Cairns, Queensland, Australia (June 17, 2024) – The submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) departed from Cairns, Queensland, Australia, after a regularly scheduled port call, June 17. Cairns was the second port call of Emory S. Land’s current deployment, which began May 17.
“We had a very rewarding visit to Cairns,” said Capt. Brent Spillner, the ship’s commanding officer. “We were able to simultaneously provide repairs and other services to Australian, British, and American warships, to improve our coordination with allies, and to participate in some very meaningful naval and community events.”
Emory S. Land had the honor of welcoming the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Leeuwin-class survey ship HMAS Leeuwin (A 245) and Royal Navy (RN) River Class vessel HMS Tamar (P 233) alongside as both allied vessels demonstrated mooring capabilities. The last time the tender moored an allied ship alongside was the South Korean submarine ROKS Jeong Ji in Oct. 2023.
“This was a great opportunity to visit a culturally-rich area and enhance the relationship between our countries,” said Emory S. Land Executive Officer, Cmdr. Michael Fasano. “Our Sailors participated in military-to-military exchanges, cultural exchange projects and numerous community relations events. A highlight of this port call was demonstrating our capability to moor RAN and RN vessels alongside simultaneously. All three nations have a common interest in the security, stability, and well-being of the Indo-Pacific region. Our respective platforms complement each other well, and we open up the possibility of a number of important missions by being able to coordinate seamlessly with our regional trusted partners.”
Sailors had the opportunity to participate in community relations events organized by the ship’s religious ministries team. A group of Sailors spent the day with the young indigenous men and women of the Australian Football League Cape York House, receiving boomerang-throwing lessons, partaking in traditional dance, and competing in various outdoor activities. Sailors also visited the James Cook University Marine Research Facility, taking a tour of the marine life in rehabilitation, and assisting the staff in the cleanup and reorganization of the facility.
“I think it’s a really good way to give back as a country, and also as a military,” said Chief Machinery Repairman Rene Gomez, “It means a lot to us to be able to put ourselves out there, letting people know we’re not just here to conduct military missions, but that we’re here to actually give back to the communities.”
Previously, the ship conducted a port visit in Darwin, Australia which began on May 30. There, the crew participated in local fishing and tourism, and participated in community relation events such as a community cleanup and assisted with the local Reconciliation Week barbeque.
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.
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 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.
-30-
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.20.2024 04:58 |
| Story ID: | 474361 |
| Location: | AU |
| Web Views: | 45 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Smooth Sailing Ahead: Farewell Cairns!, by SA Ethan Lambert, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
