SOUTH CHINA SEA — A Ballwin native and 2018 Marquette High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the guided-missile cruiser, USS Antietam.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Dylan Little is a Fire Controlman aboard the forward-deployed Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam operating out of Yokosuka, Japan.
Antietam is one of three cruisers forward-deployed to Yokosuka.
Approximately 450 men and women serve aboard the ship. Their jobs are highly specialized and keep each part of the destroyer running smoothly, according to Navy officials. They do everything from maintaining gas turbine engines and operating the highly sophisticated Aegis weapons system to driving the ship and operating small boats.
A Navy Fire Controlman operates and maintains ship’s combat and weapons direction systems, surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missile systems, and gun fire control systems.
“I’m a tomahawk tech, which means I operate a long-range offensive missile system,” said Little. “I like the teamwork involved. Strike scenarios feel like a sport where you coordinate with the team to get all the missiles out at the right time.”
With more than 50 percent of the world’s shipping tonnage and a third of the world’s crude oil passing through the region, the United States has historic and enduring interests in this part of the world.
Forward-deployed Sailors are crucial to the success of the global navy mission and earn high praise from their leaders.
“Its good job experience to be out at sea more than any other fleet,” said Little.
Sailors serving abroad in Japan are highly motivated and quickly adapt to changing conditions, explained Navy officials.
“I like the experience of being overseas,” said Little. “Living in Japan is an experience not many people get to have.”
Modern U.S. Navy guided-missile cruisers perform primarily in a Battle Force role. These ships are multi-mission Air Warfare (AW), Undersea Warfare (USW), Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) and Surface Warfare (SUW) surface combatants capable of supporting carrier battle groups, amphibious forces or operating independently and as flagships of surface action groups.
USS Antietam is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability and a free and open Indo-Pacific.
For more information on USS Antietam and other forward-deployed ships in Japan, visit https://www.facebook.com/CTF70.
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| Date Taken: | 08.17.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.17.2020 19:29 |
| Story ID: | 376197 |
| Location: | SOUTH CHINA SEA |
| Hometown: | BALLWIN, MO, US |
| Web Views: | 34 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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