The submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) departed the Republic of Palau after a regularly scheduled port call, Oct. 27. The Republic of Palau was the ninth port call of Emory S. Land’s current deployment, which began May 17.

“It was only a brief visit, but an unforgettable one,” said Capt. Brent Spillner, commanding officer of Emory S. Land. “Both the hands-on WWII history and the islands’ breathtaking natural beauty left an indelible impression on us, and we truly appreciate the hospitality of the Republic of Palau.”

While in port, the crew had the opportunity to enjoy many once-in-a-lifetime tours on the island of Malakal. Emory S. Land Sailors had the chance to kayak, scuba dive, and snorkel through the nearby waters, witnessing many of the beautiful aquatic ecosystems the Republic of Palau had to offer. The crew was also given the opportunity to immerse themselves in the islands’ history with a kayak tour to Ulong Island to view the ancient Palauan pictographs on display, as well as the island of Peleliu, one of the most well-preserved World War II battlefields in the world.

“My experience during the Peleliu tour was amazing,” said Chief Machinery Repairman Rene Antonio Gomez, assigned to the ship. “The Marine Corps Engineer Detachment of the Republic of Palau did an excellent job of taking us around the whole island of Peleliu, breaking down the historical significance in each area, such as the ‘Orange Beach Cemetery’ and the famous ‘Bloody Nose Ridge’.”

Previously, the ship had returned to its homeport of Apra Harbor, Guam, Sept. 27, after completing seven successful port calls in Australia.

Emory S. Land is on deployment supporting the U.S. 7th Fleet, the U.S. Navy’s largest forward deployed numbered fleet, operating with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Emory S. Land provides expeditionary intermediate-level maintenance, services, and logistics support to deployed submarines.

Guam is home to the U.S. Navy's only submarine tenders, USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) and USS Frank Cable (AS 40), as well as Los Angeles-class attack submarines. The submarine tenders provide maintenance, hotel services and logistical support to submarines and surface ships in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. The submarines and tenders are maintained as part of the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed submarine force and are capable of meeting global operational requirements.