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USNS ROBERT E. PEARY is the fifth LEWIS AND CLARK - class Dry Cargo / Ammunition Ship and the fourth ship in the Navy named after Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary.
General Characteristics: | Awarded: January 27, 2004 |
Keel laid: December 11, 2006 | |
Launched: October 27, 2007 | |
Delivered: June 5, 2008 | |
Builder: National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, Calif. | |
Propulsion system: Integrated propulsion and ship service electrical system, with generation at 6.6KV by FM/MAN B&W diesel generators | |
Propellers: one | |
Length: 689 feet (210 meters) | |
Beam: 106 feet (32.31 meters) | |
Draft: 29.5 feet (9 meters) | |
Displacement: approx. 41,000 tons full load | |
Speed: 20 knots | |
Dry Cargo Capacity: 1,388,000 cubic feet | |
Fuel Cargo Capacity: 26,000 barrels | |
Aircraft: two helicopters | |
Armament: none | |
Crew: approx. 125 civilians and up to 49 US Navy | |
Homeport: East Coast |
Crew List:
This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USNS ROBERT E. PEARY. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.
About the Ship's Coat of Arms:
The Shield:
Dark blue and gold represent the Navy; grey (Gris) symbolizes the harrowing conditions encountered in an expedition to the Northern wastelands around the pole. The North Pole, goal of the Peary expedition, is represented by the Pole Star. Celeste blue symbolizes the oceans beneath the ice crossed by the explorers. The gold plumb denotes the determination of ocean depths to indicate proximity to the North Pole as the expedition approached it. The anchor represents the Navy and refers also to Peary’s ship, the ROOSEVELT, which transported the group to the starting point of the journey over the ice. Argent (white) signifies high goals and aspirations, gold denotes excellence.
The Crest
Peary’s lead dog appears against a gold demi-disc which alludes to “land of the midnight sun”. The single gold star represents the battle star won by an earlier “PEARY” ship, DD 226, for World War II distinctive service. The three tines of the trident represent that ship and recall the two other vessels to bear the name.
Motto
“KING OF THE TEAM”. The name of Robert E. Peary’s favorite dog, the lead dog, was King. He also gave it the Inuit name “Nalegaksoah” which means “King of the Team”. The polestar (North Star) was also known in antiquity as “the dog-tailed one”.
Accidents aboard USNS ROBERT E. PEARY:
February 5, 2019 | 50 nautical miles south of Charleston, SC. | USS LEYTE GULF (CG 55) collides with USNS ROBERT E. PEARY while conducting an underway replenishment at about 4:00 p.m. PEARY suffers an 8-inch gash above the waterline and the LEYTE GULF suffers damage to the edge of its starboard quarter. |
About the Ship's Name:
Robert Edwin Peary, born at Cresson, Penn., 6 May 1856, was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Navy 26 October 1881.
In addition to his Arctic explorations, he was in charge of the Nicaragua Canal survey 1887–1888. He invented a type of tolling lock gates for the canal. His first Arctic expedition was in 1886 and on his eighth expedition he became the first man to reach the North Pole over the ice, arriving 6 April 1909, following a final dash covering 130 miles in five days. He was promoted to Rear Admiral and given the thanks of Congress by a special act of 30 March 1911. Rear Admiral Peary received honors from numerous scientific societies of Europe and America for his Arctic explorations and discoveries and wrote several books on his experience in the polar regions. He died in Washington, D.C., 20 February 1920.
USNS ROBERT E. PEARY Image Gallery:
The photos below were taken by me at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on March 10, 2008. They show the ROBERT E. PEARY during fit out prior to her delivery to the Military Sealift Command.
The photos below were taken by me and show the ROBERT E. PEARY at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on October 29, 2010.
The photos below were taken by me and show the ROBERT E. PEARY at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on May 6, 2012.
The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the ROBERT E. PEARY at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on October 28, 2013.
The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the ROBERT E. PEARY at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on October 4, 2017.
The photo below was taken by Michael Jenning and shows the ROBERT E. PEARY at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Va., on December 26, 2021.
The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the ROBERT E. PEARY at Norfolk, Va., on October 9, 2023.