NAVAL STATION EVERETT — A sister ship to the monstrous military cargo ship that came to Everett in September month pulled into Naval Station Everett Friday morning.
The USNS Soderman is the newest vessel among the Watson-class cargo ships, and it’s one of the largest military cargo vessels in the world. It’s sister ship, the USNS Sisler, visited Everett recently before it picked up Army equipment from Fort Lewis that is bound for Iraq.
Navy officials could not say when the Soderman would be leaving Everett or where it would be heading.
"We do not know what it’s mission is, how long it will be here," said Jeanie Kitchens, spokeswoman for Naval Station Everett.
The Soderman is one of eight ships of its class used by the Navy’s Military Sealift Command to "preposition" supplies needed for war or other emergencies. Prepositioned ships are basically floating warehouses, filled with food, water, ammo and fuel ready for the Army’s use.
The Soderman pulled into Naval Station Everett just before 11 a.m. Friday.
The ship’s arrival in Everett came the day after the Washington National Guard announced that the 81st Armor Brigade would be mobilized for duty in Iraq on Nov. 15. More than 3,000 troops from the state will be sent to Iraq as part of the mobilization.
The 81st Brigade includes the 898th Engineer Battalion, a National Guard unit with soldiers in Everett and Snohomish.
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