1st LT. Baldomero Lopez (T-AK-3010)
1985–
Named for Baldomero Lopez, USMC (23 August 1925-15 September 1950) who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for smothering a hand grenade with his own body during the Inchon Landing on 15 September 1950. This is the first ship to bear this name.
(T-AK-3010; displacement 19,588 (light), 46,111 (full); length 673'; beam 106’; draft 30'; speed 17.7 knots; complement 38 civilians, 10 technicians; class 2nd LT John P. Bobo).
The first 1st LT. Baldomero Lopez (T-AK-3010) was built by General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division, Quincy, Mass.; acquired by the Navy under a long-term charter on 20 November 1985; placed in service under the direction of the Military Sealift Command as MV 1st. LT. Baldomero Lopez (AK-3010) to be operated by American Overseas Marine Corporation; purchased by the Military Sealift Command on 17 January 2006 and re-designated USNS 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez (T-AK-3010).
On 16 August 2007 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez and MV Pvt. Franklin J. Phillips, two civilian-crewed ships operated by the Military Sealift Command joined a multi-national, anti-terrorism exercise in the South China Sea and Strait of Malacca. These ships were the focal points of several training scenarios during Southeast Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism. The ships passed through the territorial waters of the other participating countries - Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia - during a portion of the weeklong exercise. The Asian navies tracked them and responded to simulated challenges, such as searching the ships for suspicious cargo or crew members. During the exercise, both vessels served as platforms for U.S. Coast Guard teams to train foreign military personnel on how to board and search suspicious vessels.
On 27 April 2008 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez and 1st Lt. Harry L. Martin (T-AK-3015) arrived off the coast of Chuk Samet, Thailand. Anchored about three miles from shore, Lopez and Martin offloaded a total of 16 pieces of lighterage. Six pieces of this lighterage were pieced together to form a 180-foot by 63-foot floating platform called a roll-on/roll-off discharge facility, which was placed at the end of Lopez's stern ramp. On 28 April offload operations began as rolling stock was driven down Lopez's ramp onto the floating platform and then onto powered lighterage, which transported the cargo to shore. Containerized cargo was lifted onto the powered lighterage for transport ashore by one of Lopez's three shipboard cranes. The two ships completed the at-sea offload of more than 350 pieces of equipment and supplies belonging to the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force. The cargo, including wheeled and tracked vehicles, ammunition and supplies, was used in Exercise Cobra Gold which commenced on 8 May.
Detailed history pending.
Christopher B. Havern Sr.
14 December 2015
