Logan Reid
The USNS Comfort is a large hospital ship with a capacity of 1,000 beds. It is one of the largest shipboard hospitals in the world and is equipped with operating rooms and emergency beds. The ship has been deployed on humanitarian missions to Latin America, Haiti, and New York City to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The Comfort received its first Haitian patients in 2010 and has been deployed on multiple missions since then, including Continuing Promise 2025, a three-month mission to deliver humanitarian services to several nations in Latin America. The ship is one of only two military hospital ships in the US.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | USNS Comfort |
| Type | Hospital ship |
| Owner | Military Sealift Command |
| Operator | United States Navy |
| Home port | Norfolk, Virginia |
| Entered service | 1987 |
| Passengers & crew | 956 |
| Beds | 1,000 |
| Deployments | 8 |
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What You'll Learn
The USNS Comfort is a Mercy-class hospital ship
The ship's duties include providing emergency, on-site care for U.S. combatant forces during war or other operations. It provides rapid, flexible, and mobile medical and surgical services to support Marine Corps Air-Ground Task Forces and Army and Air Force units deployed ashore. It also provides mobile surgical hospital services for use by U.S. government agencies in disaster or humanitarian relief. Comfort is more advanced than a field hospital but less capable than a traditional hospital.
Comfort has been deployed on numerous missions, including during the Gulf War in 1990, in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, and to Haiti in 2010, where it provided the most advanced medical care available following the earthquake. In 2020, it was stationed in New York City to help combat the coronavirus pandemic. Most recently, in 2025, Comfort departed on a mission called Continuing Promise 2025, providing patient care and technical expertise in community clinics across several countries in Latin America.
As a hospital ship, Comfort functions as a floating mobile medical facility, supporting military missions, disaster relief, and humanitarian operations. It is equipped with 1,000 patient beds, 12 operating rooms, and one interventional radiology suite. In addition to medical care, the crew of Comfort often engages in community activities during mission stops, such as renovations, infrastructure repairs, and beach cleanups.
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It was built in 1976
The USNS Comfort, a Mercy-class hospital ship, was built in 1976 as a San Clemente-class oil tanker by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. Its original name was SS Rose City and it was launched from San Diego, California. It is the third US Navy ship to bear the name "Comfort".
The USNS prefix identifies Comfort as a non-commissioned ship owned by the US Navy and operationally crewed by civilians from the Military Sealift Command. A uniformed naval hospital staff and naval support staff are embarked when the ship is deployed. This staff consists primarily of naval officers from the Navy's Medical Corps, Dental Corps, Medical Service Corps, Nurse Corps, and Chaplain Corps. In addition, naval enlisted personnel are included from the Hospital Corpsman rating and various administrative and technical support ratings.
Comfort's duties include providing emergency, on-site care for US combatant forces deployed in war or other operations. It is operated by the Military Sealift Command and provides rapid, flexible, and mobile medical and surgical services to support Marine Corps Air-Ground Task Forces and Army and Air Force units deployed ashore. It also provides support to naval amphibious task forces and battle forces afloat.
The ship is currently sailing under the flag of the United States in the Caribbean Sea. It departed from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, on July 21, 2025, after a four-day mission stop during Continuing Promise 2025 (CP25). At the Dominican mission stop, Comfort's team provided medical and dental care, veterinary care, and humanitarian aid.
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It was originally an oil tanker
The USNS Comfort, a hospital ship of the United States Navy, was originally built as a San Clemente-class oil tanker in 1976. Its original name was SS Rose City, and it was launched from San Diego, California. The ship was delivered to the U.S. Navy on December 1, 1987, marking the end of its career as an oil tanker.
As a hospital ship, the USNS Comfort is operated by the Military Sealift Command and provides emergency, on-site care for U.S. combatant forces deployed in war or other operations. It is equipped with 1,000 patient beds, 12 operating rooms, and one interventional radiology suite. The ship also has a uniformed naval hospital staff, including personnel from the Navy's Medical Corps, Dental Corps, Nurse Corps, and Chaplain Corps.
The USNS Comfort has been deployed on various missions, including during the Gulf War in 1990 and in response to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. It has also been utilized for humanitarian relief efforts, such as providing medical care and support in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, and more recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City in 2020.
The ship's capabilities as a hospital facility include performing surgeries, providing medical and dental care, dispensing medications, and conducting physical therapy. During its deployments, the USNS Comfort has treated a significant number of patients, performed surgeries, and offered additional services such as veterinary care and community support.
Overall, the USNS Comfort, despite its origins as an oil tanker, has been successfully transformed into a vital hospital ship, providing essential medical services and support to those in need both domestically and internationally. Its adaptability and contribution to humanitarian efforts make it a valuable asset to the United States Navy and the communities it serves.
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It has been deployed for disaster relief
The USNS Comfort is a hospital ship of the United States Navy, delivered to the Navy in 1987. It was built as a San Clemente-class oil tanker in 1976 by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. The ship has been deployed for disaster relief and humanitarian operations on several occasions.
In 2010, USNS Comfort was deployed to Haiti following an earthquake. The ship offered the most advanced medical care available in Haiti at the time. During this mission, the ship's staff treated 1,000 Haitian patients and performed 850 surgeries.
In 2020, the ship was stationed in New York City to help combat the city's coronavirus pandemic by treating non-coronavirus and coronavirus-positive patients.
In June 2025, USNS Comfort departed for a mission known as Continuing Promise 2025, providing patient care and technical expertise in community clinics across Grenada, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. The ship provided medical and dental care, veterinary services, and community support such as building renovations and repairs to infrastructure damaged by natural disasters.
The USNS Comfort has also been activated for disaster relief efforts following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and during the Gulf War for Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
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It has been used to support US combatant forces
The USNS Comfort is a hospital ship of the United States Navy. It was built as a San Clemente-class oil tanker in 1976 by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. Its original name was SS Rose City, and it was launched from San Diego, California. Its career as an oil tanker ended when it was delivered to the Navy on 1 December 1987. It has been used to support US combatant forces in several ways over the years.
During the Gulf War, the USNS Comfort was activated for Desert Shield/Desert Storm on 9 August 1990 and left Baltimore on 11 August. It was also activated on 2 September 1994, to provide a 250-bed medically intensive patient capability for 35,000 Cuban and Haitian migrants supported by Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. From 16 September to 2 October 1994, the USNS Comfort provided medical and surgical support to US and allied forces and humanitarian care to injured Haitian citizens. It also participated in the Civil Affairs Program to aid the rebuilding of the local healthcare system.
The USNS Comfort was also deployed to Haiti in 2010, marking the first time the ship reached full operational capacity, utilising all 12 operating rooms and 1,000 beds. The staff treated 1,000 Haitian patients and performed 850 surgeries between 19 January and 28 February 2010.
The ship was also used to support US combatant forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom. It served as an afloat trauma centre in the Persian Gulf for 56 days, providing medical care to wounded US military personnel, injured Iraqi civilians, and prisoners of war. During this time, the ship conducted more than 800 helicopter deck landings to bring aboard personnel, patients, and cargo.
In addition to its deployments during times of conflict, the USNS Comfort has been used to support US combatant forces through humanitarian missions and disaster relief efforts. For example, it was deployed to New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic to treat non-COVID-19 patients initially and later coronavirus-positive patients. The ship has also been involved in Operation Enduring Promise in South America and provided assistance during the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
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Frequently asked questions
The USNS Comfort hospital ship was built in 1976 and is currently 49 years old.
The USNS Comfort is a hospital ship that provides emergency, on-site medical care for U.S. combatant forces during war or other operations. It is equipped with 1,000 patient beds, 12 operating rooms, and one interventional radiology suite.
The USNS Comfort supports U.S. Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, and Navy units deployed during military operations. It also provides medical relief during humanitarian crises and natural disasters.
The USNS Comfort has been deployed to various regions, including New York City during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, and most recently, Latin America and the Caribbean as part of Continuing Promise 2025.
During its deployment to Haiti in 2010, the USNS Comfort treated 1,000 patients, performed 850 surgeries, and delivered a premature baby named Esther. In New York City after 9/11, the ship's clinic saw 561 patients for various injuries, and its Navy psychology personnel provided 500 mental health consultations.
