Friday, June 19, 2009

Kidd, Preble Return Home from Deployment

Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88) man the rails as the ship transits San Diego Bay after returning from a scheduled five-month deployment. Preble is part of the USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group and operated in the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Damien Horvath/Released)

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Arleigh-Burke destroyers USS Kidd (DDG 100) and USS Preble (DDG 88) returned home to Naval Station San Diego from a five-month deployment with Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 3 June 16.

During the five-month deployment under the command of Commander, Destroyer Squadron 21, led by Capt. Kerry S. Gilpin, Kidd and Preble operated in 3rd and 7th Fleet's Area of Responsibility.

Their mission throughout the deployment was to directly support the U.S. maritime strategy by focusing on joint and international partnerships across a range of operations through forward presence, deterrence, freedom of the world's sea lanes, maritime security and humanitarian assistance/ disaster response.