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Big Horn III (T-AO-198)

1991–

The third U.S. Navy ship named for the stream that is formed by the confluence of the Popo Agie and Wind Rivers in west central Wyoming and that flows north to empty into the Yellowstone River in Treasure County in southeastern Montana.

III

(T-AO-198: displacement 9,500; length 677'; beam 97'; draft 35'; speed 20 knots; complement 103; armament 1 .50-caliber machine gun, 2 20 millimeter Phalanx close in weapon systems (CIWS); class Henry J. Kaiser)

The third Big Horn (T-AO-198) was laid down on 9 October 1989 at New Orleans, La., by Avondale Shipyard, Inc., and launched on 2 February 1991. She was delivered to the Navy and placed in non-commissioned service with a primarily civilian crew under the control of the Military Sealift Command (MSC) in the United States Atlantic Fleet on 21 May 1992.  

Big Horn was one of several U.S. Navy vessels participating in disaster relief after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. During Operation Unified Response, Big Horn transferred 618 pallets of cargo and humanitarian assistance supplies and over 2,000,000 gallons of fuel. She got underway from Naval Station Norfolk, Va., the day after the earthquake struck, arrived on scene off Haiti on 17 January and worked until being relieved by the oiler Leroy Grumman (T-AO-195) on 11 February.

On 22 July 2013, four sailors from Bataan (LHD-5) and three civilian instructors from the Center for Security Forces were injured on board a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) when it collided with Big Horn during a small boat training exercise near Thimble Shoals Channel, Hampton Roads, Va. The exercise was in support of the Amphibious Ready Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU) Visit, Board, Search and Seizure Boat Crew Course.

Detailed history under construction.

Paul J. Marcello

1 December 2015

Published: Wed Dec 02 09:52:29 EST 2015