Photo By Ryan Carter | Norfolk, Va. (October 1, 2024) - Capt. Kimberly E. Jones, left, and Stanley...... read more read more
Military Sealift Command held a ceremony at its headquarters on Naval Station Norfolk Oct. 1 to celebrate the command’s 75th anniversary.
The ceremony included a cake-cutting, reading of the command’s history, presentation of the commemorative 75th Anniversary scrolls and remarks from MSC Commander, Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck. Several civil service mariners (CIVMARs), military and staff members attended the event, and hundreds of others observed online as MSC’s newest employee, Capt. Kimberly Jones, and one of its longer serving employee, Stanley Washington, cut the cake officially recognizing the historic day.
“Our mariners and their teammates ashore remain steadfast and committed to delivering agile logistics, strategic sealift, and specialized missions anywhere in the world,” Sobeck said during the ceremony, “So today, in recognition of those efforts, we celebrate our CIVMARs, past and present, and the civilians and service members who have supported them in helping MSC achieve 75 years of maritime excellence.”
On Oct. 1, 1949, the Military Sea Transportation (MSTS), was stood up to become the single managing agency for the Department of Defense’s ocean transportation needs. MSTS, which would become MSC during the Vietnam War, assumed responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all military services as well as for other government agencies.
Throughout the decades, the command, its mariners and staff members have been involved in every major U.S. conflict. On July 6, 1950, MSTS transported troops from the 24th Infantry Division its equipment from Japan to Pusan, South Korea, after the initial invasion of South Korea by North Korean troops in the Korean War.
During the Vietnam War, from 1965 to 1969, MSC transported nearly 54 million tons of combat equipment and supplies and nearly 8 million tons of fuel to Vietnam. MSC also transported thousands of troops during the war.
MSC ships delivered more than 12 million tons of wheeled and tracked vehicles, helicopters, ammunition, dry cargo, fuel and other supplies during the first Persian Gulf War starting in 1991.
In March of 2003 on the heaviest day of delivering combat gear to Kuwait for Operation Iraqi Freedom, MSC operated 167 ships stretching from the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts to Kuwait, delivering a constant stream of combat material, supplies, vehicles and helicopters delivered to U.S. forces in the Middle East.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, MSC ships have played a vital and continuing role in contingency operations around the world, delivering combat equipment and supplies to U.S. and coalition forces that operated in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Today, MSC operates several new classes of vessels, all with modernized systems in support of U.S. Navy requirements. MSC is also focused on delivering emerging capabilities such as new connectors, unmanned aerial resupply and expeditionary munitions reload to better support distributed maritime logistics.
Through innovation, technology and the most talented workforce in the world, MSC is prepared to take on the challenges of an ever-evolving maritime environment to continue to support the joint force for another 75 years.
“Commemorating our history allows us to reflect on our past achievements, and our team can take great pride in having contributed to an impressive 75-year legacy,” Sobeck said. “And now we shift our attention from the past to future and look at where we need to go in the next 75 years to ensure MSC remains the premier maritime logistics provider for the Navy and our nation.”
During the ceremony, Sobeck was presented one of two commemorative scrolls as part of Operation Signature. The scrolls, affixed with MSC’s official 75th Anniversary logo, have been transferred to MSC commands and ships around the world since April and have been signed by thousands of CIVMARS, military members and staff members as part of the yearlong celebration.
“I would like to thank the families who support our teams, often at great sacrifice; they too share in the legacy of the command and today’s celebration,” Sobeck said concluding his remarks. “I am proud to serve alongside you as we begin the next 75 years. This is a team sport; working together we are unstoppable and ready to face any challenge. ‘United We Sail so that Together We Deliver’!”
| Date Taken: | 10.01.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.01.2024 14:56 |
| Story ID: | 482243 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 193 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Military Sealift Command Celebrates its 75th Anniversary, by Hendrick Dickson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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