ONE of two high speed ferries recently purchased by the U.S. Navy will bear Guam’s name.
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus made the announcement yesterday that the ferries will be renamed the USNS Guam and the USNS Puerto Rico.
The acquisition of the vessels was authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012. Both vessels will be used to transport military personnel and equipment to training areas from Okinawa and other locations in the Asia-Pacific region.
"High speed ferries will be used for peacetime operations such as troop transport training, exercise missions, and humanitarian and disaster relief," Mabus stated. "I am pleased that Guam and Puerto Rico will serve as namesakes for these important additions to the fleet, in honor of their strong military heritage and our many shared values."
Prior to being acquired by the U.S. Navy, both vessels assisted in humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti while operating under the names Alakai and Huakai. USNS Guam and USNS Puerto Rico are currently being modified to support military operations and to increase the platforms' endurance by installing crew berthing, sewage treatment plants, and water-making equipment.
Guam Delegate Madeleine Z. Bordallo in a statement said she personally received a phone call from Mabus about the vessel being named after Guam.
Bordallo has made numerous requests in the past for a vessel to be named after Guam. Previous ships bearing Guam in its name include the Iwo Jima Class Amphibious Assault Ship (LPH-9), which was decommissioned in August 1998; and the Alaska-class cruiser (CB-2), decommissioned in February 1947.
“The U.S. Navy has been integral to the history of Guam and remains an important presence in our community,” Bordallo said as she thanked Mabus for the recognition of the island.
“The USNS Guam will help transport military personnel in the Asia-Pacific region and will likely be utilized to support operations in and around Guam in the coming years. Prior ships with this name have played important roles in the surrender of the Japanese forces during World War II and in Operation Desert Storm, and I am confident that this military transport high speed ferry will be a critical asset to the readiness of our forces in the Asia-Pacific region,” she stated.
