NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – After more than seven months at sea, sailors with the USS James E. Williams are back home with their families.
The USS James E. Williams was deployed as a NATO asset with a big mission overseas. The Arleigh Burke-Class Missile Destroyer had a U.S. and multi-national staff on board.
They were acting as a maritime patrol group in the Mediterranean Sea.
After traveling more than 36,000 nautical miles and spending more than seven months away, the crew was welcomed home in a big way.
“When we make this turn and we hear all the cheering and see all our families again, it’s a flood of emotions,” said Commander Robert Ireland, commanding officer of the USS James E. Williams. “This crew has worked extremely hard. I could not be more proud.”
The crew worked with 12 different countries on joint operations, and visited 12 different cities in Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Spain and Turkey.
Hundreds stood pier side to welcome the crew home.
Johna Miller is excited to welcome her husband Jeffrey back home.
“It was super long with two toddlers, two babies, they’re like 15 months apart, so it was hard, but I did have my family to support us,” Miller said.
And while the mission was long, many say they couldn’t have made it through without the support system they had waiting back here at home.
“My family has been there for everything,” said STG2 Caroline Wong. “I’ve been calling them when I hit ports, I really could not have done this without them.”
