An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : Media : News : News Article View
NEWS | Sept. 10, 2019

USS Olympia Returns Home from Around-the-World Deployment

By MC1 Amanda Gray COMSUBPAC

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii -- Friends and families of the crew gathered on the submarine pier at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Sept. 8 to welcome Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Olympia (SSN 717) home from a seven-month, around-the-world deployment, conducting operations to support national security.

“Olympia and her crew performed with excellence,” said Master Chief Electronics Technician (Radio) Arturo Placencia, Olympia’s chief-of-the-boat, a native of Duncan, Oklahoma.

“For everyone onboard, this was the first time we completed a circumnavigation of the globe," Placencia said. "As a Pacific Fleet boat, this was also our first deployment in the 5th and 6th Fleet [areas]. We have been training towards this deployment for months, and it was great to see the Sailors put their skills and knowledge to the test.

"Our motto is ‘We do difficult things with excellence, strength and honor,’ and that’s exactly what our Sailors did,” he added.

During its deployment, Olympia made port visits to Souda Bay, Greece and to Gibraltar, "to foster and sustain relationships with the Gibraltarian and Royal Navy,” said Cmdr. Benjamin Selph, Olympia’s commanding officer. “The crew of Olympia welcomed British Parliament members on a tour of the mighty Olympia during our visit. We joined the crew of HMS Talent (S92) in a day of barbeque and friendly sports competitions of soccer, football and volleyball. There was also a promotion ceremony for two Olympia Sailors and a dolphin presentation onboard Talent,” Selph said.

During their scheduled port call to Souda Bay, Olympia's crew completed an expeditionary weapons load to demonstrate their warfighting capabilities.

“Our submarine force operates globally with allies and partners to ensure high-end warfighting capability in this era of great power competition," said Rear Adm. Blake Converse, commander of the Submarine Force for U.S. Pacific Fleet. "Submarine crews, like Olympia, train and operate every day to guarantee we are ready to fight tonight.”

During the deployment, 35 Sailors earned their submarine warfare qualification, and 29 achieved advanced supervisory qualifications.

“The Navy ensures the safety of the seas and the security of the world’s oceans to provide safe-global commerce, and I got to be part of that,” said Machinist’s Mate (Nuclear) 3rd Class William Christmas, from Warner Robins, Georgia. “It was an amazing experience passing the equator and being able to participate in a Shellback ceremony with the crew.”

This Western Pacific deployment is scheduled to be Olympia's last before it heads to Bremerton, Washington, for inactivation.

“Olympia has completed her final deployment after 35 years of service, circumnavigating the globe in seven months starting from Oahu, Hawaii, transiting through the Panama Canal, Strait of Gibraltar and Suez Canal,” Selph said. “Sailing around the world in our country’s oldest serving nuclear-powered Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine is a testament to the durability and design of the submarine, but also the tenacity and ‘fight on’ spirit of the crew.”

Olympia holds a piece of Navy submarine history: Cmdr. Richard O’Kane’s lucky cribbage board. In 1943, O'Kane, executive officer for the Gato-class submarine USS Wahoo (SS 283), was dealt the highest possible hand. That night, Wahoo sank two Japanese freighters, and the luck continued.

Years later, the cribbage board moved to USS Tang (SS 306) and has been passed on to submarines ever since. Next it went to USS Kamehameha (SSN 642), then to USS Parche (SSN 683)), USS Los Angeles (SSN 688) and USS Bremerton (SSN 698) before going to Olympia. The crew will turn the cribbage board over to the next-oldest fast-attack submarine in the Pacific before Ollympia decommissions.

Olympia is the second ship of the Navy to be named after Olympia, Washington. The boat is the 29th of the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines. Its keel was laid by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company March 31, 1981. Olympia was commissioned Nov. 17, 1984.
CONNECT WITH USINDOPACOM
Facebook

Like Us
X
363,231
Follow Us

ENGAGE & CONNECT MORE WITH PACOM

                                                 

IN THE USINDOPACOM NEWS
Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With Minister of National Defence Judith Collins of New Zealand
Graphic intended for use as a placeholder for Statements and Press Releases without accompanying imagery.
March 25, 2024 - Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Ryder provided the following readout...

First of its kind deployment of Marine cyber forces to the INDO-PACOM Theater
Marines with Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command pose for photos in the cyber operations center at Lasswell Hall aboard Fort Meade, Maryland, Feb. 5, 2020. MARFORCYBER Marines conduct offensive and defensive cyber operations in support of United States Cyber Command and operate, secure and defend the Marine Corps Enterprise Network. This image is a photo illustration.
March 25, 2024 - Marines assigned to U.S. Marine Corps Forces Cyber Command deployed to Okinawa, Japan as part of the inaugural iteration of a new cyber rotational force concept...

15th MEU, USS Somerset Arrive for Third Iteration of Tiger TRIUMPH
U.S. Marines assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Sailors assigned to the amphibious transport dock USS Somerset (LPD 25) march during the opening ceremony of Exercise Tiger TRIUMPH in Visakhapatnam, India, March 19, 2024. Tiger TRIUMPH is a U.S.-India tri-service amphibious exercise focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief readiness and interoperability. Tiger TRIUMPH enables U.S. and Indian Armed Forces to improve interoperability and bilateral, joint, and service readiness in the Indian Ocean region and beyond to better achieve mutual regional security objectives. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aidan Hekker)
March 25, 2024 - U.S. Marines and Sailors assigned to elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, embarked upon the amphibious transport dock USS Somerset (LPD 25), arrived in Visakhapatnam, India to participate in the third iteration of...

Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting With President Wesley Simina of the Federated States of Micronesia
Graphic intended for use as a placeholder for Statements and Press Releases without accompanying imagery.
March 22, 2024 - Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout...

AUKUS Trilateral Statement
Graphic intended for use as a placeholder for Statements and Press Releases without accompanying imagery.
March 22, 2024 - The Honourable Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Australia; the Right Honourable Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom; and Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of Defense,...