USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE-4) is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship in the United States Navy. She is the second United States Navy ship to be named after polar explorer Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd (1888–1957). In March 2011 during Operation Tomodachi, Richard E. Byrd embarked SA-330J Puma helicopters airlifted hundreds of pallets of relief supplies to Preble and landing dock ships USS Harpers Ferry and USS Tortuga. Byrd completed 16 underway replenishment evolutions, delivering 210,000 gallons (800 m³) of fuel to Tomodachi-support ships.