Army watercraft supports 25th Infantry Division, 3rd Marines during RIMPAC 2014

OINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (July 9, 2014) -- Logistic Support Vessel-2, the U.S. Army Vessel CW3 Harold A. Clinger, got underway from its home port July 2, to conduct the first of eight surface lifts between Kaneohe Bay and Kawaihae Harbor, Hawaii, in support of the 3rd Marine Regiment as part of the biennial Rim of the Pacific 2014 exercise, referred to as RIMPAC.

The 163rd Transportation Detachment crew picked up approximately 1,500 short tons of Marine equipment for transport to the big island of Hawaii.

The vessel's cargo deck is designed to hold any vehicle in the U.S. Army inventory, and comparable vehicles in sister services and partner nation militaries. The flat bottom boat can carry up to 15 M1 Abrams main battle tanks, or 82 standard containers, which is the equivalent of 17 C-17 aircraft loads.

The boat has both bow and stern ramps for roll-on and off operations and can also beach itself to load or discharge cargo over the shore in as little as four feet of water.

"The RIMPAC surface-lift mission is relatively routine for the crew who regularly transports equipment to the training area for exercises throughout the year," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Francis Lloyd, the vessel commander.

This particular operation gives them an opportunity to work with other services and 22 different nations in the world's largest international exercise, he said, and provides the crew members, many who are directly out of initial training, on-the-job training and experience on the vessel.

During RIMPAC, LSV-2 will also partner with 25th Infantry Division's 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, for casualty evacuation operations and a shipboard aerial resupply with the New Zealand Navy, and conduct Logistics over the Shore operations.

 By Staff Sgt. Gaelen Lowers

  http://www.army.mil/article/129573/Army_watercraft_supports_25th_Infantry_Division__3rd_Marines_during_RIMPAC_2014/