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Crommelin Returns to Pearl Harbor

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS041109-07
Release Date: 11/12/2004 9:00:00 PM

By Operations Specialist 1st Class Daniel W. Roberts, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- The guided-missile frigate USS Crommelin (FFG 37) returned home to Pearl Harbor Nov. 12 after completing a successful six-month deployment to the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility (AOR).

Family and friends of the ship's crew turned out en masse to welcome Crommelin home after one of the most successful counter-narcotics deployments in history.

The most important highlight of the deployment was the interdiction of the fishing vessel San Jose. Working in conjunction with U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Det. (LEDET) 105, Crommelin intercepted the vessel San Jose and recovered a total of 525 bales of cocaine weighing approximately 10.5 metric tons. The effort was recorded as the third largest at-sea bust in U.S. history.

But this interdiction was preceded and followed by other highly successful operations. During her tenure in the SOUTHCOM AOR, Crommelin intercepted and recovered a total 20.5 metric tons of cocaine worth more than $1 billion, detained 29 drug smugglers and rescued a total of 96 people adrift at sea.

In her first month and a half on station, Crommelin, with Air Det. 3 from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron, Light (HSL) 37 and U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Det. 102 were involved in numerous anti-narcotics cases. Her accomplishments included the query of 15 vessels suspected of supporting narcotics traffickers, the interception and boarding of 3 suspect vessels, the apprehension and detention of 10 smugglers, and the rescue of three fishermen 140 miles south of Costa Rica after they had been adrift on a disabled vessel for 17 days.

Crommelin was also credited with the disruption of three smuggling operations, with one go-fast crew forced to jettison its illegal cargo and run to Costa Rican waters. In another instance, a go-fast beached itself in Panama while the crew ran away on foot empty handed. In the third case, the go-fast vessel beached itself in Mexico.

In mid-July, Crommelin turned south to Peru to join partner navies in UNITAS. As part of the largest maritime exercise in the region, the ship participated in numerous complex maritime exercises with ships and submarines from 10 South American countries. Barely taking time to catch its breath, the crew then repositioned north to Panama for PANAMAX 2004, a two-week exercise focused on the maritime defense of the Panama Canal from terrorist attacks.

Crommelin also made time to render assistance to vessels at sea in distress. Crommelin rescued 93 migrants Sept. 29 from a disabled fishing vessel and returned them to their home country of Ecuador.