Patriot Returns from Spring Patrol

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Richard Doolin, Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs

SASEBO, Japan (NNS) -- Mine counter-measures ship USS Patriot (MCM 7) returned to Sasebo, Japan, May 12, after an almost four-month spring patrol.

Patriot made five theatre security cooperation (TSC) port visits with navies of Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Malaysia and Thailand.

"The chance to get to participate in just one TSC visit, working and training with just one foreign country's navy … that's a pretty special feeling," said Command Master Chief Brent Tidwell, "but the opportunity to get to do that five times has been an incredible honor."

Patriot also participated in five community service projects during its deployment.

Mineman 2nd Class Zachary Sund, who has not missed a service project since reporting to Patriot two years ago, participated in all of them.

"The one that hit me the most was Cambodia," said Sund, where Patriot brought backpacks, mosquito nets and soccer balls provided by Project Handclasp to the Village D'Enfants orphanage.

"We didn't have enough things for everybody, so we all pooled our money together and went out and bought a bunch of stuff for the kids. We all kind of came back with a whole bunch of new toys and things, I'm sure they weren't expecting," said Sund.

Commanding Officer, Lt. Cmdr. Walter Mainor was pleased with the crew's performance during Patriot's 10-port, eight-country, 10,360 nautical mile odyssey.

"The crew has performed outstanding. There are a lot of repairs that we made that normally would take, maybe days or weeks in port, that we did in hours. They were wonderful ambassadors on shore duty. They performed just superbly. I couldn't ask for a better crew or a better ship," said Mainor.

Electronics Technician 2nd Class Benjamin Rogers was looking forward to returning to Sasebo.

"It was a good cruise. We saw a lot of ports. But, on the other hand, it was a lot of work, and I think this was a very long cruise for a minesweeper. To be on a ship this small for four months straight can take a real toll on somebody. But, right now, looking forward to getting back with the wife, spending some quality time," said Rogers.

The Patriot crew reports to Rear Adm. Richard Landolt, commander of Amphibious Force 7th Fleet, based in Okinawa, Japan.