Name MV CGM Utrillo Owner American Automar Launched 1978 | Name MV American Merlin Acquired 1992 Length 204 m | |
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Owner Compagnie Générale Maritime Fate Purchased in 1992 by American Automar, re-flagged US and renamed MV American Merlin | ||
MV TSgt John A. Chapman (T-AK-323) is a Buffalo Soldier-class container ship. She is one of Military Sealift Command's seventeen container and roll-on/roll-off ships and is part of the 36 ships in the Prepositioning Program.
Built in 1978 by Chanters Navigation de la Ciotat in France, she was originally named Merlin. On 8 April 2005, she was renamed for Pope Air Force Base combat controller Technical Sergeant John A. Chapman, a posthumous Air Force Cross recipient. He was awarded the Air Force Cross for his actions during the Battle of Takur Ghar.
TSgt John A. Chapman carries Air Force munitions. She features climate-controlled cocoons on her weather decks which protect additional cargo from the marine environment. She is owned and operated by Sealift Incorporated and is under charter to MSC.
