Courtesy Photo | U.S. Navy Sailors, including six members of the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa Band,...... read more read more
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Eight members of the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) Topside Brass Band, along with two other U.S. Navy Sailors, marked a unique milestone while supporting exercise Obangame Express 2024 in Gabon.
The contingent embarked on Gabonese Navy ship (RPB20) MAYUMBA, commanded by LTJG Darnela MBOUMBA MBOUMBA, the Gabonese Navy’s first female commanding officer, to sail from Gabon’s capital Libreville to the port city of Port Gentil, May 8. During the initial transit, the Band and their Gabonese counterparts crossed the equator from North to South, a tradition in many navies known as “crossing the line.”
According to the tradition, pollywogs, or those who have not yet crossed the equator, must complete a variety of tasks and initiation rites to gain acceptance from King Neptune and become inducted into the “Solemn Mysteries of the Ancient Order of the Deep,” according to the Naval History and Heritage Command. Upon acceptance, they are no longer seen as pollywogs but as trusty shellbacks.
“We can spend years of our career without crossing the equator on a ship. To get to do it twice in one week, on a Gabonese vessel, is one of those unforgettable Navy moments,” said Chief Musician Joseph Schoonmaker, the Band’s lead planner for Obangame Express. “The Gabonese Sailors were surely amused at our enthusiasm for crossing the line, considering how often they do it. We will be telling this sea story for years.”
While underway, the NAVAF delegation learned a bit about Gabonese Navy operations and got to know their counterparts, strengthening interpersonal relationships and highlighting commonalities among mariners.
“Our journey on the Gabonese ship was a unique experience that highlights the relationship between our two navies,” said Musician 1st Class Tim Deal, the Topside Brass Band's Unit Leader. “The Gabonese were very gracious and even provided us with a home-cooked meal of rice, beef and plantains.”
The Band is in the region participating in the ongoing West African maritime exercise Obangame Express 2024. During Exercise Obangame Express 2024, the 13th rendition of the exercise, partner and allied forces collaborate to enhance collective maritime law enforcement capabilities, bolster national and regional security in West Africa, and foster greater interoperability among U.S., African, and multinational partners.
After rendering honors at the exercise’s Opening Ceremony at the Cadet School of Libreville on May 6 and aboard USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) during a distinguished visitor reception the following day, the team tagged along with the Gabonese Navy south to Port Gentil for a series of engagements with the local population.
“My time in Gabon so far during Obangame Express has been an unforgettable journey filled with vibrant experiences,” said Musician 3rd Class Elvis Yang, a Tuba player for the Band. “From the exhilarating encounters with the Gabon military band, where music became our universal language, to the bustling markets brimming with local treasures and flavorsome cuisines that tantalized our taste buds, every moment has been a celebration of culture, connection, and camaraderie.”
Their engagements in Gabon also come after a combined NAVEUR-NAVAF and U.S. Marine Corps Band played in Accra, Ghana for the first combined African Maritime Forces Summit (AMFS)/Naval Infantry Leaders Symposium-Africa (NILS-A). The underway on MAYUMBA and engagements in Gabon, then, continue a whirlwind trip throughout West Africa for this crew.
“These two events are quite different on the surface, but are cut from the same cloth of learning from each other and improving integrated efforts in the waters around Africa,” said Schoonmaker. “Whether it's playing for a Head of State or entertaining children at an orphanage, we are honored to be a part of these endeavors. Two factors that never change are the generosity of our West African partners and our desire to work together toward a brighter future.”
That generosity produced the U.S. Navy’s newest “shellbacks,” and these Sailors join the long and storied tradition of Sailors crossing the line throughout the world. Unlike many of their counterparts, these shellbacks get to say that they did so alongside their Gabonese partners. When they cross the line again to head back to Libreville on May 11, they will do so on a ship full of shellbacks, no doubt making King Neptune proud.
Through Obangame Express 2024, participating partner and Ally forces work together to improve combined maritime law enforcement capacity, promote national and regional security in West Africa, and increase interoperability between the U.S., African, and multinational partners. The U.S. routinely exercises with our partners in Africa to build enduring relationships and combined capacity to ensure the safety and security of the regional maritime environment.
For more information on Obangame Express, visit https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/obangameexpress2024 or https://twitter.com/usnavyEurope/. Please direct any questions or requests to cne_cna_c6fpao@us.navy.mil.
| Date Taken: | 05.10.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.10.2024 08:35 |
| Story ID: | 470897 |
| Location: | GULF OF GUINEA |
| Web Views: | 363 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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