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USS STETHEM, At sea – Commander
Task Force 70 (CTF 70), Rear Adm. Rick Wren visited USS Stethem (DDG
63) July 15 to meet with Stethem’s “Steelworkers.” Wren used the
opportunity to express his appreciation for the ship’s contributions
and performance as part of the USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) Carrier Strike
Group which he commands.
Wren also recognized three Stethem Sailors for their recent
achievement and awarded them their Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist
(ESWS) qualifications. The three Sailors had just passed their boards
that morning.
“At first I was just really excited to know that I got my pin, but
then when I heard that Rear Adm. Wren was going to give it to me, it
made the moment even more meaningful,” remarked Boatswain’s Mate 3rd
Class Athena Winch, one of the ESWS pin awardees.
Wren took a tour of the ship, including stops in the Combat
Information Center, Central Control Station, and the Bridge, meeting
crewmembers and getting a first-hand look at day-to-day operations on
Stethem.
During his time on board, the admiral also spoke to the crew about the
strategic importance of liberty and their role as ambassadors within
the 7th Fleet area of responsibility.
Commanding Officer Cmdr. Paul J. Lyons, was pleased to host the Strike
Group Commander. “These visits are a win-win for all concerned. It’s
imperative that he forge a close-up impression for the ships within
the strike group. Equally, visits by the chain of command help imbue
the strategic and operational level perspective onto deck plate
Sailors – helping them realize the importance of the great work that
they do.”
Guided missile destroyer Stethem is named in honor of petty officer
Robert Stethem, killed by terrorists when they hijacked TWA Flight 847
in 1985. Petty officer Stethem was posthumously awarded the Bronze
Star for the heroism he displayed that day. Stethem is part of the
Kitty Hawk Carrier Strike Group and is forward-deployed to Yokosuka,
Japan, operating in the Seventh Fleet area of responsibility.
Operating in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, the U.S. 7th Fleet
is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with approximately
50 ships, 120 aircraft and 20,000 Sailors and Marines assigned at any
given time. For more information, visit the U.S. 7th Fleet Web site at
www.c7f.navy.mil.
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