Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Michael B Zingaro | A graphic created to illustrate the incoming and outgoing commanding officers of the...... read more read more
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PEARL HARBOR (April 20, 2021) - The Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Hawaii (SSN 776) conducted a change of command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Apr. 20.
Cmdr. Preston Gilmore, from Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, relieved Cmdr. Sterling Jordan, from Berkeley, California, as Hawaii’s commanding officer during the ceremony, which was held on the submarine piers.
“I am proud that my crew never quit during the challenging year of 2020,” said Jordan. “We overcame many obstacles to deploy on time to conduct missions vital to national security.”
Under Jordan’s leadership, Hawaii successfully executed two seven-month deployments in the Western Pacific, operating in U.S. 7th and 3rd Fleet areas of operations. He also led the conversion of Hawaii from a conventional fast-attack submarine to a special operations forces platform. Jordan’s team planned and executed the first deployed lock-out trunk operations from a Virginia-class submarine. Hawaii was awarded the 2020 Commander, Submarine Squadron 1’s Battle Efficiency (“E” ) Award.
“I would like to thank the crew and their families for their sacrifice and support while we were preparing for our deployment and while we were forward deployed,” Jordan said. “In this era of COVID-19, the stresses placed on the family dynamic were extremely challenging. Their sacrifice is a reflection of their devotion towards the preservations of freedom for which our military provides.”
Jordan is going to the Undersea Warfare Division at the Pentagon, to be the executive assistant to the director.
Rear Adm. William Houston, director, Undersea Warfare Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, was the guest speaker at the ceremony.
“This platform can do it all, at a time and place of the captain’s choosing,” said Houston. “You guys have just come back from deployment, and you knocked it out of the park. This is the best trained crew.”
Gilmore comes to Hawaii from the staff of Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, where he served as the Force Nuclear Power Officer.
“It is an immense privilege to be given the opportunity to command a nuclear submarine,” said Gilmore. “To the chiefs, officers, and the families who support you, I am honored and humbled for the opportunity to be your commanding officer and to serve our great country.”
Hawaii’s keel was laid down August 27, 2004 and was commissioned May 5, 2007. Hawaii is the first commissioned vessel of its name. The submarine was named to recognize the tremendous support the Navy has enjoyed from the people and state of Hawaii, and in honor of the rich heritage of submarines in the Pacific. Measuring 377 feet long and displacing more than 7,800 tons, Hawaii has a crew of approximately 140 Sailors. Hawaii is capable of supporting various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
| Date Taken: | 04.20.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.21.2021 20:57 |
| Story ID: | 394402 |
| Location: | PEARL HARBOR, HI, US |
| Hometown: | BERKELEY, CA, US |
| Hometown: | ELIZABETHTOWN, PA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,038 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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USS Hawaii (SSN 776)
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