej Kocak-class cargo ship |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 821 ft 0 in (250.24 m) |
| Beam | 105 ft 6 in (32.16 m) |
| Draft | 33 ft 10 in (10.31 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Capacity | |
| Complement | 34 mariners and 10 technicians |
| Aviation facilities | Helipad |
Construction and commissioning
The ship was built in 1981 at the Sun Shipbuilding, Chester, Pennsylvania. She was put into the service of Waterman Steamship Corp. as John B. Waterman.[3][4]
In 1984, she was acquired and chartered by the Navy under a long-term contract. The ship underwent conversion at the National Steel and Shipbuilding, San Diego until October 1984.[3] Later that year, put into service as SS Sgt. Matej Kocak (AK-3005).[5] Sgt. Matej Kocak was put into the Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron 2, based at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to support the US Marine Corps Expeditionary Brigade.[5][4]
She was later transferred to the Military Sealift Command Surge Sealift as USNS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK-3005) from 2 October 2012.[6] At 11:30 a.m. of 22 January 2015, she ran aground approximately six nautical miles off the coast of Uruma, Okinawa. She was refloated on 3 February later that year.[7]
Crowley Government Services Inc. was awarded $14,513,105 to maintain USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat (T-AK-3016), USNS PFC Eugene A. Obregon (T-AK-3006), USNS Maj. Stephen W. Pless (T-AK-3007) and Sgt. Matej Kocak on 29 September 2020.[8]
On 21 March 2023, Sgt. Matej Kocak was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register[1] alone with another two ships in the class.
References
- "SGT MATEJ KOCAK (AK 3005)". Naval Vessel Register. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- "Matej Kocak | World War I | U.S. Marine Corps | Medal of Honor Recipient". Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- "SS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK 3005)". www.navysite.de. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- "Cargo Ship Photo Index". Navsource. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- "John B. Waterman" (PDF). Sun Ship Historical Society’s Ships History Page. 9 April 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- "MSC's Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron One Disestablished". MarineLink. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- Larter, David (24 May 2017). "Navy working to free grounded container ship off Japan". Navy Times. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- Keller, Katie (29 September 2020). "Palantir Awarded $91 Million Contract R&D for the US Army Research Laboratory". ClearanceJobs. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
External links
