USNS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK 3005)

- SS SGT. MATEJ KOCAK, formerly SS JOHN D. WATERMAN -
- Military Sealift Command -
- stricken -

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Built as commercial container ship JOHN D. WATERMAN in 1981, the ship was purchased by the Maritime Administration (MARAD) in December 1982 and later entered the NASSCO shipyard for conversion to a maritime prepositioning ship. The conversion was finished in October 1984 and the ship entered service as SS SGT. MATEJ KOCAK becoming the first ship in the Navy named after US Marine Corps Sgt. Matej Kocak.

The SGT. MATEJ KOCAK was operated by the Waterman Steamship Co. until stricken on March 21, 2023. Ex-KOCAK arrived under tow for scrapping at Brownsville, Tx., on September 13, 2024.

General Characteristics:	Delivered: March 1981
	Builder: Pennsylvania SB Company, Chester, Pa.
	Purchased by MARAD: December 1982
	Conversion yard: National Steel and Shipbuilding, San Diego, CA
	Conversion started: August 1983
	Delivered: October 1984
	Stricken: March 21, 2023
	Propulsion system: Steam turbines, 2 boilers
	Propellers: one
	Length: 821.5 feet (250.4 meters)
	Beam: 105.6 feet (32.2 meters)
	Draft: 33.1 feet (10.1 meters)
	Displacement: approx. 48,750 tons full load
	Speed: 20 knots
	Aircraft: helicopter platform only
	Armament: none
	Capacity: 152,524 sq. ft. vehicle 1,544,000 gallons petroleum 94,780 gallons water 540 TEU
	Crew: 34 civilians, 10 technicians

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USNS SGT. MATEJ KOCAK. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

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About the Ship's Name:

USNS SGT. MATEJ KOCAK is named in honor of US Marine Corps Sgt. Matej Kocak who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Viller-Cottertes section, south of Soissons, France, 18 July 1918.

Citation (Navy):

For extraordinary heroism while serving with the Sixty-sixth Company, Fifth Regiment, Second Division, in action in the Viller-Cottertes section, south of Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. When a hidden machine gun nest halted the advance of his battalion, Sergeant Kocak went forward alone unprotected by covering fire and worked his way in between the German positions in the face of heavy enemy fire. Rushing the enemy position with his bayonet, he drove off the crew. Later the same day, Sergeant Kocak organized French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led them in attacking another machine-gun nest, which was also put out of action.