USNS ''Bob Hope'' (T-AKR-300), the

lead ship The lead ship, name ship, or class leader is the first of a series or class of ships that are all constructed according to the same general design. The term is applicable to naval ships and large civilian vessels. Large ships are very comple ...

of its class of vehicle cargo ships for

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

vehicle prepositioning, is a naval ship of the United States named after

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

, the entertainer. Very few ships of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

have been named after a person who was alive at the time of the christening. The contract to build her was awarded to Avondale Industries on 2 September 1993 and her

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element of a watercraft, important for stability. On some sailboats, it may have a fluid dynamics, hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose as well. The keel laying, laying of the keel is often ...

was

laid down Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship. Keel laying is one ...

on 29 May 1995. She was launched on 27 March 1997, and delivered on 18 November 1998. A non-combatant

roll-on/roll-off Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, Trailer (vehicle), trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their ...

(RORO) vessel crewed by U.S. civilian mariners under the Navy's

Military Sealift Command The Military Sealift Command (MSC) is an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the United States Navy. Military Sealift Command has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all U ...

, ''Bob Hope'' and other ships of the class are used to preposition tanks, trucks and other wheeled vehicles and supplies needed to support an army heavy brigade. She has seen service delivering supplies and equipment to the

Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...

and Iraq. ''Bob Hope'' was transferred to the US Maritime Administration on 19 December 2022. Bobs Hopes new berth is Terminal #2 Berth 206 Portland, Oregon. Bob Hope: Named for famed entertainer: Bob Hope is named for entertainer Bob Hope who received the Congressional Gold Metal, the nation's highest civilian honor for his role as "Americas most prized ambassador of goodwill. Bob Hope is the first entertainer to have a Navy Ship named in his honor; appropriate considering his unflagging support of countless American troops over the course of more than five decades. From World War II to Desert Storm, Bob Hope has raised the morale of numerous U.S. troops stationed in war-torn countries far from home. The Honorable John H. Dalton, former Secretary of the Navy, summed it up when he said, "Bob Hope our admiral in charge of entertainment and troop morale."

Features

The ship has two 110-ton Hagglunds deck crane pedestals mounted with twin cranes.

References

External links

MSC Ship Inventory: USNS ''Bob Hope''
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bob Hope (T-AKR-300) Bob Hope-class vehicle cargo ships Auxiliary ships of the United States 1997 ships Ships built in New Orleans Bob Hope