USS Pinckney Returns to San Diego After Deployment

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES

12.10.2017

Courtesy Story

USS Nimitz (CVN 68)   

Just in time for the holidays, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) returned to Naval Base San Diego, Dec. 10, following a six-month deployment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and the Arabian Gulf.

Pinckney left her homeport of San Diego in June with an embarked detachment from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75.

As part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, the ship and her crew sailed nearly 52,000 miles during the deployment – equivalent to roughly twice around the world. Sailors participated in high-value unit escort missions and supported a joint task force during President Donald Trump’s Southeast Asia visit. The crew also provided support to Operation Inherent Resolve in the Arabian Gulf and conducted training and operations with foreign navies including the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Indian Navy.

“I am incredibly proud of this ship and of every single one of her Sailors,” said Cmdr. Frank Walter, the commanding officer of Pinckney. “This was a challenging deployment in many ways and the Pinckney crew, as well as their families and friends, met each challenge with strength of character and optimism that I found truly inspiring. Over the last six months we have worked with Nimitz Strike Group and our international partners to ensure maritime security and the free flow of commerce from San Diego to the Middle East. We’ve accomplished a great deal – but it sure is great to be back home.”

HSM 75 flew more than 600 hours during deployment, executing 213 flights from Pinckney in support of strike group operations and national tasking. Throughout her deployment, Pinckney carried out two Strait of Malacca transits, 12 escorts of USNS and U.S.-flagged cargo and support vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el Mandeb, and executed more than 23 underway replenishments safely receiving over five million gallons of diesel fuel and more than 130,000 gallons of jet propulsion fuel with zero mishaps.

Pinckney visited various ports during the deployment, including Pearl Harbor; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Pattaya, Thailand; and Duqm, Oman. Sailors volunteered to spend time and play with children at the Child Protection and Development Center in Pattaya City, Thailand, fostering a positive relationship with the local community.

During the deployment, 114 Sailors qualified as Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialists and 55 Sailors qualified Enlisted Air Warfare Specialists. Administrative personnel processed 82 Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and gained 39 and transferred 23 personnel while sustaining 15 changes in personnel routing instruction messages.

Supply personnel handled more than 6,700 pounds of outgoing mail, received more than 375 pallets of food costing more than $600,000 and generated more than $210,000 in sales, contributing $50,000 in ship store profits to morale, welfare and recreation.

The Pinckney crew received the Force Health and Wellness Award, also known as the Green "H." The award recognizes Sailors who have demonstrated their dedication to helping Shipmates make constructive changes in their life by conducting activities like CPR training, smoking cessation courses, regular health fairs, fitness sessions and education on healthy living practices. Pinckney also received the Battle Effectiveness Award, known as the Battle “E,” for work conducted in 2016. The Battle "E" is presented throughout the Navy to ships whose crews consistently exhibit excellence in wartime capabilities and optimal mission readiness within their hull class and region.

Pinckney is part of Nimitz Strike Group and operates under U.S. 3rd Fleet, which leads naval forces in the Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy. U.S. 3rd Fleet constantly coordinates with U.S. 7th Fleet to plan and execute missions based on their complementary strengths to promote ongoing peace, security, and stability throughout the entire Pacific theater of operations.

For more information about Pinckney, visit:
http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/ddg91/Pages/default.aspx

For more information on Carrier Strike Group 11 visit: http://www.nimitz.navy.mil/csg_11.html or http://www.facebook.com/carrierstrikegroupeleven

For more information on U.S. 3rd Fleet visit: https://www.facebook.com/ThirdFleet/

• Date Taken: 12.10.2017
• Date Posted: 12.12.2017 20:25
• Story ID: 258571
• Location: SAN DIEGO, CA, US