NASSCO Launches The USNS RED CLOUD August 7, 1999 -- San Diego, California. -- National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) today joined with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army to launch the USNS RED CLOUD, the fourth Sealift New Construction ship being built by NASSCO under the Strategic Sealift Program. At a length of 950 feet, the Sealift New Construction ships are the longest ships ever launched down a sliding ways in the United States. Thousands of NASSCO employees and military personnel participated in the event that was a highlight of San Diego's Fleet Week and NASSCO's annual Family Day. Christening the ship with ceremonial bottles of champagne were two sponsors, Annita Red Cloud, daughter of U.S. Army Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr., for whom the ship is named; and Marilyn Paddick Clemins, wife of Admiral Archie R. Clemins, Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Their respective Matrons of Honor were Tris YellowCloud, daughter of Annita Red Cloud, and Rebecca Clemins Lewis, the Clemins' daughter. Corporal Red Cloud is a posthumous recipient of the U.S. Army Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in Korea in 1950. Speakers featured at the event included Lieutenant General James Link, Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel Command; Rear Admiral John Bepko, III, Deputy Commander, Military Sealift Command; Jesse Atkins, Deputy Commander for the Surface Ship Directorate and Deputy Program Executive Officer for Expeditionary Warfare; and Richard Vortmann, president of NASSCO. USNS RED CLOUD (T-AKR 313) is the fourth of seven Sealift New Construction ships awarded to NASSCO. All seven ships are being named for U.S. Army Medal of Honor recipients. The first three ships - USNS WATSON, USNS SISLER, and USNS DAHL - have been completed and delivered to the Navy ahead of schedule. The fifth ship is already under construction on NASSCO's inclined building ways. The Sealift New Construction ships are large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) ships (LMSRs) with 390,000 square feet of cargo carrying space. The ships are assigned to the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, carrying prepositioned U.S. Army equipment, vehicles, and supplies near potential areas of conflict around the world. The cargo of the Sealift ships includes armored personnel carriers, tanks, tractor-trailers, helicopters, and high-mobility military vehicles. The multi-use capabilities make these cargo ships among the most flexible ever built. In addition to building the seven Strategic Sealift New Construction ships, from 1993-1997 NASSCO converted three containerships to Strategic Sealift ships. A total of 19 LMSRs, both conversions and newbuildings, are planned to be delivered by U.S. shipyards by the year 2001 under the Strategic Sealift program being managed by the Naval Sea Systems Command. This fleet is intended to satisfy the nation's need for increased sealift readiness and capacity. NASSCO, a General Dynamics Company, is the only West Coast shipyard capable of building and repairing large, ocean-going vessels. The shipyard employs approximately 3,500.

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