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Guardian Completes Spring Patrol

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070705-08
Release Date: 7/5/2007 12:41:00 PM

By Lt j.g. Steve Peterson, USS Guardian Public Affairs

SASEBO, Japan (NNS) -- USS Guardian (MCM 5) returned to its forward-deployed homeport of Sasebo on June 29 after a successful spring patrol in and around the East China Sea.

The mine countermeasure ship was welcomed home by family and friends waiting on the pier. The crowd erupted into celebration as “moored, shift colors” was passed on the ship’s general announcing system.

“I’m excited to be back in Sasebo, and even more excited to see my wife and son,” said Quartermaster 1st Class (SW) Ryan Curylo. “Throughout the deployment, my family was never far from my mind.”

Guardian departed Yonaguni on June 26 after a brief port visit alongside USS Patriot (MCM 7), which made several simultaneous port visits with Guardian during the patrol. The visit marked the first time a U.S. Navy vessel has visited the Japanese island since the U.S. returned Okinawa to Japan in 1972.

A little more than a month earlier, Guardian and her crew participated in Cobra Gold 2007, a successful bilateral exercise with the Royal Thai Navy. That initial achievement carried through the remaining time at sea, as numerous Sailors completed important qualifications and earned their enlisted warfare pins.

“I couldn’t be more proud of my ship and my sailors,” said Lt. Cmdr Steve DeMoss, Guardian’s commanding officer. “I’m continually astounded by the pride and professionalism exhibited by my crew. Both their individual accomplishments at sea and their personal behavior ashore have been superb.”

Throughout the spring patrol, which began in early April, Guardian took breaks from its rigorous training at sea schedule to visit places such as Brunei, the Philippines and Hong Kong, where crew members experienced the local culture and delivered good will. An extended period was also spent in Singapore for a planned maintenance availability.

Guardian’s success has exceeded expectations, according to DeMoss, both in training and professionalism.

The ship now is preparing for a unit level training assessment and undergoing post-deployment upkeep and maintenance.

Guardian is a mine countermeasures ship forward deployed to Sasebo. Guardian and Patriot serve under Task Force 76 as the 7th Fleet’s mine countermeasures arm in forward-deployed operations.