By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nicholas Spinelli, USS Ponce Public Affairs
NORFOLK (NNS) -- USS Ponce (LPD-15) returned from a six-month Persian Gulf deployment, Jan. 27.
Over the course of her deployment, Ponce provided transport for members of the 22 Marine Expeditionary Unit, supported the coalition presence and security operations in the Central Persian Gulf, and conducted Maritime Security Operations in the region.
While operating in the Gulf, Ponce performed a variety of missions in the 5th Fleet area of operations (AOR). The first stop was the port of Ash Shuayba, Kuwait. Ponce was the first ship in over a year to use the terminal. The crew delivered Marines ashore along with needed gear for their sustainment training.
Upon leaving Kuwait Ponce conducted interaction patrols in the Central and Southern Persian Gulf in support of Operation Sea Dragon. During this operation, Ponce's visit, board, search and seizure team conducted approaches on more than 100 fishing and cargo dhows in order to gather information, build trust, render assistance if needed, and reassure local mariners that coalition forces were present to deter piracy and other illegal activities in the area.
For Ponce Sailors and Marines, liberty ports were a mission in the Persian Gulf. The ship stopped in Bahrain, Dubai and Jebel Ali with the purpose of building a spirit of cooperation with those countries.
Sailors donated their liberty reaching out to special needs children at a school in Dubai, others spent time at a building project in Jebel Ali called "City of Hope".
Projects like these were intended not only to help the community, but to fulfill service members' roles as U.S. ambassadors.
The crew also worked hard on personal accomplishments with 101 Sailors attaining their enlisted surface warfare specialist pins and several crew members spending their limited off-duty hours taking college courses.
After completion of her duties, Ponce left the 5th Fleet AOR and made her way back into the Mediterranean for a liberty visit to Malta and Rota, Spain, before arriving at her homeport in Norfolk.
Ponce deployed as part of the Kearsarge Expeditionary Strike Group.
