U.S. 6th Fleet’s command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), returned to its homeport of Gaeta, Italy, following routine operations to the Black Sea, Oct. 31.
During the underway, Mount Whitney made port visits to Batumi, Georgia; Constanta, Romania; and Burgas, Bulgaria. The ship’s presence in the Black Sea demonstrated the United States’ commitment to working closely with allies to enhance maritime security and stability, readiness, and naval capability; and its commitment to promote peace and stability to our NATO allies in the region.
Command Master Chief Matt Dickinson said:
The Mount Whitney crew performed brilliantly alongside our navy counterparts during our time in the Black Sea. We were able to conduct a wide range of events, to include community engagements to underway engagements alongside our allies and partners from Georgia, Romania and Bulgaria. The sailors demonstrated outstanding conduct and professionalism both ashore and at sea, making our time in the Black Sea both valuable and memorable.
Mount Whitney, forward deployed to Gaeta, Italy, operates with a combined crew of U.S. Navy Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners. The civil service mariners perform navigation, deck, engineering and supply service operations, while military personnel support communications, weapons systems and security.
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Press release, Image: US Navy