Navy
GalleryUSS O’Kane returns to San Diego after 7-month deployment, including combat against Houthis in the Middle East
Stars and Stripes
February 9, 2025
Friends and family of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) crew wait for the ship to pull into its homeport of Naval Base San Diego, Feb. 7, 2025. (Bryce Cothran/U.S. Navy)
The USS O’Kane returned to Naval Base San Diego after a seven-month deployment to the U.S. 3rd, 7th and 5th Fleet areas of operations, according to a news release.
Families and loved ones welcomed the sailors back to homeport Friday.
“I am incredibly proud of the exemplary work this team has invested in themselves and their equipment over the past few months,” said Cmdr. Rich Ray, commanding officer, USS O’Kane. “We are proud of the work we accomplished this deployment, and we are looking forward to continuing that success into the next challenge.”
O’Kane departed with the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group from San Diego on July 17, 2024, to help bolster U.S. military force posture in the Middle East, deter regional escalation, degrade Houthi capabilities and defend U.S. forces. It an sailed alongside Italian allies and other partners to promote security, stability and prosperity.
Friends and family of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) crew wait for the ship to pull into its homeport of Naval Base San Diego, Feb. 7, 2025. (Ulrika Mendiola/U.S. Navy)
Friends and family of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) crew wait for the ship to pull into its homeport of Naval Base San Diego, Feb. 7, 2025. (Ulrika Mendiola/U.S. Navy)
Friends and family of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) crew wait for the ship to pull into its homeport of Naval Base San Diego, Feb. 7, 2025. (Bryce Cothran/U.S. Navy)
A sailor assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) runs to embrace his loved one after the ship pulled into its homeport of Naval Base San Diego, Feb. 7, 2025. (Bryce Cothran/U.S. Navy)
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) pulls into their homeport of Naval Base San Diego, Feb. 7, 2025. (Ulrika Mendiola/U.S. Navy)
O’Kane and the USS Stockdale worked alongside other U.S. Central Command forces and successfully repelled multiple Iranian-backed Houthi attacks during transits of the Bab el-Mandeb strait when the destroyers were escorting U.S.-flagged and U.S.-owned merchant vessels. The vessels were not damaged, and no service members were injured.
Throughout deployment, O’Kane successfully completed 75 flight quarters, including 84 rotary-wing landings, 26 rotary-wing refueling evolutions and nine vertical replenishments. O’Kane conducted 24 replenishments-at-sea, and 22 mooring evolutions.
Additionally, O’Kane visited Karachi, Pakistan, to promote the diplomatic relationship between the United States and Pakistan and conducted a maritime exercise to build interoperability with the Pakistan Navy.
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) pulls into their homeport of Naval Base San Diego, Feb. 7, 2025. (Ulrika Mendiola/U.S. Navy)