The commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, U.S. 4th Fleet (COMUSNAVSO/C4F) officially concluded the annual 2012 PANAMAX exercise Aug. 16 at Naval Station Mayport, Fla. Rear Adm. Sinclair Harris along with Brazilian Rear Adm. Wilson Pereira de Lima Filho concluded the exercise in which more
Navy helicopters teamed with California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection units Aug. 15 to conduct aerial firefighting against several wildfires in eastern San Diego County. At CALFIRE’s request for immediate response support, the Navy is providing three firefighting helicopters equipped wi
On the evening of 28 February/1 March 1942, two proud ships fought together against overwhelming odds by facing the Japanese Western Java Invasion Convoy in the midst of the Sunda Strait. HMAS Perth (I) and USS Houston were both torpedoed and sank within 30 minutes of the other, consigning almost a
The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) hosted 12 midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) and Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) units, July 31-Aug. 15. U.S. Naval Academy and NROTC’s academic curriculums require midshipmen to complete a summer cruise pr
The Navy will participate in the regularly scheduled Exercise Reliant Mermaid in the Mediterranean Sea, Aug. 13-16. Reliant Mermaid, in its 11th iteration, is an annual search and rescue exercise designed to increase interoperability by developing individual and collective maritime proficiencies of
Guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams transferred 10 Iranian mariners rescued from a burning dhow Aug. 8 to an Iranian vessel in the Gulf of Oman Aug. 10. Members of Williams’ visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team transferred the mariners from the destroyer to an Iranian-flagged dhow
Naval Base San Diego (NBSD) completed three days of annual disaster preparedness drills during Citadel Rumble 2012 (CR-12) from Aug. 7-9. CR-12 is a fully integrated response and recovery exercise designed to evaluate Navy shore-based commands and installation emergency preparedness in response to a
Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 11, which is permanently embarked aboard USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and is forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan, commenced a fall deployment of the 7th Fleet area of responsibility Aug. 10. During this deployment, PHIBRON 11’s staff includes over 120 Sailors from differe
The guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) continued to strengthen relationships with Baltic nations as it began a four-day port visit in Riga, Latvia, Aug. 4. During the port visit, Sailors played a game of basketball against members of the Latvian National Armed Forces and participated in
Friends and family of the crew members from USS Louisville (SSN 724) gathered at the submarine piers to welcome back the Los Angeles-class submarine as she returned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam after completing a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) region, Aug. 8. “I am extrem
U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Sinclair Harris and Brazilian Rear Admiral Wilson Pereira de Lima Filho welcomed partner-nation participants and officially kicked off this year’s PANAMAX exercise August 6. The main focus of PANAMAX is to practice methods of protecting the safe passage of commercial traffic t
Navy families stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) participated in Oak Harbor’s National Night Out (NNO) at Windjammer Park in Oak Harbor, Aug. 7. According to the NNO website, it is a nationwide program designed to get neighbors to know one another in order to reduce crime in their
The Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group (PEL ARG) and 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) completed its composite unit training exercise (COMPTUEX) off the coast of California, Aug. 7. The PEL ARG consists of amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5), amphibious landing dock ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47)
Two midshipmen from the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy trained aboard amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) from July 18 to Aug. 7 as part of the Foreign Exchange Training of Midshipman (FOREXTRAMID) program. This program is managed by Naval Service Training Command in coordination with Operati
