Crommelin Returns to Hawaii

PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- The Pearl Harbor-based, guided-missile frigate USS Crommelin (FFG 37) returned from a five-month western Pacific deployment Dec. 14.

Commanded by Cmdr. Joseph Keenan and with a crew of approximately 200 Sailors, Crommelin participated in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2010 in the Philippines and Cambodia. The ship also took part in exercise Valiant Shield 2010 off the coast of Southeast Asia.

"The crew of Crommelin is thrilled to be back in homeport Pearl Harbor and reunited with friends and family," said Keenan. "The crew worked very hard all year to prepare for this deployment and their collective performance has been nothing short of outstanding."

CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually in the Southeast Asia region. Longstanding participating nations include Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

According to Keenan, the Cambodia phase of CARAT 2010 marked the first time a U.S. Navy warship has gone to sea with the Royal Cambodian Navy. While at sea, the two navies performed maneuvering tactics and live-fire exercises.

"It was a great experience and the crew of Crommelin had a blast," Keenan said. "The two crews did a fine job in every exercise they were asked to do."

Also during the Cambodia phase, the Crommelin crew participated in several community relations projects while in port, including refurbishing schools and giving out toys and school supplies.

While deployed, Crommelin visited other countries including Guam, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and the Republic of the Philippines.

Exercise Valiant Shield 2010 is a joint training exercise between the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, enabling real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces' ability to detect, locate, track and engage units at sea, in the air, on land and in cyberspace in response to a range of mission areas.

Frigates fulfill a protection-of-shipping mission as anti-submarine warfare combatants for amphibious expeditionary forces, underway replenishment groups and merchant convoys.