After a record-breaking 235 days at sea, the USS Carney has returned to its homeport at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer deployed on Sept. 27, its commanding officer, Cmdr. Jeremy Robertson told reporters.
The Carney’s mission began in the Mediterranean but rapidly evolved as the geopolitical landscape shifted.
Following an attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel on October 7, the Carney transitioned to the Red Sea.
Within a span of 12 days post-Hamas’ attack, on October 19, the Carney faced its first barrage from the Houthis.
What followed was a relentless series of engagements with the rebels, who consistently targeted military and commercial vessels. The destroyer’s crew adeptly intercepted these threats, including missiles directed at Israel by Iran.
Commander Robertson’s description of the situation underlines the intensity of their operations: “From start to finish, it’s anywhere from nine to 20 seconds,” illustrating the rapid response required to neutralize incoming anti-ship ballistic missiles.
During its deployment, the USS Carney executed a staggering 51 engagements over a six-month period, a testament to the crew’s preparedness and resilience.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti acknowledged this extraordinary feat, highlighting the historic nature of these engagements.
The entire Carney crew received the Combat Action Ribbon for their actions, and individual sailors have been awarded other decorations as well.
While knocking out Houthi salvos, the Carney also rescued the oil tanker M/V Marlin Luanda after it was struck by an anti-ship ballistic missile on Jan. 26.
Carney arrived on scene and dumped 600 gallons of fire-killing foam on the ship, extinguishing the blaze, according to the Navy.
Upon arrival in Mayport on Sunday, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro presented the Navy Unit Commendation to the ship. The unit award, the second highest after the Presidential Unit Citation, is distributed to Navy and Marine Corps units that demonstrated “outstanding heroism” in action against enemy forces.
“I am incredibly proud of my team for their performance throughout this deployment,” Cmdr. Jeremy Robertson, Carney’s commanding officer, said in a statement.
“No matter the challenge, our crew was ready and demonstrated incredible professionalism, proficiency, and flexibility. Our missions required focus and grit, and the crew leaned on each other and took care of each other, as we will continue to do.”
Relevant articles:
– After an historic deployment, the USS Carney is home, Yahoo
– Inside the USS Carney’s harrowing and unprecedented deployment, Navy Times
– Destroyer USS Carney Returns Hom e After Seven, USNI News