Mission fulfilled: USS Ponce's final return [Image 7 of 17]

ATLANTIC OCEAN

12.01.2011

Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Nathanael T. Miller 

U.S. Navy           

Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman Michael Babers directs a UH-1Y Venom helicopter, assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 167, as it lifts off from flight deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS Ponce during late evening flight operations. The night's flight operations are the final flight operations Ponce will conduct. After 40 years of service and more than 39,000 safe landings and launches, Ponce is returning to Naval Station Norfolk to begin the ship's decommissioning process.

• Date Taken: 12.01.2011
• Date Posted: 12.13.2011 05:16
• Photo ID: 498593
• VIRIN: 111201-N-YX169-289
• Resolution: 4288x2848
• Size: 1.67 MB
• Location: ATLANTIC OCEAN