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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USTS Kennedy
ex
 USTS Enterprise (2001 - 2009)
SS Cape Bon (AK-5059) (1966 - 2001)

Cape B Class Breakbulk Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down in 1964 as Velma Lykes, a Maritime Administration type (C4-S-66a) hull under Maritime Administration contract (MA 182) at Avondale Industries, New Orleans, LA.
  • Launched in 1966
  • Delivered to the Maritime Administration in 1966, for operation by Lykes Bros SS Co.
  • Purchased from Lykes Bros., 26 June 1985
  • Reacquired by the Maritime Administration, and laid up in reserve at Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA. as part of the Maritime Administrations National Defense Reserve Fleet
  • Renamed SS Cape Bon (AK-5059) in September 1985
  • When activated Cape Bon was assigned to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as one of the Military Sealift Command's Modular Cargo Delivery System Ready Reserve Force (RRF) Ships
  • SS Cape Bon (AK-5059) was outported to Hunters Point San Francisco, 18 February 1986 under MARAD contract DTMA 91-85-C-50574 with International Corp., and a General Agency Agreement with American President Line for RRF 5 status Cape Bon could be activated in 5 days
  • Transferred to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 2001 and renamed USTS Enterprise
  • Renamed USTS Kennedy by Massachusetts Maritime Academy in January 2009
    Specifications:
    Displacement 7,178 t.(lt), 21,840 t.(fl)
    Length 540'
    Beam 76'
    Draft 33' (max.)
    Speed 18 kts.
    Full Operating Status Complement (unknown) Civilian Mariners
    Propulsion High speed twin casing cross compound double reduction gear turbine, single propeller
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Merchant Service
    Cape Bon 81k SS Velma Lykes inbound at Durban, South Africa, June 1985. Photograph courtesy of Kevin Moore - Wellandcanal.ca, Willam Van Maanan Collection Robert Hurst
    MARAD (RRF) Ready Reserve Force
    Cape Bon 46k SS Cape Bon (AK-5059) moored pierside forward of an unidentified cargo ship, date and location unknown. US Maritime Administration
    Cape Bon 11k SS Cape Bon (AK-5059) under way, date and location unknown. US Maritime Administration
    Cape Bon 13k SS Cape Bon (AK-5059) under way with the assistance of tugs, date and location unknown. US Maritime Administration
    Cape Bon 39k SS Cape Bon (AK-5059) during conversion at Bender Ship Repair, Mobile, AL. to the training ship Enterprise. Conversion work began, 1 January 2001 and was completed in 2003. Image from Massachusetts Maritime Academy Robert Hurst
    Massachusetts Maritime Academy
    Cape Bon 21k USTS Enterprise arrives at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Buzzards Bay, MA., 2003. Image from Massachusetts Maritime Academy Robert Hurst
    Enterprise 16k ex-SS Cape Bon (AK-5059) in service as USTS Enterprise moored pierside at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy dock, date unknown. Massachusetts Maritime Academy web site
    Enterprise 13k USTS Enterprise underway, 1 January 2005, renamed USTS Kennedy in January 2009 in honor of the Kennedy family. Image courtesy of MMAPA (Massachusetts Maritime Academy Parents Association) Robert Hurst
    There is no DANFS history available for Cape Bon (T-AK-5059) / USTS Enterprise / USTS Kennedy at NavSource
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 27 May 2016