About this Unit
TAH-19 USNS Mercy is a United States Navy hospital ship, commissioned in 1986 and operated by the Military Sealift Command. Originally built as an oil tanker, she was converted to serve as a mobile medical treatment facility, supporting both combat operations and humanitarian missions. Mercy’s notable deployments include Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, tsunami relief in Southeast Asia in 2004, and multiple Pacific Partnership missions delivering medical care to underserved regions. Capable of providing up to 1,000 hospital beds, USNS Mercy continues to play a vital role in both military readiness and global humanitarian assistance.
Historical Facts
•
Commissioning and Service: USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) was launched in 1985 and commissioned into service in 1986, serving as one of two hospital ships operated by the Military Sealift Command.
•
Converted Oil Tanker: The ship was originally built as an oil tanker named SS Worth, and was later converted into a hospital ship by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, California.
•
Massive Medical Capacity: USNS Mercy is equipped with 12 fully-equipped operating rooms, a 1,000-bed hospital facility, laboratories, a pharmacy, radiological services, and even dental clinics.
•
Humanitarian Missions: Mercy is well-known for its humanitarian missions, notably Pacific Partnership missions, providing medical care, disaster relief, and training throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia.
•
Gulf War Service: During Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in 1990-1991, USNS Mercy provided medical support for coalition forces in the Persian Gulf.
•
COVID-19 Response: In March 2020, USNS Mercy was deployed to Los Angeles, California, to provide medical assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, treating non-COVID patients to free up local hospitals.
•
Symbol of Hope: The ship's name and mission are inspired by the concept of “mercy,” serving as a powerful symbol of hope and care during crises and disasters.
•
Civilian and Military Crew: The ship is operated by a hybrid crew of civilian mariners from the Military Sealift Command and a medical staff provided by the Navy’s Medical Service Corps.
•
Floating City: USNS Mercy is so large that it is often referred to as a “floating city,” capable of supporting its crew and patients with its own power, water, and food supplies for extended periods.
•
Distinctive Livery: The ship is easily identified by its white hull and superstructure emblazoned with large red crosses, signifying its protected status under the Geneva Conventions as a non-combatant hospital ship.
