USS Decatur and USS Spruance Return to San Diego

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Chelsea Milburn | 161114-N-SF984-032 SAN DIEGO (Nov. 14, 2016) - The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73) returns to its homeport, Naval Base San Diego, after completing a seven-month deployment, Nov. 14. Decatur, along with guided-missile destroyers USS Momsen (DDG 92) and USS Spruance (DDG 111), deployed in support of maritime security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region as part of the inaugural U.S. 3rd Fleet Pacific Surface Action Group under Commander, Destroyer Squadron (CDS) 31. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Chelsea Troy Milburn/Released)  

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES

11.14.2016

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Marcus Stanley 

Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet           

As part of the inaugural PAC SAG, Decatur and Spruance were joined by the Everett, Washington based guided-missile destroyer USS Momsen (DDG 92), as well as the embarked "Devil Fish" and "Warbirds" detachments of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 49, also based in San Diego. During the deployment, the PAC SAG was under the direction of Destroyer Squadron 31 (CDS-31), from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

Under the operational control of U.S. 3rd Fleet, the PAC SAG conducted routine patrols, maritime security operations and theater security cooperation activities with allies and partners to enhance regional security and stability. Since deploying in April, the PAC SAG conducted several multilateral exercises with Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, and France and joint exercises with the U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps assets.

"I am honored to have served on the first PAC SAG with these hard-working Sailors," said Capt. Charles Johnson, commander, Destroyer Squadron 31. "Their loved ones should be proud of the perseverance they demonstrated these past seven months, and we are thrilled to be home."

Along with Momsen, Spruance spent part of the deployment participating in the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) patrols. OMSI is a Secretary of Defense program that uses Department of Defense assets transiting the region to increase the Coast Guard's maritime domain awareness, ultimately supporting its maritime law enforcement operations in Oceania

Spruance and Decatur are homeported in San Diego and are part of U.S. Naval Surface Forces and U.S. 3rd Fleet. U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy, working constantly with U.S. 7th Fleet. The forces of both fleets complement one another across the spectrum of military operations in the Pacific.

For more information on the USS Decatur, visit:
http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/ddg73/Pages/default.aspx

For more information on the USS Spruance, visit:
http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/ddg111/Pages/default.aspx

For more news from Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, visit:
www.navy.mil/local/c3f/

For more news from Naval Surface Forces, visit:
http://www.navy.mil/local/cnsp

• Date Taken: 11.14.2016
• Date Posted: 11.15.2016 13:10
• Story ID: 214617
• Location: SAN DIEGO, CA, US