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US Navy to evaluate anchorages in Palau
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Posted on Apr 17 2009
[B]SANTA RITA, Guam[/B]—USNS 1st Lt. Jack Lummus arrived in the Republic of Palau April 16.
Embarked on the ship is Maritime Prepositioning Ships Squadron 3, which is an operational asset of the U.S. Navy Seventh Fleet.
The primary objective of the port call is to evaluate the short-term suitability of offshore anchorages for use by large preposition ships. During the visit, military staff members and the ship’s civilian mariners will also conduct various community relations projects:
April 17, 20-22 and 27: Personnel will visit local schools to speak during Earth Week school mini-fairs in the state of Airai and Koror. Sailors will also talk about their life on board a ship and what ships do to help protect the environment.
April 18: Personnel will participate in a state cleanup with the Koror State Sanitation and Youth Divisions.
As part of the Navy’s strategic sealift capability, MPSRON 3 is responsible for the Military Sealift Command Prepositioning Program in the Western Pacific Ocean. Its 10 assigned ships carry afloat prepositioned cargo for U.S. military forces. MPSRON 3 ships move from port to port in many allied nations in the Pacific Rim throughout the year. On 24-hours notice, every MPSRON 3 ship can leave port and sail anywhere in the world and deliver combat support and equipment that the Army and Marines need to accomplish their missions.
Lummus is one of Military Sealift Command’s 15 large container and roll-on/roll-off ships and is part of the 32 ships in the Prepositioning Program. The ship is operated by approximately 30 U.S. government contractor merchant mariners. [B][I](USN)[/I][/B]
