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Ammo ship’s story has pop (7/23)

Rare is the circumstance in which an extra pop aboard an ammunition ship isn’t necessarily cause for alarm, but this press release from the U.S. Military Sealift Command fits the description. (The USNS Flint is crewed by members of the SIU Government Services Division.) MSC ammunition ship begins ‘Operation Popcorn’ A Military Sealift Command ship that routinely delivers ordnance to Navy ships will soon deliver a very different type of cargo: ammunition ship USNS Flint will distribute 250,000 bags of donated microwavable popcorn. The 564-foot Flint, which supports the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet, will supply the popcorn to Navy ships at sea and will pass a portion of its edible cargo to other MSC ships that will help to deliver it to thousands of sailors and Marines aboard other Navy ships around the world. Termed Operation Popcorn, the delivery of 3,000 cases of the buttery treat – in addition to already-planned ammunition – will be made by Flint’s civil service mariners. The donation was a result of a coordinated effort between the Boy Scouts of America, Support Our Troops organization and Weaver Popcorn Co., which gave the $70,000 worth of popcorn for Navy sailors and Marines serving far from home. “I am only too happy to be able to support this operation,” said civil service Capt. Robert C. Holley, master of Flint. The ammunition and popcorn were loaded at Naval Magazine Indian Island, Wash., July 20 and 21. Flint will deliver the popcorn over the next three weeks. Cases of butter, butter light and kettle corn will be given to each ship. Flint and other MSC civil-service crewed ships provide ammunition, fuel, food, spare parts and other supplies to Navy ships at sea. The Defense Logistics Agency considers transportation requests for donated goods of this kind. Requests can’t be accommodated unless space is available and operations aren’t affected. Military Sealift Command operates approximately 110 noncombatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, chart ocean bottoms, conduct undersea surveillance, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military equipment and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces. ###