USS Bremerton Departs for Western Pacific Deployment

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ronald Gutridge

Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- Los Angeles-class submarine USS Bremerton (SSN 698) departed Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam April 5 for a scheduled six-month deployment to the Western Pacific region.

Bremerton's commanding officer, Cmdr. Caleb Kerr, commented that the crew is enthusiastic and motivated to deploy.

"The morale of the crew is the best that I have observed during my 18 years in the Navy," said Kerr. "The submarine is in top material condition from bow to stern due to their professional work efforts."

For many crewmembers of Bremerton, this deployment will be their first where according to Kerr; they have a robust plan for both submarine operations and strengthening ties with allied foreign nations.

"This will be the first deployment for over half of the crew and our first and foremost goal is to safely complete all of our assigned tasking," said Kerr. "The officers and crew performed extremely well during the pre-overseas movement certification period and I have no doubt that they will perform brilliantly on deployment."

Bremerton is named in honor of the city of Bremerton, Wash., home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and a city with a long association with both the Navy and the Submarine Force. She is the tenth ship of the Los Angeles-class. Her keel was laid by General Dynamics' Electric Boat Division in Groton, Conn. in May 1976. She was commissioned March 28, 1981.