NORFOLK, Va. — They'll be home, and just in time for the holidays.
Around 100 civilian mariners assigned to the Military Sealift Command dry cargo ship USNS Medgar Evers are returning to Hampton Roads.
For the past four months, the ship operated in the Mediterranean Sea. The mission was to re-supply American and coalition partner Navy warships.
The Medgar Evers conducted 31 underway replenishments with ships from the United States as well as ships from France, Greece, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, providing them with diesel fuel, food, ordnance, and supplies.
The ship's master, Captain John Drew, says the deployment was difficult because COVID-19 restrictions severely limited the crew's ability to participate in any liberty calls.
"It's really tough on the crew because they don't have the time to make phone calls or go out in town or anything like that," he said. "But, they've held it together really, really well and kept spirits up as much as possible."
The Medgar Evers is scheduled to return to Naval Station Norfolk on Saturday, but Drew says the major nor'easter which lashed the East Coast on Wednesday could delay the homecoming
The ship transited 32,875 nautical miles during the deployment.
The Military Sealift Command says these ships enable combatants to remain on station and continue their primary mission, without having to resupply at a port, adding they are particularly important when combatants are unable to receive supplies from local ports in theater due to force protection measures.
The ship is named in honor of World War II veteran and civil rights activist Medgar Evers.