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Kearsarge Conducts First Underway Replenishment in a Year

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS091218-25
Release Date: 12/18/2009 3:53:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Cristina Gabaldon, USS Kearsarge Public Affairs

USS KEARSARGE, At Sea (NNS) -- Amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) conducted a refueling at sea with USNS Laramie (T-AO-203) Dec. 10, taking on more than 530,000 gallons of marine diesel fuel and 198,000 gallons of jet fuel (JPS).

This was Kearsarge's first underway replenishment (UNREP) in more than one year after undergoing an 11-month dry-dock planned maintenance availability.

"The UNREP was a complete success," said Chief Boatswain's Mate Jason Knapp, Deck Department safety observer during the evolution. "It has been so long since our last UNREP, that 75 percent of Deck Department is new, which we thought would make this more challenging, but everyone pulled their weight, which goes to show how well all the training has paid off."

Replenishing at sea requires team work from every department in order to safely conduct the evolution. The Navigation Department is responsible for establishing course and speed in order to rendezvous alongside another ship. Once alongside, the two ships must maintain a steady distance, between 180 to 200 feet.

As soon as the captains from both ships feel confident they can maintain their position, Gunner's mates use M-14 rifles to send shotlines from one ship to another.
"The M-14 acts as an air compressor," said Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Lorena Hernandez, one of the line shooters. "We insert a blank round in the chamber which sets off the shot line when fired. With proper aim, it works very accurately."

Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Charles Roush and Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Erika Mecum were rig captains during the evolution. Rig captains are responsible for ensuring that the lines between the ships are properly operated.

"We couldn't have done it alone," said Mecum who was especially pleased with the gunner's mates. "Without them we wouldn't have been able to bring the fuel lines over. It was a ship-wide effort and we were all able to work together."

Kearsarge departed Norfolk Naval shipyard in mid-November and will continue conducting sea trials and getting the ship and crew prepared for a scheduled deployment in 2010.

For more news from USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), visit www.navy.mil/local/lhd3/.