Photo By Kristen Wong | Petty Officer 2nd Class Heather Johnson, an aviation electronics technician with...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii - With loud engines roaring, the “Skinny Dragons” touched down on the flightline, and taxied to Hangar 104, where families came with cameras, flower leis and happy tears in their eyes for their loved ones Jan. 31, 2015.
The sailors of Patrol Squadron 4 deployed in June 2014 for a seven-month deployment, operating in the Sixth Fleet Area of Responsibility, in the African and European regions. The squadron of more than 300 service members divided into detachments and combat aircrews, visiting multiple countries, including Greece, Scotland and Spain; as well as installations such as Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Crete and Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.
Main missions centered on anti-submarine warfare as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The aircrews also conducted overland surveillance, maritime patrol and supported tasks from European and Africa Commands.
Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jon Vanecko, an administrative officer and pilot with VP-4, returned with the squadron Saturday on the first flight. The native of Metamora, Ill., was the officer in charge of the detachment in Djibouti, Africa, and mission commander for Combat Aircrew 2.
Overall, he said it was rewarding to see the squadron successfully transport more than 300 sailors from Hawaii to central Europe and complete their missions. He said it was impressive to see the squadron come together as a team each day to work on the planes.
Petty Officer 1st Class Billiam Stewartrodriguez, an aviation machinist’s mate with VP-4, fixed aircraft issues during the deployment. His wife was pregnant when he left, so he came home for 10 days during the deployment for the birth of his son. He said not everyone gets to come home during a deployment, so he was appreciative to the squadron for the opportunity.
But in addition to the family back home, the Carolina, Puerto Rico, native also gained a new family with his fellow sailors, with whom he worked for 12 hours each day.
“The people you work with become your family,” Stewartrodriguez said.
A fellow sailor who also considered the squadron like family was Petty Officer 1st Class Andy Malone, naval aircrewman avionics, VP-4. Malone, of El Toro, Calif., is in an in-flight technician in charge of maintenance, avionics and ordnance. This was his fifth deployment in a familiar area, so Malone spent his free time trying new restaurants and revisiting Europe’s historical ruins.
“You can go see them 100 times and still see something new,” Malone said.
Malone said he is happy to be back in the islands safely with all his fellow sailors.
“It’s tough to be away from Hawaii,” Vanecko said. “To see the islands pop up on the wind screen, to know your family’s down there, makes it all worthwhile.”
| Date Taken: | 02.06.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 02.06.2015 18:45 |
| Story ID: | 153861 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HI, US |
| Hometown: | CAROLINA, PR |
| Hometown: | EL TORO, CA, US |
| Hometown: | METAMORA, IL, US |
| Web Views: | 86 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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