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USS Olympia Returns from Western Pacific Deployment

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS031028-01

Release Date: 10/28/2003 11:04:00 AM

By Lt. j.g. Nick Anderson, USS Olympia and Commander, Submarine Force Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- Los Angeles-class attack submarine, USS Olympia (SSN 717), returned to her homeport of Pearl Harbor, Oct. 23, following a routine six-month deployment in the Western Pacific.

Olympia supported a variety of operations and exercises throughout the deployment while assigned to the 7th Fleet area of operations in the Western Pacific Theater.

These included Exercise Tandem Thrust, a tri-service exercise designed to develop interaction between the services, and Exercise SHAREM 146, a major multi-national naval exercise with forward-deployed forces.

Olympia also conducted independent operations and a shallow water acoustic test.

The crew visited liberty ports in South Korea, Japan, Guam and Saipan. As the first and the last port that Olympia visited during the deployment, Saipan was among the favorite ports visited, according to crew members.

Olympia's Sailors enjoyed the island's lush tropical landscape and sandy beaches, taking time to relax and soak in the sun. During the port visit, Cmdr. Paul Marconi, Olympia's commanding officer, and some of the crew visited Saipan's Governor Juan N. Babauta, at the Governor's office.

Lt. Cmdr. Paul Davis, engineering officer, enjoyed meeting the governor and noted, "It gave us the opportunity to personally express our gratitude for the warm welcome that the people of Saipan provided Olympia's crew."

According Marconi, the crew performed exceptionally well throughout the deployment. "It was very successful. We completed all our assigned tasks and missions and the crew was fantastic. They did an outstanding job and truly represented the submarine force well."

One Olympia Sailor, Electronics Technician 2nd Class Brandon Giddnes, is proud to have done his job underway, but is glad to be back with his family. "The cruise was successful, but nothing is better than being home. I haven't seen my son since he was three weeks old."

Olympia is capable of sustained high-speed operations in direct support of the carrier task forces of the U.S. Navy, as well as independent operations of critical importance to national security.

Olympia is the Navy's 104th nuclear-powered submarine and the 95th of the attack-submarine fleet. It is the 29th of the Los Angeles-class to be delivered to the fleet.