SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The U.S. Navy will christen the final Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) ship, the future USNS Hector A. Cafferata Jr. (ESB 8) during a ceremony at General Dynamics (GD) NASSCO Shipyard, Saturday, March 7 at 9:00 a.m. (PDT).
The principal address will be delivered by Sgt. Maj. Carlos Ruiz, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps. Additional speakers will include The Honorable Benjamin Kohlmann, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs; Vice Adm. John Wade, commander, U.S. Third Fleet; Rear Adm. Benjamin Nicholson, commander, Military Sealift Command; and Mr. David Carver, president of General Dynamics NASSCO.
In a time-honored tradition, ship sponsors Heather Cafferata, daughter of the namesake, and Jessica Cafferata, granddaughter of the namesake, will christen the ship by breaking a bottle of champagne across the bow.
The ship is named in honor of U.S Marine Corps Reserve Pvt. Hector A. Cafferata Jr., a Medal of Honor recipient recognized for his life-saving heroism at the Battle of Chosin during the Korean War. Surviving the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, he is among those called "The Chosin Few".
Today's ceremony underscores the Navy's commitment to building America's Golden Fleet. For 250 years, American naval power has projected strength globally. That mission continues - and intensifies. We operate forward 24/7, 365 days a year. This operational tempo demands continuous capability delivery, and the Golden Fleet is our answer.
ESBs are optimized to support a variety of maritime based missions, including Special Operations Forces, Airborne Mine Counter Measures, Crisis Response Force Sea Basing, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance and Unmanned Aviation Systems. The ESBs, which include a four spot V-22 sized flight deck, mission deck and hangar, are designed around four core capabilities: aviation facilities, berthing, equipment staging support, and command and control assets.
As a Department of War acquisition organization, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships and craft, and auxiliary ships, including special mission ships, sealift ships and support ships.
