When the USS Carney left Naval Station Mayport, Florida late last month, Cmdr. Jeremy Robertson and his crew had little idea what they were in for. But it wasn’t long before their preparedness was put to the test – from Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Over the ensuing months, Carney’s crew endured a relentless pace of missiles and drones launched by the Houthis against vessels transiting the congested Red Sea. The Sailors had only seconds to decide their countermeasures against anti-ship ballistic missiles. “From start to finish, it’s anywhere from nine to 20 seconds,” Robertson said, emphasizing how fast and precise that is.
The destroyer, previously assigned to the Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group in the European theater, was ordered on Oct. 18 to the U.S. 5th Fleet area in the Middle East as tensions mounted from the Israel-Hamas war. The very next day, the Carney intercepted a string of Houthi missiles and drones, and what would prove a grueling deployment got underway.
“None of us could have prepared for this,” said Robertson, in praise of the resolute commitment of the crew. The Carney and other Navy destroyers also continued to disrupt Houthi threats against military and commercial vessels in the area. The destroyer played a key role in disrupting an Iranian missile and drone attack against Israel.
Carney’s crew of 360 pulled off 51 engagements over six months – something not seen since World War II, said Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti. The ship’s actions earned the crew Combat Action Ribbons and the Navy Unit Commendation, the second-highest unit award in the Navy.
Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro saluted the “outstanding heroism” of Carney’s sailors and their role in deterring adversaries to safeguard national interests. “Carney was deployed forward, deterring our adversaries, protecting our national interests, defending the rules-based international order, and promoting peace,” Del Toro said.
The deployment of Carney contained quite a few firsts, where the ship used its 5-inch deck gun to shoot down a land attack cruise missile and also successfully fired the newer SM-3 missile in combat. These achievements by the ship have underlined the evolution of new Navy capabilities in modern warfare.
Cmdr. Robertson pointed out that he was enormously proud of his crew’s performance, citing their “relentless pursuit of excellence” and their ability to adapt to a very dynamic and dangerous environment. “Their cohesion and connectedness is one of the major factors into why they made such an effective warfighting team,” he said.
The return of Carney to Mayport brought tears of joy to family and friends alike. The acts of bravery the sailors displayed, along with the historic deployment of the ship, will be remembered and studied for years to come by future generations of naval personnel.