Photo By Chief Petty Officer Joshua Karsten | 250327-N-GR655-1148 GROTON, Conn. (March 27, 2025) – A crewmember, attached to the...... read more read more
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GROTON, Connecticut – The Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Indiana (SSN 789), commanded by Cmdr. Kyle McVay, returned to Naval Submarine Base New London on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Families and friends gathered on the pier to welcome the crew home, followed by multiple reunions after Indiana’s six-month deployment to the U.S. European Command area of operations.
“It’s great to be back just in time for the spring weather,” McVay said. “This crew knocked it out of the park in terms of professionalism and mission accomplishment, and I couldn’t be any prouder of them as they reunite with their loved ones.”
During her deployment, Indiana steamed over 42,000 nautical miles and made four port calls to Scotland, Cyprus, Gibraltar, and Greece. While deployed, seven babies were born, and 34 personnel earned their submarine warfare devices – commonly referred to as “dolphins.”
Petty Officer 3rd Class Christian Santiago, a culinary specialist on board and winner of the traditional “first kiss,” was first to depart the boat to greet his wife Sonia, who said she was excited for “the benefit of having him come out first.”
“I love the fact he came out first for the raffle,” Sonia Santiago said. “I participated in both the hug and the kiss raffle, and the fact that I won one of them, I was excited about that.”
Santiago was also welcomed by his mother, uncle, niece, and nephew, all driving in from The Bronx, New York.
“I'm gonna let him steer it,” Sonia said in response to their weekend plans. “We're very loud, and I know he came from a very quiet area. So, I will just let him steer whichever way he wants to go.”
The Santiago reunion was followed by the traditional “first hug” winners and a few new dads before the gates opened for all families.
USS Indiana was the sixteenth Virginia-class submarine built when it was commissioned in September 2018. SSN 789 is the third U.S. Navy ship named for the state of Indiana; most recently following the battleship (BB-58) commissioned in 1942 and saw action during World War II. The first to bear the name USS Indiana included the battleship (BB-1) commissioned in 1895. The submarine Indiana has a crew of more than 130 personnel, is more than 377 feet long, and can displace nearly 7,900 tons.
Indiana and crew operate under Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 12, whose primary mission is to provide fast-attack submarines that are ready, prepared, and committed to meeting the unique challenges of undersea combat and deployed operations in unforgiving environments across the globe. Fast-attack submarines are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities – sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security and deterrence. They are designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, irregular warfare and mine warfare. Fast-attack submarines project power ashore with special operations forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or response to regional crises.
| Date Taken: | 03.27.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.27.2025 18:04 |
| Story ID: | 493942 |
| Location: | GROTON, CONNECTICUT, US |
| Web Views: | 1,996 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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