NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A Norfolk-based ship received a prestigious award Wednesday afternoon after spending several months in the Red Sea.
The USNS Supply was honored with the Navy Unit Commendation award for the ship’s support of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group from October 2023 to May 2024.
The ship helped to supply fuel, equipment and ammunition while the strike group defended commercial ships against Houthi rebels.
MSC Commander Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck presented awards to 15 civil service mariners for their individual achievements.
“To actually pause in this ship’s busy life, to be able to say things to recognize with their families, you can’t be prouder just to be standing amongst them,” Sobeck said.
Eliza Pingree was one of the 15 people who were awarded.
She is currently a first engineer but was a chief engineer during their deployment.
“It is actually very nice to be recognized for being a part of the operations that went on over there because as the admiral said, they can’t complete that mission without us,” Pingree said.
The ship and its crew experienced a level of continuous combat that hasn’t been seen in the Navy since WWII.
“The bottom line is these mariners put their lives on the line for our nation’s security to make sure that one, commerce could free flow, two to make sure international norms were intact,” Sobeck said. “But the bottom line is, they did it because they have the pride of the United States Navy.”
Quenn Abdallah-Lassiter, USNS Supply yeoman, echoed that, saying their time in the Red Sea was not easy.
“There were some scary times that we had out there that — we didn’t know if we were going to make it back, there was a possibility that we would not make it back,” she said, “Everybody stuck together, and we made it work as a family. This ship came together, made it work and for that I’m grateful for.”
Ship Master and USNS Captain Peter Lenardson was also awarded for his work.
Lenardson said he hopes the group recognition changes the narrative that mariners aren’t fit for combat situations.
“They didn’t skip a beat. I didn’t lose a guy. They just worked, put their nose down and worked and did well. I couldn’t be prouder,” he said.
He added that this is the first time he’s seen this level of recognition for a replenishment ship.
“Today is unusual,” he said. “I have yet to see this. I think this will do a lot for recruitment purposes at least. It’s a great job. I’d like to get more people out here.”
