Guided missile frigate USS Elrod (FFG 55) with an embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) recovered 89 bales of cocaine in support of Operation Martillo on April 20 in the Western Caribbean Sea. An SH-60B Sea Hawk assigned to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 60 Det
Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island honored and recognized the contributions of its individual augmentee (IA) Sailors at an IA appreciation event held at the Chief Petty Officers’ Club, April 26. The semi-annual NAS Whidbey Island Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) event is held each April an
Sailors and Marines serving aboard amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) have a unique opportunity to celebrate Earth Day every day, not just April 22 like the rest of the world. Crew members have taken the ship thousands of miles away from its homeport of San Diego and have showed off th
Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus visited Sailors, Marines and family members at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain, April 25-26. Mabus was in Bahrain as part of a larger visit throughout the region. He reenlisted six Sailors and presented awards to six Sailors during an all-hands call with
U.S. Pacific Fleet’s humanitarian and civic assistance (HCA) mission, known as Pacific Partnership, will deploy aboard U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) May 1, for a four-month deployment Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia. Now in its seventh year, Pacific Partnership has be
USS Chicago (SSN 721) arrived in Guam April 19 where it is assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 15 as one of three forward-deployed submarines. Chicago replaces USS Houston (SSN 713), a fast-attack submarine that transferred to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in January. Cmdr. Nick Tilbrook, Chicago’s co
The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) completed their transit of the Strait of Gibraltar, April 24. The Iwo Jima ARG, transiting the Strait of Gibraltar, includes Amphibious Squadron 8 (PHIBRON), USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44), USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) and USS
Sailors on board amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21) celebrated Italy’s Liberation Day in downtown La Spezia, April 25. Liberation Day is a national holiday for Italy, and Wednesday marked the 67th anniversary of the fall of Mussolini’s Italian Social Republic. Commanding Officer Cm
The commander of U.S. 6th Fleet and commander, Striking and Support Forces NATO visited counterparts in the Republic of Albania, April 25. During his visit, Vice Adm. Frank C. Pandolfe hosted a reception for U.S. and Albanian dignitaries aboard the Little Creek, Va., based amphibious dock landing sh
The U.S. Navy has selected Northrop Grumman to produce the next-generation Fire Scout unmanned helicopter using the Bell 407 airframe. The new variant provides greater range, endurance and payload capacity to ship commander’s intelligence-gathering efforts. According to a U.S. Department of Defense
The first ship in the Navy’s new Joint High Speed Vessel class, the future USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1), completed Builder’s Sea Trials, April 19, in Mobile, Ala. JHSV 1 is a versatile, non-combatant, transport ship that will be used for fast intra-theater transportation of troops, military vehicles, and
The Navy announced April 24 that the destroyer ex-Edson (DD 946) will be donated to the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum, a nonprofit organization, for permanent berthing and public display in Bay City, Mich. Formal transfer of title and ownership of ex-Edson to the Museum occurs when the Museum rem
USS Underwood (FFG 36) departed on its final deployment in support of Southern Seas 2012, April 23. The deployment will begin by participating in Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMTUEX) with the Eisenhower Strike Group as part of their pre-deployment training. The ship and crew will then deploy t
Families and friends welcomed back the guided-missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG 59) at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, April 23, following completion of a successful eight-month deployment to the western Pacific and Arabian Gulf. “I am exceptionally pleased and proud of the tremendous performance o
