Shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO christened the USNS Hector A. Cafferata Jr. (ESB 8), the sixth and final ship in the U.S. Navy's Expeditionary Sea Base program, during a ceremony at its San Diego shipyard on Saturday.
Heather Cafferata, daughter of the ship's namesake, and Jessica Cafferata, granddaughter, served as ship co-sponsors and christened the vessel.
The ship is named for Pvt. First Class Hector A. Cafferata Jr., who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean War Battle of Chosin Reservoir in November 1950. During the battle, Cafferata single-handedly held off a regimental-strength enemy force and saved wounded Marines by hurling away a live grenade that had landed in their midst, at the cost of serious personal injury. President Harry Truman presented the Medal of Honor to Cafferata in a White House ceremony in 1952.
"Ships are not just steel and machinery — they carry legacies, and they connect past generations to future ones," said David Carver, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. "The remarkable story of valor and sacrifice of Hector Cafferata Jr. will soon sail across the globe, carried by a ship that embodies his courage and dedication."
The ceremony was attended by Benjamin C. Kohlman, assistant secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs; Carlos Del Toro, former secretary of the Navy; Vice Adm. John F.G. Wade, commander, U.S. Third Fleet; Rear Adm. Benjamin Nicholson, commander, Military Sealift Command; Sgt. Maj. Carlos Ruiz, sergeant major of the Marine Corps; Marine Col. Jay Vargus, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient; and Capt. Alexander Delver, the ship's civil service master.
"USNS Hector A. Cafferata Jr. joins a fleet of ships named for warriors who never gave up the fight, putting themselves in harm's way for their county, their families, and their brothers and sisters in arms – without hesitation," Nicholson said.
The 784' vessel is configured with a 52,000-sq.-ft. flight deck to support MH-53, MH-60, MV-22 tilt-rotor, and H1 aircraft operations. The ship includes a hangar with two aviation operating spots capable of handling MH-53E Sea Dragon-equivalent helicopters, accommodations and workspaces for embarked forces, and a reconfigurable mission deck area to store equipment, including mine sleds and rigid hull inflatable boats.
Lewis B. Puller-class ESB ships are mobile sea-based assets designed to support deployment of forces, equipment, supplies, and warfighting capability. The ESB variant is designed around four core capabilities: aviation, berthing, equipment staging area, and command and control.
When activated, Cafferata will primarily support aviation mine countermeasure and special operations force missions and will be operated by Military Sealift Command.
The first five ships in the ESB program — USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3), USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4), USS Miguel Keith (ESB 5), USS John L. Canley (ESB 6), and USNS Robert E. Simanek (ESB 7)—have been delivered to the U.S. Navy.
"We look forward to welcoming USNS Hector A. Cafferata Jr. into our operational family, where it will play a critical role in how the Navy adapts, innovates, and fights," Nicholson said.
