GTS Admiral W. M. Callaghan

GTS Admiral W. M. Callaghan was first constructed to be used in an commercial capacity but later optioned by Military Sealift Command to be used in logistical work throughout the fleet to deal with the changing needs of the military. The ship was delivered in 1967 and was used for transport responsibilities during the Vietnam War. It has been used in a variety of different services in its history since it was initially launched, including the War on Terror in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The ship was named after Admiral William M. Callaghan who captained the battleship USS Missouri and was the first commander of the Military Sea Transportation Service, which would later become the Military Sealift Command.

History
United States
Namesake	Admiral William M. Callaghan
Owner	American Export Isbrandtsen Lines
Builder	Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Chester, Pennsylvania
Laid down	1966
Launched	1967
Renamed	GTS Admiral W. M. Callaghan
Identification	IMO number: 6801664 MMSI number: 367167000 Callsign: KGYE
Notes	The ship is capable of being fully activated within 5 days
General characteristics
Class and type	Roll-on/Roll-off Ship
Displacement	26,537 long tons (26,963 t)
Length	694 ft 3 in (211.61 m)
Beam	92 ft (28 m)
Draft	29 ft (8.8 m)
Propulsion	2 × LM2500 gas turbines, two props
Speed	21.3 knots (39.4 km/h; 24.5 mph)
Range	not disclosed
Capacity	up to 750 vehicles and cargo
Complement	When active 25, when in reserve 9

Carrying a battalion of Pershing missiles in August 1969

In August 1969, Admiral W. M. Callaghan transported the first battalion of the Pershing 1a Field Artillery Missile System from Port Canaveral to West Germany.

References

•  This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.

External links

• Ship's official page on Military Sealift Command Archived 2012-06-14 at the Wayback Machine