|  Diego Garcia (7°19'S 72°25'E) is an atoll located in the heart of the Indian Ocean, some 1,000 miles (1,600 km) south of India's southern coast. Diego Garcia is the largest atoll by land area of the Chagos Archipelago. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), a British overseas territory. Since the depopulation of Diego Garcia in the years leading up to 1973, it has been used as a military base by the United States. Diego Garcia hosts one of three ground antennas (others are on Kwajalein and Ascension Island) that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigational system.
The atoll is now covered in luxuriant tropical vegetation, with little sign left of the copra and coconut plantations that once covered it. The island is 37 miles (60 km) long, with a maximum elevation of 22 feet (7 m), and nearly encloses a lagoon some 12 miles long (19 km) and up to 5 miles (8 km) wide. Depths in the lagoon range from 65 to 98 feet (20-30 m), while numerous coral heads extend toward the surface and form hazards to navigation. Shallow reefs surround the island on the ocean side as well as within the lagoon. The channel and anchorage area are dredged, while the old turning basin can also be used if its depth is sufficient for the ship.
Now lets see the US Ships stationed there in 2001.....
The ships stationed at Diego Garcia in 2001 included:
Five maritime pre-positioning ships: MV Baugh, MV Hauge, MV Bonnyman, MV Phillips and MV Anderson. Each ship carries enough Marine Corps cargo to support a Marine Air-Ground Task Force for 30 days.
Four combat pre-positioning force ships : MV Jeb Stuart, MV American Cormorant, SS Green Valley and SS Green Harbour. These ships provided quick-response delivery of US Army equipment for ground troops. Jeb Stuart, Green Valley and Green Harbour are LASH ships carrying Army ammunition in non-powered lighters (or barges) that can be ferried to shore.
Five logistics pre-positioning ships - MV Buffalo Soldier, SS Potomac, MV Green Ridge, USNS Henry J. Kaiser, and MV Fisher. These ships service the rapid delivery needs of the US Air Force, US Navy and Defense Logistics Agency. Buffalo Soldier and Fisher are container ships carrying Air Force ammunition, missiles and spare parts. Green Ridge carries a 500-bed Navy hospital used to support Fleet and Marine Forces engaged in combat operations ashore. Henry J. Kaiser is one of three tankers assigned to MSC in support of the Defense Logistics Agency's requirement to pre-position fuel afloat. Potomac is an offshore petroleum discharge system (OPDS) tanker. Smaller prepositioned squadrons exist at Guam and in the Persian Gulf.
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