USS Chung-Hoon deploys with Great Green Fleet

January 27, 2016

U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) is to depart her Hawaii homeport January 27 on a regularly scheduled Strike Group deployment to the Western Pacific Ocean with the John C. Stennis Strike Group.

While deployed, Chung-Hoon and its crew of more than 300 Sailors will conduct theater security cooperation and maritime presence operations with partner nations.

Chung-Hoon is assigned to Carrier Strike Group 3 and Destroyer Squadron 21 and is homeported in Hawaii as part of U.S. 3rd Fleet. The ship is also part of the recently launched Great Green Fleet, an initiative that seeks options to reduce the costs of running the U.S. Navy fleet by using alternative fuels.

The ship’s mission will be to conduct sustained combat operations at sea, provide primary protection for the Navy’s aircraft carriers and battle groups, as well as serve as escort to Navy and Marine Corps amphibious forces and auxiliary ships, and conduct independent operations as necessary.

Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37 Detachment 7, homeported at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, is scheduled to embark Chung-Hoon for the deployment. The detachment will deploy with a total of 28 personnel and two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, the U.S. Navy’s primary anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare platform.

Commander Tom M. Ogden, commanding officer of Chung-Hoon, said: “Departing on deployment is a significant event in the life of all Sailors. Months of training, maintenance, and preparations all make a ship ready for deployed operations. The crew has succeeded at every task leading up to this and deployment will be the capstone of those tremendous efforts.”

Chung-Hoon was commissioned Sep. 18, 2004 and was named after Rear Adm. Gordon Pai’ea Chung-Hoon, who served during World War II and was the first Asian American flag officer. He is a recipient of the Navy Cross and Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary heroism as commanding officer of USS Sigsbee from May 1944 to October 1945.

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