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Wolfpack Sailors Return Home from Successful Deployment

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070703-02
Release Date: 7/3/2007 9:18:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (AW) Crystal M. Mullen, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific

NORTH ISLAND, Calif. (NNS) -- Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 45 Det. 3 “Wolfpack," returned home after a seven-month counter-narcotics deployment in the eastern Pacific June 8.

“I am very relieved that he came home safely and very happy that he gets to see his daughter,” said Aviation Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class (AW) John P. Villacis' wife. “It was long awaited.”

This was the first time Villacis could see and hold his two-month-old daughter Arianna.

“I am so excited to be back here,” said Villacis.

Other family members were thrilled the long deployment was over and are happy to have their loved ones back.

“I can’t explain how excited I am that he is coming back,” said Lt. Tyson Mercure's wife. “It seemed like the last month was never going to get here.”

Attached to USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60), the detachment participated in counter-narco terrorism in a joint inter-agency task force for U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command carrying out patrols in the easern Pacific Ocean around Central and South America and in particular the Panama Canal and canal area.

HSL-45 Commanding Officer Cmdr. Dave M. Edgecomb was happy to see the detachment return home safely had many good things to say about their accomplishments.

"[The detachment] cut down on narcotics that would have been smuggled into this country,” Edgecomb said. “On the other side of that is in some cases that money from drugs is used to fund terrorism, so that is why we talk about it as narco-terrorism."

One of the many accomplishments of the detachment included a high-speed chase and capture of a go-fast speed boat April 24. The speed boat beached during the chase and 64 bales of cocaine was seized. The bales of cocaine totaled nearly two tons and have an approximate street value of $228 million.

“They did a great job, their aircraft was up virtually the whole time they were out there,” said Edgecomb. “They were out there looking hard the whole time, and it paid off in the end.”

The excitement was not only felt by the family members that were waiting at the squadron but also the members of the detachment.

“It is always great when they come back safe, especially when they do so well,” said Edgecomb. “This is an awesome squadron and a great group of people. They just do it right over and over again.”