The Military Sealift Command cargo ship USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat arrived Sunday in Tallinn, Estonia, for a scheduled port visit, marking the ship’s first trip to Estonia, a spokeswoman said.
The Wheat is part of the three-ship U.S. Navy Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron One, forward deployed year-round in Europe and operating predominantly in the Mediterranean Sea.
“Port visits like this one to Estonia are vital in strengthening the partnership between our two nations,” Navy Capt. Jim Driscoll, squadron commander, stated in a news release.
“August is a special month for this ship and we cannot think of a better place to spend it than Tallinn,” Capt. Rick Jordan, the ship’s civilian master, stated in the release.
Aug. 11 marks the 39th anniversary of the death of the ship’s namesake, Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Roy M. Wheat. Wheat died Aug. 11, 1967, during the Vietnam War, throwing himself on an exploding mine to save the lives of fellow Marines.