MAYPORT, Fla. – The USS Thomas Hudner returned to Mayport after an eight-month deployment to the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa area of operations on Thursday afternoon.
During the deployment, the Hudner served as an air defense unit off the coast of Israel and worked closely with allies and partners on various missions.
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According to the Navy Times, The Navy destroyer Thomas Hudner shot down “multiple one-way attack drones” in November 2023, while operating in the Red Sea, the second time the warship has intercepted such drones in eight days.
U.S. Central Command said in a brief statement that the drones were launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
“I’m so grateful to have been a part of the Thomas Hudner family for this deployment,” Sonar Technician Geographic Third Class Michelle Falcon Escobedo said. “Even though it was long, the moments I’ve shared with this team made it worthwhile. Together we’ve celebrated holidays, gotten qualified, and traveled halfway around the world. I couldn’t ask for a better ship.”
MORE: Crew of USS Thomas Hudner in 2022 ‘thankful’ to be home for upcoming holidays
In 250 days, the crew conducted 30 replenishments-at-sea, logged over 400 helicopter landings, sailed over 60,000 miles, and safely transferred over 6 million gallons of fuel with zero mishaps.
The culinary team served over 250,000 meals, which included over 6,900 dozen eggs, 2,800 gallons of milk, 2,100 pounds of ground beef, 2,200 pounds of bacon, 3,300 pounds of steak, 1,100 pounds of ribeye roll, 7,300 pounds of chicken, 67,500 cookies and, Thomas Hudner’s favorite, 550 gallons of ice cream.
Since October, the ship has operated throughout the Mediterranean and Red Sea regions, deterring aggression in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“These remarkable partnerships between the U.S. and our Allies and Partners not only maintained a deterrent posture throughout the region but showcased our collective combat power and flexibility across the maritime domain,” the Mayport Naval Station said in a statement.
The navy ship is named after Thomas Jerome Hudner Jr. He was a United States Navy officer and naval aviator. He rose to the rank of captain, and received the Medal of Honor for his actions in trying to save the life of his wingman, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War.