DVIDS Hub works best with JavaScript enabled

USS San Juan returns from deployment

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Joshua Karsten | 210825-N-ZZ999-356 GROTON, Conn. (August 24, 2021) – Petty Officer 3rd Class...... read more read more

GROTON, CONNECTICUT, UNITED STATES

08.24.2021

Courtesy Story

Submarine Readiness Squadron (SRS) 32

GROTON, Connecticut – The Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered submarine USS San Juan (SSN 751) returned to Naval Submarine Base New London Tuesday, Aug. 24, after a seven-month deployment.

“It’s always a great joy to welcome one of our submarines home and see these hardworking, deserving submariners reunited with their families and loved ones after many months away,” said Capt. Matthew Boland, commanding officer of Submarine Squadron 12, of which San Juan is a part. “They stepped up and answered the nation’s call and should feel tremendous pride in all that they accomplished. It should not be forgotten that these families on shore have spent the past several months sacrificing and serving their country as well, and all of us on San Juan and in Squadron 12 thank them from the bottoms of our hearts.”

Cmdr. Douglas Sattler, commanding officer of San Juan, called the homecoming “a very special day.”

“It’s great to be back home,” he said. “We came together as a team to get through it and completed our deployment safely.”

Five of San Juan’s returning sailors met their newborn babies for the first time Tuesday.

“I am absolutely honored to be able to be a part of this Navy tradition and I know he’s so excited,” said Haley Goad, who shared the ceremonial first kiss with Petty Officer 3rd Class Christian Watson, a fire control technician. “He’s absolutely excited.”

Petty Officer 1st Class Corey Ewen, a nuclear electronics technician, was given the first hug with his spouse, Jillian Ewen, and their children.

“I think it’s such an honor to be selected for the first hug,” said Jillian Ewen. “It’s such an honor to have him come out first because he is a nuke, so he’s normally last off. My kids are super excited for him, he’s just excited to be home.”

San Juan steamed nearly 80,000 miles during the seven-month deployment. San Juan was commissioned Aug. 6, 1988 and is the second U.S. warship named after the capital city of Puerto Rico. It is 362 feet long with a beam of 33 feet and a crew of approximately 139.

Fast-attack submarines are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities – sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence. They are designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, irregular warfare and mine warfare. Fast-attack submarines project power ashore with special operations forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or preparation of regional crises.