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Medal of Honor
recipients honored in
ships’ service

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By Gregg K. Kakesako
Star-Bulletin

Two Navy combat cargo vessels named after Hawaii Korean War Medal of Honor recipients will be placed into service this year.

The USNS Mendonca (T-AKR 303) will join the Navy's Military Sealift Command's combat pre-positioning fleet of 19 medium-speed roll-on/roll-off ships Jan. 30.

In July the Mendonca will be joined by its sister ship, the Pililaau, named after another Hawaii Korean War Medal of Honor winner, Pvt. 1st Class Herbert Pililaau.

Both vessels are 950 feet long and can carry more than 62,000 tons of cargo.

Marge Holtz, director of public affairs for the Sealift Command, said the Pililaau and the Mendonca are considered "surge ships" whose job will be to ferry combat equipment and supplies to soldiers in a fighting area.

"They will be kept in the U.S. and operated at a reduced capacity, but ready to load equipment when the need arises," she said.

"It was like during the Gulf War when we had to surge combat equipment and war stocks from the U.S. to the Gulf."

Army Sgt. Leroy Mendonca, a member of the 7th Regiment, 3rd Division, was posthumously awarded the nation's highest medal for valor near Chich-on on July 2, 1951. He is credited with killing 37 North Korean soldiers while covering his platoon's withdraw from Hill 586.

The 19-year-old died fighting with his rifle butt and bayonet when his ammunition ran out.

Pililaau, 23, was killed in hand-to-hand combat while defending a portion of "Heartbreak Ridge" near Pi-ri on Sept. 17, 1951. He is credited with killing 40 North Koreans in the battle, which won him the Medal of Honor. Like Mendonca, Pililaau stayed behind to cover the withdraw of his company after supplies and ammunition began to run out.

He was a member of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division.

The USNS Pililaau (T-AKR 304) is expected to begin active service July 12. It will be the third Military Sealift Command cargo ship named after a Hawaii war hero.

Three years ago, another combat cargo ship was named after Sgt. 1st Class Rodney Yano, a Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient.

The USNS Yano (T-AKR 297), a converted commercial container ship, initially was stationed in the Diego Garcia Gulf as part of the force strategically located throughout the world to provide quick response delivery of Army equipment.

Holtz said the Yano is now also a "surge ship." These vessels are crewed by the Merchant Marine.