NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING CHRISTENS SEALIFT SHIP NAMED AFTER MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT

May 24, 1997, NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Newport News Shipbuilding today christened the sealift ship USNS Gilliland at the shipyard.

In 1993, the company was awarded the contract to convert two containerships into combined roll-on, roll-off (RO/RO) and lift-on, lift-off (LO/LO) ships that will carry U.S. Army equipment, vehicles and supplies. The ceremony on May 24 marked the official naming of the second of these two converted ships, the USNS Gilliland. The first, USNS Gordon, was christened July 4, 1996 and delivered to the Navy last summer.

Both of the strategic sealift ships produced at Newport News are named after Medal of Honor recipients. The USNS Gilliland is named in honor of Corporal Charles L. Gilliland, United States Army. Gilliland won the nation's highest military award for demonstrating valor in the Korean War in 1951. He was fatally wounded, at age 18, while defending his company positions against enemy attacks. Born in Baxter County, Arkansas, Gilliland was assigned to the U.S. Army’s Company I, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.

Mrs. Dale Shelton, sister of Corporal Gilliland, broke the ceremonial bottle of champagne against the side of the ship during the naming ceremony. The principal speaker for the event was Congressman Owen B. Pickett (D - Va). The event also included a pass-in-review by U.S. Army vehicles from Fort Eustis, Va., and public tours of USNS Gilliland.

Newport News Shipbuilding is America's largest ship design and construction company. It has produced approximately 800 ships during its 111 years of operations - including Navy aircraft carriers, submarines and cruisers. The company is currently building the nuclear-powered aircraft carriers Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and has begun work in preparation for construction of the Navy's New Attack Submarine. It is also building nine Double Eagle product tankers. Its 1996 revenues totaled $1.87 billion, with earnings before interest and taxes of $140 million. The current backlog is approximately $3.3 billion. The workforce numbers 18,000, making it Virginia's largest private employer.