Sailors and civilian mariners of the U.S. Navy submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) completed a five-month deployment in the Indo-Asia-Pacific and U.S. Central Command area of operations November 8, returning to their homeport at Naval Base Guam.
Frank Cable, which departed Guam June 6, supported submarines and surface ships, extending the range and impact of U.S. naval forces in the U.S. Navy’s 5th and 7th Fleets.
“With great pride I watched the combined Navy and Military Sealift Command crew of the USS Frank Cable rise to every challenge as they demonstrated the flexibility and capability of a submarine tender,” said Capt. Drew St. John , Frank Cable’s commanding officer.
A first for the ship and crew was pulling into Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, the first U.S. ship to dock since the Vietnam conflict in 1973.
“I was excited to go back!” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Nhat Q. Vu , a native of Dong Nai, Vietnam. “To go back to my home and share my culture with my shipmates, my friends, was amazing. I was excited to share what I do in the Navy every day, and the positive impact we can have wherever we go.”