US, ROK Foster Ties aboard USNS Henson

Rear Adm. Bill Byrne, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea, and senior Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy representatives, visited the oceanographic survey ship USNS Henson (T-AGS 63) to further foster the enduring U.S. and ROK partnership Wednesday, Sept. 9.

During the event Capt. A.J. Reiss, the commanding officer of the Naval Oceanic Office, spoke about the importance of the ship’s name which represents Mathew Henson, who is credited with assisting Robert Edwin Peary discover the North Pole in 1909, and compared the teamwork in the historic expedition to the importance of the U.S. and ROK alliance.

Kristin K. Mangold, Henson’s captain, provided a tour of the bridge and explained the unique operating radars and navigational equipment aboard. Mangold said she viewed hosting senior ROK Navy officials as a sign of appreciation to the continued ROK support of Henson’s mission.

Henson is one of five oceanographic survey ships under the technical control of NAVOCEANO that actively support the CNO’s Undersea Dominance strategy by generating physical battlespace awareness thru deploying a variety of manned and unmanned oceanographic collection systems and serves as a platform for NAVOCEANO surveyors to collect oceanographic and hydrographic data from the world’s oceans.

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Image: US Navy