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Sisler (T-AKR-311)

1998–

First U.S. Navy ship named in honor of First Lieutenant George Kenton Sisler who was a U. S. Army soldier killed in action during the Vietnam War and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on 7 February 1967.

George Kenton Sisler was born on 19 September 1937 in Dexter, MO. After attending Arkansas State University, he joined the Army in 1964 and served in the headquarters company of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces.

On 7 February 1967, Sisler was the platoon leader of an exploitation force on patrol deep within enemy dominated territory and was attacked from three directions by a company sized enemy force. He quickly rallied his men, deployed them to a better defensive position, called for air strikes and moved among his men to encourage and direct their efforts. Learning that two men had been wounded and were unable to pull back to the perimeter, Sisler charged from the position through intense enemy fire to assist them. He reached the men and began carrying one of them back to the perimeter when he was subjected to intense fire by the enemy. Laying down the wounded man, he killed three onrushing enemy soldiers with his rifle and destroyed the enemy machinegun with a grenade. As he returned the wounded man to the perimeter, the left flank of the position came under extremely heavy attack by the superior enemy force and several additional men of his platoon were quickly wounded. Realizing the need for instant action to prevent his position from being overrun, Sisler picked up several grenades and charged single-handedly into the enemy onslaught, firing his weapon and throwing grenades. This forced the enemy to begin withdrawing. Despite the continuing enemy fire, Sisler was moving about the battlefield directing air strikes when he fell mortally wounded.

George Kenton Sisler is interred at Dexter Cemetery Dexter, MO.

(T-AKR-311: displacement 62,644; length 950'; beam 106'; draft 34'; speed 24 knots; complement 30 civilian and 5 active duty; class Watson)

Sisler (T-AKR-311) was laid down on 15 April 1997 at San Diego, Calif., by National Steel & Shipbuilding Co.; and launched on 28 February 1998. She entered non-commissioned U.S. Navy service with the Military Sealift Command (MSC) with a primarily civilian crew on 1 December 1998. A non-combatant Large, Medium-Speed, Roll-on/Roll-off (LMSR) vessel, Sisler and other ships of her class are used to pre-position tanks, trucks, various wheeled vehicles and supplies needed to support an army heavy brigade. She is assigned to Afloat Prepositioning Ship Squadron Four at Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory.

Sisler (T-AKR-311)
One of nearly 300 U.S. Army Stryker vehicles ascends the stern ramp of Sisler during loading operations in Tacoma, Washington. (U.S Navy photo by Susan Melow)

After analyzing economic and safety issues, MSC replaced lights in the habitability spaces and cargo holds of Sisler with high-efficiency alternatives to existing fluorescent and high-pressure sodium vapor lighting and installed intelligent light switches. The lights consisted of T8 fluorescent and light-emitting diode (LED). Both T8s and LEDs use significantly less energy to produce the same luminance and have increased life expectancy over the T12 fluorescents. The new lighting reduced the instantaneous lighting load of fixtures by approximately 40 percent while providing similar lighting levels. This equated to an estimated fuel savings of approximately 400 barrels per year for Sisler. In the original design of the vessel, the cargo hold lighting could only be shut off using circuit breakers that were not conveniently located, and as a result, lights were typically left on whether or not anyone was working in a cargo hold.

Sisler (T-AKR-311) -1
Sisler after LED installation, cargo hold lighting retrofit measurement and verification testing.

Detailed history pending.

Paul J. Marcello

6 January 2016

Published: Wed Feb 10 11:16:08 EST 2016