By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mike Wright, USS
Mount Whitney Public Affairs
THEOULE-SUR-MER, France (NNS) -- The U.S. 6th Fleet flagship
USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) arrived in Theoule-sur-Mer, France, to participate
in commemorative events paying tribute to the 70th anniversary of the Allied
invasion that led to the liberation of Southern France during World War II,
Aug. 13.
The focus of the commemorative events will be to recognize
the bravery and sacrifice of the 151,000 Allied forces who conducted Operation
Dragoon, the operational name for the invasion that took place Aug. 15, 1944.
Mount Whitney, participating in these events for a fourth
consecutive year, will host a reception, participate in a parade of ships with
French ships, facilitate ship tours, and provide its color guard for a
remembrance ceremony at the Rhone American Cemetery.
"It's a humbling experience to be a part of a
celebration like this," said Information System Technician 2nd Class
Shayne Fairgrieve. "I am extremely proud to call myself a Sailor in
today's Navy, and the Mount Whitney coming to France for this commemoration is
only creating a stronger bond between us and [our Allies]."
Additionally, Mount Whitney Sailors will clean up the Rhone
American Cemetery as part of a community service project.
Mount Whitney, forward deployed to Gaeta, Italy, operates
with a combined crew of U.S. Navy Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil
service mariners. The civil service mariners perform navigation, deck,
engineering and supply service operations, while military personnel support
communications, weapons systems and security. It is one of only two seaborne
Joint Command Platforms in the U.S. Navy, both of which are forward deployed.
U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the
full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied,
joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests
and security and stability in Europe and Africa.
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