Photo By Seaman Apprentice Mario Reyes Villatoro | APRA HARBOR (April 9, 2025) – Chief Hull Maintenance Technician Kristen Pacheco hugs...... read more read more
NAVAL BASE GUAM (April 9th, 2025) – The submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) returned to its homeport in Apra Harbor, Guam, April 9th, 2025. Emory S. Land’s arrival marked the completion of its expeditionary submarine tender deployment, which began May 17th, 2024.
Emory S. Land conducted 17 port calls in the Indo-Pacific region over 11 months, strengthening relations with many allies and partners such as Australia, Japan, Republic of Korea, and Singapore. During its deployment, Emory S. Land played a pivotal role supporting Pillar 1 of the AUKUS security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
In the first half of deployment, Emory S. Land conducted a Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period, or STMP, with the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Hawaii (SSN 776) in HMAS Stirling, Western Australia, Australia, from Aug. 22 to Sept. 10, 2024. Royal Australian Navy Sailors who had been attached to the submarine tender since January 2024 took the lead on conducting repairs aboard Hawaii. The STMP was the first time Australians had ever performed maintenance on a nuclear-powered submarine in Australia. Emory S. Land Sailors also worked in conjunction with the Royal Australian Navy’s Fleet Support Unit-West, which provides repair and maintenance services to the Australian fleet.
“It is an honor and pleasure to return home to Guam. The entire crew, military personnel and civil service mariners , have performed exceptionally well over the last 11 months and have lived up to the ship’s motto “Tireless Worker of the Sea”, and are ready to come home and enjoy quality time back at home with family and friends,” said Capt. Kenneth Holland, the ship’s commanding officer. “This whole deployment has been an incredible journey, to be able to form closer-ties with our allies and interact with the locals by hosting tours of our ship and taking part in community relation events. It’s all been a wonderful experience.”
Emory S. Land departed from its final port of the deployment, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, on April 2nd, 2025. While in port, Emory S. Land provided logistical support to the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Minnesota (SSN 783).
“I was glad we returned to Darwin and got to enjoy Australia again, and it was a great to spearhead support for the nuclear submarine in Darwin for the first time in 27 years,” said Chief Gunner’s Mate Brett Peterman. “I can’t wait to enjoy some rest and relaxation, and to spend time with the family, before getting back into supporting Guam deployed submarines.”
During its deployment, Emory S. Land visited Darwin, Cairns, Sydney, Eden, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth in Australia; Sasebo and Okinawa in Japan; Palau, Busan, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, and Subic Bay, Philippines. In each port, Emory S. Land Sailors conducted community relations events by assisting local school programs, participating in beach cleanups, sorting food at foodbanks, and much more.
“It was a unique opportunity to conduct so many community relations events across the region. Reflecting on our tour, I believe the real impact is learning about the difference we’ve made with our allies around the world during each event,” said Religious Program Specialist Seaman Hunter Stewart. “The local community members were always grateful for our team.”
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 four Los Angeles-class attack and one Virginia-class attack submarines. The submarine tenders provide maintenance, hotel services and logistical support to submarines and surface ships in the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation. The submarines and tenders are maintained as part of the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed submarine force and are readily capable of meeting global operational requirements.
For more information about USS Emory S. Land (AS 39), visit 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.
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| Date Taken: | 04.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.09.2025 03:55 |
| Story ID: | 494903 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 447 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Homecoming: Emory S. Land returns to Guam, by SA Mario Reyes Villatoro, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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