USNS Robert E. Simanek Departs San Diego for New Home on East Coast

Story by Sarah Cannon?

Military Sealift Command Pacific

In the midst of a West Coast storm, Military Sealift Command’s newest expeditionary sea base USNS Robert E. Simanek (ESB-7), departed San Diego, Calif., enroute to its new home on the East Coast yesterday.

The 785 foot ship honors Private 1st Class Robert E. Simanek, a United States Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean War at Outpost Irene, Korea. During the battle, Simanek threw himself on grenade, absorbing the explosion with his body and shielding his fellow Marines from serious injury or death. While he sustained severe injuries to his legs, Simanek survived, and spent a year recovering.

Built and christened at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, Simanek is the seventh ship in the expeditionary mobile base platform build for MSC, and the third expeditionary staging base model. When in mission status, Simanek will primarily support aviation mine countermeasure and special operations force missions. In addition to the flight deck, the ship has a hangar with two aviation operating spots capable of handling MH-53E Sea Dragon-equivalent helicopters; accommodations, work spaces, and ordnance storage for embarked force; enhanced command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence to support embarked force mission planning and execution; and reconfigurable mission deck area to store embarked force equipment to include mine sleds and rigid hull inflatable boats.

“Watching one of our ships leave San Diego as they transition to a new area of operations is always bittersweet,” said Capt. Micah Murphy, commander, Military Sealift Command Pacific. “When the ship was built here, christened here, and delivered here, there is a true feeling of ownership for all of us at MSCPAC. Knowing Simanek will go on to support future missions and to shine a light on MSC, makes all of us proud to have been a part of her life to this point.”

MSC directs and supports operations for approximately 140 civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships at sea, conduct specialized missions, preposition combat cargo at sea around the world, perform a variety of support services, and move military equipment and supplies to deployed U.S. forces. MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations, with a workforce that includes approximately 6,000 Civil Service Mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and reserve military personnel.

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