The guided-missile destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70) is scheduled to return to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam May 6 from an independent deployment to the 5th and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility.

Commanded by Cmdr. Dave Snee, the ship and its crew of nearly 280 Sailors deployed from Hawaii Sept. 6, 2013 to conduct theater security cooperation and maritime presence operations with partner nations.

"I am extremely proud of the hard work and dedication of the Sailors aboard Hopper during this deployment. They have consistently gone above and beyond the call of duty executing our very demanding operational schedule." Snee said. "I am also very proud of the families of 'Hopper Nation' back home who, through their hard work and constant devotion, have supported us and enabled us to concentrate on our mission."

Hopper conducted maritime security, interdiction operations and practiced humanitarian assistance and anti-piracy operations.

"I am proud of the performance of Hopper and her crew on deployment and pleased that the hard work and preparation for deployment paid off as they executed a full spectrum of operations in 5th and 7th fleets," stated Destroyer Squadron 31 Commodore Chris Bushnell.

"We are extremely thankful not only for their service, but also for the sacrifice and support of their loved ones," said Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, Rear Adm. Rick Williams. "The families of USS Hopper have great strength and resiliency in supporting their Sailors."

Williams recognized 'Hopper Nation' and namesake Rear Adm. Grace Hopper in March in a Navy Live Blog post on "character, courage, commitment."

Hopper is named after the pioneering computer scientist and recipient of the National Medal of Technology (now known as the National Medal of Technology and Innovation), the highest honor of its type in the United States.

USS Hopper is homeported in Hawaii, assigned to Destroyer Squadron 31 and part of Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific and U.S. Third Fleet.

U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Eastern Pacific from the West Coast of North America to the international dateline and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy.

Guided-missile destroyers are multi-mission anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare surface combatants.

 

This article was originally published at: http://www.cpf.navy.mil/news.aspx/010257

- PACOM: (posted May 6, 2014) -