Members of the SIU’s Government Services Division on Nov. 14 welcomed new jobs for civilian mariners as the U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC) accepted transfer of the USS Coronado—a command vessel—from the U.S. Navy.
Some 115 new jobs became available for Seafarers as a result of the historic move, which was made possible through a pilot program designed to integrate civilian mariners into the Navy’s military function.
The vessel transfer marks the first time that merchant mariners will crew a U.S. Navy combatant vessel under the command of an active duty flag officer.
“These are exciting times for both the merchant marine and the military,” said SIU Government Services Division Representative Chester Wheeler. “Our people will be working side by side with active duty sailors on military vessels and sharing their respective areas of expertise. I’m certain the military will benefit as will SIU members.”
The USS Coronado was built by Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company in Seattle. Its keel was laid May 3, 1965, and the ship was launched July 30, 1966. It was commissioned May 23, 1970.
The Coronado was designed as an Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD), built to transport Marines and their equipment to the scene of an amphibious assault and move them ashore by landing craft and helicopters. The ship is one of seven fitted with additional superstructure for command ship duties.
First assigned to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet in the 1970s, the Coronado conducted extensive operations and deployed on numerous occasions to Northern Europe and the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas.
In 1980, the vessel was redesignated an AGF (Miscellaneous Command Ship). Its first assignment was to relieve the USS La Salle (AGF 3) as the command ship for the Commander, U.S. Middle East Force, stationed in the Persian Gulf. Reassigned in October 1985, the Coronado relieved the USS Puget Sound (AD 38) as the command ship of Commander, Sixth Fleet. During its 10-month tour with the Sixth Fleet, it operated out of Gaeta, Italy, participating in operations in the Gulf of Sidra and strikes against Libyan terrorist support facilities.
In July 1986, the Coronado was relieved as the Sixth Fleet command ship and ordered to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to become the command ship for Commander, Third Fleet. Subsequently, the Coronado was relieved as the Third Fleet command ship and deployed to the Arabian Gulf to assume duties as the command ship for Commander, Middle East Force in January of 1988. Upon its return to Pearl Harbor in November 1988, the Coronado again assumed its duties as command ship for the Third Fleet.
The ship remained home-ported in Hawaii until August 1991, when it and the Third Fleet changed homeports to Naval Air Station North Island, in its namesake city of Coronado, Calif.
On Nov. 14, the Coronado was transferred to the Military Sealift Command, becoming the first Command Ship ever to be assigned to MSC. The vessel subsequently was converted to accommodate civilian mariners. Afterwards, it returned to the fleet and resumed duties as the flagship of the Third Fleet.
Since its redesignation from LPD to AGF, it has undergone numerous modifications and today is the flagship of the Third Fleet.
Additional details about the habitability negotiations and the memorandum of understanding covering the Coronado will be published in an upcoming issue of the Seafarers LOG.
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