Courtesy Navy NewsStand
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ronald Gutridge, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs
PEARL HARBOR (NNS) — The Los Angeles-class submarine USS Louisville (SSN 724) returned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Oct. 29 after completing a scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific region.
During the deployment, Louisville executed a wide range of operations in support of 7th Fleet and national tasking in addition to a high-profile bilateral exercise designed to strengthen operability of U.S. and Republic of Korea naval forces.
“Unquestionably this deployment was an amazing experience for the entire Louisville crew and especially rewarding for the supervisors to watch as this young crew performed missions vital to our national security and strengthened international relations with our allies throughout the Western Pacific,” said Cmdr. Lee Sisco, USS Louisville’s commanding officer.
During the deployment, 24 Sailors on board earned their submarine warfare “Dolphins” after completing a rigorous qualification process that included in-depth understanding of submarine construction and operations and also practical assessments of the Sailor’s ability to combat a wide range of casualties that could be encountered on board the submarine. A majority of the crew also completed advanced qualifications, including engineering watch supervisor, diving officer of the watch and chief of the watch. These qualifications provide greater watch bill flexibility and help ensure that Louisville’s performance will remain strong.
“I can’t express how impressed I am with my crew’s performance, motivation and attitude throughout this deployment. Their ability to overcome adversity and perform a wide range of submarine missions was a testament to the training they received as part of their pre-deployment training cycle and the deckplate leadership on board the submarine,” said Sisco.
For more news from Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/subpac/.
