USS Albany returns to Naval Station Norfolk after European deployment

June 11 (UPI) -- The USS Albany returned to its homeport at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia this week after a deployment to the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, the Navy announced.

"I could not be more impressed with my team of Sailors, chief petty officers and officers for their accomplishments," Cmdr. Mathias Vorachek said Thursday in a press release. "Going into deployment, we had already achieved success in our tasks, but the ability to deploy on time, safely execute missions vital to national security, and display our Nation's pride on foreign shores is a memory I will never forget."

During the six-month deployment, the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Albany logged about 36,000 nautical miles and conducted port visits in Rota, Spain, Toulon, France and Faslane, Scotland -- continuing to conduct operations underway as COVID-19 spread across the globe.

"No matter the time as a Navy submariner family, no matter the number of deployments and underways, you never get used to this life," said Amy Rushling, wife of sailor Dustin Rushling. "Every deployment is different, and this one was no exception. Keeping with tradition, our sailors are returning to a different world than the one they left six months ago."

Also this week, the USS Kidd departed San Diego to continue its scheduled deployment in support of counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer interrupted its deployment at the end of April to address an outbreak of the novel coronavirus on board.