NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The first stop for Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Gonzalez is Yorktown, where the crew will load up the ship with supplies. It will then head out to sea within the next couple of days. That is according to Navy spokespeople, who told 10 On Your Side most of the family members will be saying their goodbyes once the ship leaves Yorktown.
“The reward for all the hard work that they put forth over the last couple of years, been giving them a chance to actually use their training,” said Commanding Officer Michael Schank concerning the deployment. “So the crew is really excited, I think. A little nervous, but they’re fully ready to go out and do what they’ve been training to do.”
It is not launching as part of the George H.W. Bush Carrier strike group. The USS Gonzalez crew is trained to join it if need be though. That strike group, separate from the Gonzalez, recently completed its pre-deployment exercises. Carrier Strike Groups Gerald R. Ford and Abraham Lincoln are already in the Middle East.
Local business owner feels impact of overseas military operations
“Gonzalez was always identified as an independent deployer,” Schank said. “So our deployment, separate from the Bush, has been planned for some time.”
As for where their mission is taking them after leaving our coastline, they cannot tell us yet. According to national reports, the U.S. is considering sending warships to the Strait of Hormuz. It is where Iranian forces are blocking oil shipments — as oil prices continue to climb. When asked about this, Schank could not say if that is where they are going. But he did say escort missions are something they are trained to do…