For several decades, USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat served as an essential asset to the US Navy, boasting some of the most advanced military technology in the world. A key component of the “Navy within a Navy,” or the Military Sealift Command, the colossal cargo ship was specially modified to support wartime operations in the Mediterranean Sea.Like other vessels within the MSC, the USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat was a non-combat ship operated by civilians and tasked with various crucial support functions such as refueling and resupplying US Navy warships at sea, oceanographic assessment, submarine upkeep, and even assisting missile tests at sea.As massive as an aircraft carrier, with her powerful radar capable of detecting distant missile launches and modern sealifting and refueling equipment, the remarkable ship stood as a testament to American maritime dominance. However, there was one small detail that complicated matters: Roy M. Wheat was built by America’s greatest rival…