The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O'Kane (DDG 77) departs Naval Station Pearl Harbor. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication 2nd Class Michael A. LantronPEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O'Kane (DDG 77) and the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Reuben James (FFG 57) departed Naval Station (NAVSTA) Pearl Harbor, April 18, to join the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Carrier Strike Group (CSG).
Friends and family waved goodbye as the ships left the pier for a surge deployment with the strike group in support of the war on terrorism.
"I know it's part of the job, but I'm going to miss him like crazy and at the same time I'm more proud of him than ever," said a spouse of a Reuben James Sailor.
"Our leaving today is part of the whole new concept of being ready at any time we're asked to deploy and I think the crew understands that and everyone's ready and looking forward to it," said Cmdr. Joseph Naman, commanding officer of Reuben James.
Reuben James returned Feb. 22 from a six-month deployment in support of the war on terrorism, where they also conducted community relation projects in Guadalcanal, Tonga and Samoa.
Having to leave their friends and family behind as they return to sea two months after a major deployment is strenuous on the crew of Reuben James but the crew is still upbeat about another underway period.
"I'm pretty excited to get out there, go underway and do whatever it is we may have to do," said Electronics Technician 3rd Class Stephen Coffmann, assigned to Reuben James.
O'Kane has been in Pearl Harbor since returning from a seven-month deployment in the Persian Gulf with the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) CSG on Aug. 20, 2007.
Cmdr. Tom Druggan, commanding officer of O'Kane, believes that despite the long wait between deployments, the crew is up to the task and ready for their deployment.
"In the end, this is what we're hired to do," said Druggan. "This is why the Navy maintains a ready posture throughout the fleet and we are answering the call."
One O'Kane Sailor said he looks forward to getting back underway and supporting the nation while at sea.
"I think all of us are ready to go out and do what we're meant to do, which is go underway and defend our country," said Interior Communications Electrician 1st Class (SW) John Grunnels, assigned to O'Kane.
Guided-missile destroyers provide multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities, and can operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, expeditionary strike groups, and underway replenishment groups. Frigates fulfill a protection of shipping mission as anti-submarine warfare combatants for amphibious expeditionary forces, underway replenishment groups and merchant convoys.