U.S. Navy frigate USS Gary (FFG 51) returned to Naval Base San Diego, April 17 from its final deployment, where it operated in the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet and U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations.
During the seven-month deployment, Gary, the embarked “Scorpions” of Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) 49 Detachment 4 and a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment (LEDET), played an integral role in Operation Martillo – a U.S., European and Western Hemisphere partner nation effort targeting illicit trafficking routes in coastal waters along the Central American isthmus.
While supporting Operation Martillo, Gary participated in more than 70 small boat operations and coordinated with several U.S. Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and surface units to include U.S. Navy and Canadian warships, U.S. Coast Guard cutters and Panamanian, Colombian, Costa Rican and Ecuadorian Coast Guard vessels in an effort to share resources and strengthen operations while reinforcing commitment to the region. The team successfully interdicted 13,921 kilograms of cocaine, with a wholesale value of $278.4 million and 18 pounds of marijuana, valued at $17,100.
Following Gary’s return, the ship will begin to make preparations for decommissioning.
[mappress mapid=”15696″]
Image: US Navy