Command History
597th Transportation Terminal Group
The 597th USA Transportation Terminal Group, Military Ocean
Terminal, Sunny Point (MOTSU) is located on the west bank of the Cape Fear
River in Brunswick County in southeastern North Carolina. The town of Southport, located at the mouth
of Cape Fear River, lies about 5 miles south.
Twenty-five miles to the north is the city of Wilmington, NC, a major
shipping point for NC State Ports Authority.
Construction of the terminal was the culmination of many months
of Department of Defense (DoD) planning. Through experience with the Naval Magazine
Port Chicago, California, disaster during World War II, DoD
modified requirements for facilities designed to handle explosive military
cargo. Prime requirements were safer
facilities relatively isolated, but in close proximity to water, rail, highway,
providing a safe haven from storms, and readily available labor.
During construction between 1951-1955, the US Army purchased
8,502 acres of pine forest and river front for the terminal and railroad
lines. An additional 5,050 acres were
acquired as permanent restrictive easement.
To complete land acquisition required for safe operation of the
terminal, another 2,115 acres were purchased on the east bank of the Cape Fear
River in New Hanover County, as an explosive safety buffer zone. A 652 acre rail holding yard was purchased in
Leland, NC and 6 acres at Fort Johnston, Southport, NC. Permanent structures are restricted in the
buffer zone and unofficial activities are limited.
The terminal was activated 29 October 1955, as Wilmington
Ammunition Loading Terminal (WALT).
Through the years, the installation has been known by several
names. It went from WALT to Sunny Point
Army Terminal (SPAT). Then, in 1965, it
was Military Ocean Terminal, Sunny Point (MOTSU). In 1992, Military Traffic Management Command
(now Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC)),
headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, assigned numerical designations to all
assigned units. Sunny Point was
designated 1303d Major Port Command (1303d MPC), equivalent to a brigade
command. On 01 October 1997, it became
597th Transportation Terminal Group (597th Trans Gp (Tml).
The Military Traffic Management Command (now SDDC) issued
permanent orders 066-03 directing 597th Transportation Group to provide command
and control for the 832d (Puerto Rico), 833d (Seattle), 834th (Concord), 841st
(Charleston), and the 842d (Beaumont) Transportation Battalions, effective 20
March 2002.
Count on Team CONUS to continue to provide the WARFIGHTER with
world-class strategic surface deployment and redeployment through United States
ports.