USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE-14), a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship, is the first ship operated by the United States Navy to be named for Cesar Chavez (1927–1993), labor leader and civil rights activist.[1] Chávez joined the Navy at the age of seventeen in 1944 during World War II, and served for two years.[2]

USNS Cesar Chavez
History
NamesakeCésar Chávez
Awarded26 February 2010
BuilderNational Steel and Shipbuilding
Laid down9 May 2011
Launched5 May 2012
Sponsored byHelen Chavez
In service24 October 2012
Identification
Statusin active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeLewis and Clark-class cargo ship
Displacement41,000 tons (41,700 t)
Length689 ft (210 m)
Beam105.6 ft (32.2 m)
Draft29.9 ft (9.1 m)
PropulsionIntegrated propulsion and ship service electrical system, with generation at 6.6 kV by FM/MAN B&W diesel generators; one fixed pitch propeller; bow thruster
Speed20 knots (37 km/h)
Range14,000 nmi (26,000 km; 16,000 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Capacity
  • Max dry cargo weight:
  •  5,910 LT (6,000 t)
  • Max dry cargo volume:
  •  783,000 cu ft (22,200 m3)
  • Max cargo fuel weight:
  •  2,350 LT (2,390 t)
  • Cargo fuel volume:
  •  18,000 bbl (2,900 m3)
Complement49 military, 123 civilian
Aircraft carriedtwo helicopters

Cesar Chavez's keel was laid down on 9 May 2011 by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) in San Diego.[3] The ship was launched on 5 May 2012.[4]

Notes

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  1. ^ "Navy Names Ship for Civil Rights Activist Cesar Chavez". Navy News Service. 18 May 2011. NNS110518-24. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  2. ^ Tejada-Flores, Rick. "The Fight in the Fields – Cesar Chávez and the Farmworkers Struggle". Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  3. ^ "Cesar Chavez (AKE 14)". Naval Vessel Register. 13 September 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  4. ^ Mitchell, Jeff; Fellman, Sam (21 December 2011). "Naming Navy ship after Cesar Chavez makes waves". The Salinas Californian. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012.
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  Media related to IMO 9593127 at Wikimedia Commons