DARWIN, Australia (June 1, 2024) – The submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) departed from HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, June 1.
Darwin was the first port call of Emory S. Land’s current deployment to Australia, which began when the ship left from Guam on May 17.
“We had very rewarding visit to Darwin,” said Capt. Brent Spillner, the ship’s commanding officer. “The local community was very welcoming, it’s an amazing hub for outdoor activities and adventure, and we really enjoyed and learned a lot from working with our counterparts at HMAS Coonawarra and aboard HMAS Gascoyne.”
While in port, the crew got the chance to participate in activities coordinated by the ship’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation organization to experience local attractions such as fishing, seeing and feeding salt water crocodiles in Crocodylus Park, and other local sites such as the downtown and waterfront areas.
“We went [fishing] where they had multiple stocked lakes, and we were allowed to fish in all of them,” said Electronics Technician 3rd Class Zachary Hankins, from Cincinnati, Ohio, assigned to the ship. “My favorite part about the event was getting to know the other shipmates that also went while relaxing and having a fun time. I look forward to more fishing trips.”
Sailors had the opportunity to volunteer for community relations events organized by the ship’s religious ministries team, such as serving food and refreshments during Reconciliation Week events in Darwin, playing basketball with members of the Malak community at Holzerland Park, and a cleanup at Bagot Victory Church.
National Reconciliation Week is held from May 27 to June 3 every year. The week is dedicated to all Australians to interchange histories, cultures and achievements, in order to build a stronger community. The week showcases Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' culture.
“It felt good helping out,” said Machinery Repairman Fireman Austin Downen, from San Diego, assigned to the ship. “It’s always nice to give back to the community and provide assistance in areas that are kind enough to let us visit.”
Emory S. Land is scheduled to conduct numerous port visits and interoperability exercises with our allies and partners across the Indo-Pacific region while on deployment. Emory S. Land is on deployment supporting the U.S. 7th Fleet, the U.S. Navy’s largest forward deployed numbered fleet, operating with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Emory S. Land provides expeditionary intermediate-level maintenance, services, and logistics support to deployed submarines.
Guam is home to the U.S. Navy's only submarine tenders, USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) and USS Frank Cable (AS 40), as well as Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines. The submarine tenders provide maintenance, hotel services and logistical support to submarines and surface ships in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operation. The submarines and tenders are maintained as part of the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed submarine force and are capable of meeting global operational requirements.
For more information about USS Emory S. Land (AS 39), visit us at http://www.csp.navy.mil/emorysland/ or like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/EmorySLand, or on Twitter @EmorySLand.
For more news from USS Emory S. Land (AS 39), visit http://www.navy.mil/local/as39/.
Are you interested in taking orders to Guam? Want to learn more about the duty station and life on our island? For more information, check out the ‘Go Guam!’ website at http://www.csp.navy.mil/go-guam/ and download the ‘1st Fifteen’ checklist.
| Date Taken: | 06.05.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.06.2024 04:26 |
| Story ID: | 473206 |
| Location: | DARWIN, NORTHERN TERRITORY, AU |
| Web Views: | 294 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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