Future USNS Sojourner Truth, the Navy’s 6th new fleet oiler, launched at NASSCO shipyard
The USNS Sojourner Truth ahead of its launch from NASSCO s Barrio Logan Shipyard Photo retrieved from General Dynamics NASSCO livestream Another giant Navy oiler named for a civil rights icon the future USNS Sojourner Truth was christened and launched Saturday night at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in Barrio Logan The vessel is the sixth built by NASSCO under the John Lewis-Class fleet oiler operation which will eventually number ships crewed by civilians that replenish Navy warships at sea Before the ships launch Sojourner Truth s sixth-generation granddaughter Barbara M Allen cracked a bottle of champagne on the hull to christen the vessel On behalf of my family I would like to sincerely thank you for welcoming us and allowing us to share in this special moment Sojourner was far more than a pioneer She was a beacon of hope an abolitionist a champion for women s rights and a warrior for justice Allen announced Barbara M Allen urgent a champagne bottle to christen the USNS Sojourner Truth Photo from General Dynamics NASSCO livestream Truth escaped from slavery with her daughter in and went on to fight for abolition and human rights through speeches that became widely known such as Ain t I a Woman During the Civil War she recruited Black troops for the Union Army and worked to secure land grants for those freed from slavery though the forty acres and a mule promise never came to fruition The first engagement by peoples of different cultures with American values and our inherent goodness often happens with the Navy explained Dr Brett A Seidle performing the duties of the Under Secretary of the Navy And for that reason how we carry ourselves the way we lead our grace and empathy are incredibly central to inevitably be on display and I can think of no better representation of that than of Sojourner Truth The ship spans the length of two and a half football fields and has the capability to carry nearly seven million gallons of ship and aviation fuel NASSCO President David J Carver described the new vessel as an impressive feat of modern engineering and construction Three more oilers are under construction in the shipyard and two additional ships are under contract
