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TAKR 302 Seay

USNS SEAY (T-AKR 302), the third of seven BOB HOPE Class Strategic Sealift ships Litton Avondale Industries is building, was delivered to the U. S. Navy on March 28, 2002 ahead of schedule.

Sgt. William W. Seay

The ship will be named in honor of U.S. Army Sgt. William W. Seay (1948-1968), a native of Brewton, Ala., who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his gallantry in action at the cost of his own life in Vietnam on Aug. 25, 1968. Sgt. Seay distinguished himself while serving as a driver with the 62nd Transportation Company on a resupply mission near Ap Hi, Republic of Vietnam. The convoy, with which he was traveling, was carrying critically needed ammunition and supplies, was ambushed by a reinforced battalion of the North Vietnamese Army. As the main elements of the convoy entered the ambush killing zone, they were struck by intense rocket, machinegun and automatic weapon fire from the well-concealed and entrenched enemy force. When the convoy was forced to stop, Sgt. Seay dismounted and took a defensive position behind the wheels of a vehicle loaded with high- explosive ammunition. As the violent North Vietnamese assault approached to within 10 meters of the road, Sgt. Seay opened fire, killing two of the enemy. He then spotted a sniper in a tree and killed him. When an enemy grenade was thrown under an ammunition trailer, he left his protective cover, picked up the grenade, and threw it back to the North Vietnamese position, killing four more of the enemy and saving the lives of the men around him. Another enemy grenade landed approximately three meters from Sgt. Seay's position.

Again Sgt. Seay left his cover and threw the grenade back upon the assaulting enemy. After returning to his position he was wounded in the right wrist; however, he continued giving encouragement and direction to fellow soldiers. After moving to the cover of a shallow ditch, he detected three enemy soldiers who had penetrated the position and were preparing to fire on his comrades. Although weak from loss of blood and with his right hand immobilized, Sgt. Seay stood up and fired his rifle with his left hand, killing all three and saving the lives of the men in his location. As a result of his heroic action, Sgt. Seay was mortally wounded by a sniper's bullet.