NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. – Loved ones of sailors on the USS Milwaukee enjoyed a long-awaited happy homecoming Monday morning when the ship returned to Naval Station Mayport after an eight-month deployment.
About 100 sailors have been away from their families for 243 days -- including holidays, like Father’s Day this weekend.
One sailor had to leave his newborn baby after being able to return from deployment for his son’s birth and a few weeks of paternity leave. He saw his baby again for the first time Monday.
“It feels wonderful. I don’t know. I don’t have any words,” sailor Max Fletcher said as he held his son Nolan again after walking off the USS Milwaukee. “I was very fortunate. Once we got word that Sydni’s due date was soon, they flew me out of Ponce. I was able to see Nolan’s birth, spend some time, and (then) they said (we) need you back.”
The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship has been on deployment to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations in Central America.
During its deployment, the U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment crew, led by Cmdr. Jason Knox, removed eight suspected drug traffickers from the narcotics trade, according to a release from the U.S. Navy.
Knox, commanding officer of Milwaukee, and his crew also apprehended or disrupted an estimated 1,664 kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated street value of $116.5 million.
Monday’s homecoming celebration was organized by a Nease High School student who’s familiar with these emotional moments herself.
“It impacted me a lot during my childhood (when) my dad was deployed,” said Sydney Valdivia. “I wanted to make sure that not only we serve the community, the sailors, but also those left behind.”