JUNE 6, 2026 – The U.S. Navy will christen its newest John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler, USNS Thurgood Marshall (T-AO 211), during a 10 a.m. PDT ceremony today, June 6, 2026, at General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) shipyard in San Diego, California.
Marine Corps Maj. Gen. David Bligh, Judge Advocate General of the Navy, will deliver the principal address. Additional remarks will be provided by Vice Adm. Doug Verissimo, Commander, Naval Air Forces/Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Rear Adm. Benjamin Nicholson, Commander, Military Sealift Command; and David Carver, President of General Dynamics NASSCO.
In a time-honored tradition, the ship sponsors, the namesake’s granddaughters, Cecilia L. Marshall and Melonie Tibbs, and granddaughter-in-law, Alissa Kamens Marshall, will christen the ship by breaking a bottle of champagne across the bow.
T-AO 211 is named in honor of former Justice Thurgood Marshall, who served on the Supreme Court for nearly 25 years. The future USNS Thurgood Marshall (T-AO 211) is the seventh ship of the John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oilers and will be operated by the Navy’s Military Sealift Command.
The John Lewis-class ships are based on commercial design standards and will recapitalize the current T-AO 187-class fleet replenishment oilers to provide underway replenishment of fuel to U.S. Navy ships at sea. These ships are part of the Navy’s Combat Logistics Force.
The future USNS Thurgood Marshall (T-AO 211) represents a proud lineage, serving as the thirteenth naval support logistics ship to be named in honor of a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. This tradition began in 1942 with the launch of the EC2-S-C1 liberty cargo ship SS John Jay, which provided vital wartime support by transporting essential military cargo to build the massive logistics reserve required for Operation Neptune — the historic D-Day landings.
As we commemorate the anniversary of D-Day today, we remember a hard-won victory that dramatically reshaped the course of human history, bringing the promise of freedom to generations worldwide. Yet, this monumental triumph would not have been possible without the unprecedented Allied shipbuilding programs that preceded the war, and the tireless logistics and replenishment ships that sustained the fight — delivering the critical fuel, ammunition, and supplies that kept our troops and Allied partners moving forward to victory.
Echoing the historic mission of the SS John Jay, the addition of T-AO 211 to the fleet provides the Navy with a reinforced ability to sustain distributed maritime operations, enhance mobility, and deliver the critical resupply capacity needed to support a more resilient, ready, and globally present fleet.
The christening of T-AO 211 underscores the Navy’s commitment to building America’s Fleet of the Future. For 250 years, American naval power has projected strength globally. That mission continues — and intensifies. We operate forward 24/7, 365 days a year. This operational tempo demands continuous capability delivery, and the Fleet of the Future is our answer. The ceremony will be livestreamed at: https://nassco.com/featured/usns-thurgood-marshall-t-ao-211-christening-live-streaming-link/ and on YouTube.
Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342. For more information on Fleet Replenishment Oilers visit: https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2222909/fleet-replenishment-oilers-t-ao/.