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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
--The
M/V SSG Edward A. Carter, Jr. (T-AK 4544) will be named during
a pier side ceremony and reception at Norfolk Shipbuilding &
Drydock Corporation (NORSHIPCO), 750 West Berkley, on June 12,
2001, at 10:30 a.m. NORSHIPCO is a member of the United States
Marine Repair (USMR) family of shipyards, America's largest non-nuclear
ship repair, modernization, conversion and overhaul company. In
addition to NORSHIPCO, the company's headquarters, USMR shipyards
are located in San Diego, San Pedro and San Francisco, Calif;
and Ingleside, Texas. The Carlyle Group, a Washington, D.C.-based
private investment firm, owns USMR.
The Military Sealift Command (MSC) ship, owned and operated by
Maersk Line Inc., Ltd. (MLL), is under a long-term charter to
MSC. A unit of New Jersey-based Maersk Inc., the American arm
of Denmark's A.P. Moller Group and one of the world's largest
shipping firms, MLL is based in Norfolk's Riverside Commerce Center.
The company employs 120 people and operates 53 vessels, nine of
which are owned by MLL. The crewmembers on all of the vessels
are United States Merchant Marine mariners.
The 950-foot ship arrived at NORSHIPCO on March 1, 2001, and is
undergoing a conversion from a commercial container ship to a
self-sustaining, prepositioning Army ammunition container ship,
capable of carrying 2,500 20-foot containers. Prepositioning ships
are stationed around the world near potential conflict sites,
where there is a need for quick availability of military equipment.
The ship is scheduled to be delivered to MSC on June 13, 2001.
Upon delivery, Carter will join a fleet of more than 35 Afloat
Prepositioning Force ships under MSC's operational control and
will operate from the Diego Garcia area in the Indian Ocean.
NORSHIPCO also performed the conversion on the Carter's sister
ship, M/V Lt. Col. John U.D. Page. A naming ceremony for Page
was held at the shipyard in February of this year.
The main work package includes the installation of four new MacGregor
cranes, the modification of container cell guiders, installation
of a cargo hold cooling water spray system and cargo hold environmental
control system, wheel shafting and rudder and sea valve repaires.
The ship will be painted while in drydock.
Brad Sauer, president of MLL will serve as the master of ceremonies.
The company's CEO John Reinhart and retired Navy Vice Adm. Al
Krekich, president of NORSHIPCO and COO of USMR, will make welcoming
remarks. Allene Carter, wife of Sgt. Carter's son, Edward Carter
III, is the ship's sponsor. As the sponsor, she will break the
ceremonial bottle of champagne, officially naming the ship. Sandy
Carter, Allene's daughter, will be the maid of honor. Karen Carter,
wife of William Carter, will assist Allene as the matron of honor.
Sgt. Carter's sons, Edward A. Carter III and William Carter will
also be present. The Atlantic Fleet Band will provide entertainment,
and the Joint Color Guard will present the colors.
The ship is being named after Staff Sgt. Edward A. Carter Jr.,
who, in 1997, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, our
country's highest military honor, by President Clinton for heroism
during World War II. Sgt. Carter had been denied this honor for
no apparent reason other than his race. During World War II, more
than a million African-Americans served in the military. However,
not one received a Medal of Honor for valor. To begin making amends
for the injustices, the United States Army finally addressed the
situation in 1992, when then-acting Army Secretary John Shannon
ordered a research study. Five historians from Shaw University
in Raleigh, North Carolina, were commissioned to conduct the study.
In 1995 they delivered a report showing there was no official
proof that black soldiers had even been considered for the award,
confirming that widespread racism existed during the war despite
the fact that many of these men were heroes. In fact, Carter received
the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second-highest decoration
for valor in combat, one of only nine awarded to black soldiers
during the war, on March 23, 1945, near Speyer, Germany. While
leading his patrol under enemy fire, he was wounded yet managed
to courageously fight off a Nazi attack and take enemy prisoners.
Despite his wounds and his refusal to be evacuated for treatment,
he stayed on and provided enough information about the position
of the enemy to his superiors to enable his company to clear a
road to Speyer and capture the city from the Germans.
Determined to find answers to many unanswered questions, the family,
led by Allene Carter, the ship's sponsor and Carter's daughter-in-law,
searched extensively for the truth about unjust accusations against
Carter during his military service. At one time, he was suspected
of having ties to the Communist Party, which was later proven
to be totally unfounded.
Because of Allene's relentless pursuit of the facts, it was discovered
that her father-in-law was unfairly denied re-enlistment in 1949,
even after having been declared a "born soldier " by
the Army and despite a distinguished history of bravery and loyalty
in service to his country. The American Civil Liberties Union
and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
took up Carter's cause in the 1950's to help him rejoin the Army.
These two organizations were unsuccessful, and he was never again
given the chance to re-enlist and pursue his life's goals.
In 1963, demoralized and still without any answers as to why he
was denied re-enlistment, Carter died of lung cancer and was buried
in the National Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Said Al Krekich of the upcoming celebration, "It is a pleasure
and an honor to be able to name the ship after such a dedicated,
loyal American. We are all looking forward to meeting his family
and to personally expressing our appreciation for his bravery
during the war. Staff Sgt. Carter most certainly deserves the
Medal of Honor, and I'm happy that he was finally recognized for
his many sacrifices to our country."
Reinhart also added, "All of us are pleased and privileged
to recognize Staff Sgt. Carter and his family on this special
occasion."
Don Everton
(757)494-4526
Tom Boyd
(973)514-5617
Marge Holtz
(202)685-5055
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