Double return marks end of six-month deployment
Navy Newsstand
Release Date: 7/28/2003
By Journalist Seaman Patrick Dille, 7th Fleet public affairs
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan -- It was six months in the making, but it was worth the wait for many.
USS Gary (FFG 51), along with USS Vandegrift (FFG 48), returned here July 26, following a six-month deployment in support of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom in the Arabian Gulf.
As Gary pulled in, Sandra Hobbs stood near the pier with her six-year-old daughter Alyssa.
Alyssa's eyes strained to pick her father out from among those manning the ship's rails.
Sandra's one-year-old son, Connor, sat in a stroller just behind her, holding a small American flag.
The family had been waiting since early morning to see Petty Officer 1st Class Greg Hobbs, a damage controlman aboard the guided missile frigate.
"I think the hour wait is longer than the six month deployment," said Sandra, smiling.
"It's always so hard for my mom," added Alyssa. "She always has to cry."
Yokosuka's Morale, Welfare and Recreation department put up tents outside the pier's gates. A band played Shania Twain covers while workers busily arranged trays of hot bean burritos, soft blueberry bagels and fresh fruit salad. A crowd of anxious spouses, children, and family friends gathered.
Felicia Cambridge and her two children made their way through the gates and down the pier. They were among a small group of family and friends who got to meet their Sailors first. Felicia's husband, Chief Boatswain's Mate Ricky Cambridge, won a raffle for the first kiss. Felicia waited near the front of the group with Ricky Jr., 7 and Brittany, 14.
"My heart is beating," she giggled.
Once they were in each other's arms, they made good on the raffle ticket's promise.
"I've been looking forward to it for three or four months," he said.
Sailors said there were high and low points during the deployment.
"The tasking was not always exciting, but when you step back and look at the big picture of what is going on, you can see how our mission is tied into helping the troops on the ground and helps in the overall mission and I am pleased to know that we are doing our part," said Lt. j.g. Durwood Dunn.
Gary commanding officer, Cmdr. Tito Dua, said seeing Japan again was worth the hard months at sea.
"It was quite a sight this morning to see the lights of the Chiba Peninsula," said Dua. "Quite a pleasure to know we were home to see our families. Six months is a long time to be away from your family and you don't really realize it until it's over. It's good to be back in the Land of the Rising Sun."
Gunner's Mate 3rd Class (SW) Robert Adams said he wasn't sure what he missed.
"I missed my girlfriend the most but fast food is a close second," he said.
Vandegrift, close on Gary's heels, moored about a half-hour later.
A restless group of wives and children were gathered behind a white tether. Four lucky Sailors had won first-kiss honors.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Johnson, an electronics technician, strained among a group of Sailors to tighten a mooring line on the fantail. Every few minutes he perked up and scaned the pier, searching for his wife, Syteria Johnson, and daugter, Remara, 2.
Syteria wasn't among the first-kiss wives, and watched as her husband toiled over the necessary labor to allow the ship's crew to hit the shore.
"I'm overly excited, nervous. ready to hold him," Syteria said, maintaining eye contact with her husband.
Evelyn Eva and her daughters, Gabrielle, 14, and Sarah, 2, stood at the front of the frenzied group. Evelyn's husband, Chief Gas Turbine System Technician (SW) Stephen Eva, was one of the four lucky husbands who won the first-kiss raffle.
Eva and the rest of the winners stood at the head of the gangway. A voice thundered across the ship's loudspeaker and the tether was dropped from in front of the wives. Evelyn bounced across the pier and met Eva. He gently kissed his children, cupped each young face in his hand and studied it, as if trying to comprehend each minute change he missed.
"It's the first time I've been away from my little one," Eva said, cradling Sarah. "She's changed a lot after six months. This is my fifth deployment and every time there is something different when I come back."
Eva and his family slowly made their way down the pier toward the gates. Eva moved his hands from one head to the next, as if he can't decide where to stop.
Vandegrift's commanding officer, Cmdr. Rich Rogers, holding his daughter, Annie, 2, said family was the driving force that saw him home.
"I look forward to spending time with my family," Rogers said. "I know the guys like to see their families too."
Rogers looked down at his young daughter with an inquisitive grin. "When I left she was kind of talking. Now she's walking and talking."
Lt. j.g. Ryan Easterday contributed to this story.
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