US Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) got underway from its Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on November 3 to start an independent deployment to the Western Pacific.
While deployed, the ship will conduct theater security cooperation and maritime presence operations with partner nations. Having steadily worked through a sustainment cycle, the ship’s commanding officer is confident in his ship and crew’s performance.
“The crew has worked hard over the past several months, participating in advanced level exercises and improving the material condition to be ready for our deployment,” said Cmdr. Colby Sherwood, commanding officer of O’Kane. “I am proud of the resiliency of these Sailors and all they have accomplished to maintain O’Kane’s readiness. We look forward to operating with our allies and partners from around the world again.”
O’Kane is named after Adm. Richard O’Kane, a Medal of Honor recipient, as the aggressive commanding officer of USS Tang during World War II. USS O’Kane was last deployed to the Persian Gulf in 2014.
O’Kane is part of US 3rd Fleet and US Naval Surface Forces which regularly coordinate with US 7th Fleet to plan and execute missions throughout the entire Pacific theater of operations.