Seven-year-old Gavin Hurst runs to greet his father, Electronics Technician Nuclear 2nd Petty Officer Daniel Hurst, with the traditional first hug during a homecoming celebration for the Virginia-class, nuclear-powered, fast-attack submarine, USS Virginia (SSN 774) on Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Steven Hoskins/Released)
Sailors aboard the fast-attack submarine Virginia returned home last week to Naval Submarine Base, New London, Connecticut, on an overcast day to a warm welcome.
It was the end of a 6-month deployment, under the command of Cmdr. Jeff Anderson, that took it 27,500 nautical miles with port visits in Scotland, Spain and Norway, according to a Navy article.
Seven-year-old Gavin Hurst greets his father, Electronics Technician Nuclear 2nd Petty Officer Daniel Hurst, with the traditional first hug during a homecoming celebration for the Virginia-class, nuclear-powered, fast-attack submarine, USS Virginia (SSN 774) on Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn., on Feb. 22, 2018. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Steven Hoskins/Navy)
During the deployment:
16 enlisted sailors were advanced,
three officers were promoted,
17 silver and five gold dolphins were earned,
four crew members qualified as pilots,
three qualified as engineering watch supervisors, and
four qualified as the engineering officer of the watch.
Electronics Technician Nuclear 2nd Class Petty Officer Daniel Hurst greets his wife Hannah Hurst, his son Gavin Hurst and daughter Chloe Hurst with the traditional first hug during a homecoming celebration for the Virginia (SSN 774) on Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn., on Feb. 22, 2018. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Steven Hoskins/Navy)
In addition a crewmember was recognized as Commander, Submarine Squadron Four’s (CSS-4) Junior Officer of the Year for 2017 and as a crew the boat won the CSS-4 Communications/Cyber Green E.
Friends and family welcome home sailors assigned to the USS Virginia (SSN 774) after a regularly scheduled, six-month deployment. Virginia returned to its homeport at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn., on Thursday Feb. 22, 2018. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Steven Hoskins/Navy)Sailors assigned to the USS Virginia (SSN 774) stand topside as their friends and families cheer their arrival as Virginia pulls into its homeport on Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn., on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Steven Hoskins/Navy)Lt. Jg. Heather Kerber and her spouse, Cecille Kerber, share the traditional first kiss during a homecoming celebration for the Virginia-class, nuclear-powered, fast-attack submarine, USS Virginia (SSN 774) on Naval Submarine Base, New London, on Feb. 22, 2018. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Steven Hoskins/Navy)Sailors assigned to the USS Virginia (SSN 774) look to the crowd of friends and family on the pier as Virginia pulls into its homeport on Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn., on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Steven Hoskins/Navy)
“Successful deployments do not happen without sacrifice, hard work, rigorous training, and the highest level of dedication to our nation,” said Anderson. “It was because of the team’s devotion to the country and the goal of a successful deployment that Virginia was able to achieve such a high level of success.”
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