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Army gains
landing craft
Active and Reserve units
await a third support vessel
at their new headquarters
It's not a well-known fact, but the Army and the Pacific Army Reserve maintain a small navy.
On Feb. 11, the Army Reserve dedicated its new $11 million headquarters building on Hickam Air Force Base, and by this summer, officials hope to take the helm of one of the military's newest support vessels.
The 548th Transportation Detachment of the Army Reserve will share the building with the active Army's 545th Harbormaster Office Detachment.
The Army operates and maintains two 273-foot support vessels -- Clinger (LSV 2) and Gross (LSV 5) -- in Hawaii.
The Army unit was forced to relocate from Ford Island after the Navy decided to develop the island for housing and recreational use. That also meant refurbishing the three piers fronting the Navy's Mobile Diving Salvage Unit 1 to accommodate three support vessels.
Both the Army and Reserve units are now eagerly awaiting the arrival of the third boat -- the Army Reserve's newest 315-foot support vessel, named after Army Staff Sgt. Robert Kuroda, who earned the Medal of Honor for his service in World War II.
Kuroda's crew of eight warrant officers and 24 enlisted soldiers are all reservists.
The support vessel Kuroda was christened May 23, 2003. It cost $32 million to build and will be the seventh vessel in the Frank S. Besson class of logistic support vessels. It is built to carry more than 2,000 tons.
"It is the newest in the line of heavy-lift landing crafts," said Army Reserve Chief Warrant Officer Daniel Feil, who commands the 32-member 548th Transportation Detachment. "It is 60 feet wide and can haul 24 tanks and 40 to 50 Stryker combat vehicles."
Because of its shallow draft, the Kuroda is suited to tactical resupply missions in remote and undeveloped coastlines and inland waterways with unimproved beaches, according to the Army.
The Army Reserve unit also operates an 85-foot training vessel that is capable of transporting one truck to the beach, but that is used primarily to teach reservists how to operate small vessels.
The 548th, like every Hawaii Reserve and National Guard unit, is sending soldiers to Iraq. Three members are headed there.
Three other members of the unit were mobilized and are on active duty at Schofield Barracks. Seven 548th soldiers are on 179 days of active duty as members of honor guards and rifle-firing squads at military funerals throughout the islands.
There is a benefit to being a member of an Army Reserve unit such as his, said Maj. Luis Jones, operations officer for the 548th Transportation Detachment: A soldier can spend an entire career there and retire without having to transfer to get promoted.
"It's probably the only unit in the Army where a soldier could progress from private to chief warrant officer four, and never have to leave throughout a 20-year career," said Army Reserve Chief Warrant Officer Daniel Feil.
"It's like being an extended family," Jones added.
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