Patriot (MCM 7) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 3 text:

1 -' USS PATRIQT MCM 7 2007

Page 2 text:

I i , . i ? If YS .Ll I r A W. x A

Page 4 text:

WELCOME ABOARD ltis a pleasure and honor to welcome you to the 2007 USS Patriot cruisebook. Normally, cruisebooks only cover a specific deployment, but we thought that with all that Patriot and our crew accomplished this past year, it was only fitting to publish a cruisebook to cover all of 2007 and take a look at everyone that helped bring about such a successful year. It's hard to say what was the most memorable event of 2007. From completing the inspection cycle early in the year, a USNXJMSDF PASSEX, FOAL EAGLE 07, SPRING PATROL 07, ULTRA-S, SMC, and FALL PATROL 07, no matter where you turned, Pa- triot was setting the standard for what a forward de- ployed naval force MCM is capable of executing. And there were definitely plenty of sea stories. Stops to such unique and interesting places as Vladivostok, Haiphong, Batam and Puerto Princesa were once in a lifetime opportunities. Ar1d more routine visits to Hong Kong, Singapore and Okinawa allowed every- one, including some families, to enjoy what have become familiar surroundings for Patriot Sailors. But for me, it was usually what happened out at sea that was the most memorable. Who can forget what seemed like never ending 8-12+ foot seas as part of FALL PATROL? It was training events such as gun shoots, engineering drills, MNV flights, sweeps and all hands events like swim calls, promotions, reen- listments, splinter beach picnics and crossing the line that brought the crew together and helped us become the most battle ready MCM in the entire Navy. So enjoy taking a look back at 2007! f- l M.. T. E. Shultz COMMANDING OFFICER U Parr, awry C4 Q ld, li KJC? . Ln? f.. . USS Patriot was commissioned in 1991. She is the Navy's seventh Avenger-class Mine Countermeasures ship. At 224' long and with a wooden hull fWhite Oak, Douglas Fir, and Alaskan Cedarj, she is one of the smallest ocean-going vessels in the US Navy, but has one of the most dangerous missions: to seek out and destroy aquatic mines. For thirteen years, Patriot has been home-ported in Sasebo, Japan, with her sister ship USS Guardian. The two ships are forward deployed far from the rest of the Navy's mine-hunting forces, operationally as- signed to Commander, Task Force 76 in Okinawa and administratively part of MCM Squadron One in ln- gleside, TX, Patriot and Guardian enjoy a unique independence. They make port calls to harbors too shallow for larger ships, but sail in oceans too rough for smaller boats. The Men of Patriot have a similar independence: from the captain to the deck seamen, every Sailor on Pa- triot has responsibilities and opportunities far greater than that a Sailor of equal rank anywhere else in the Navy. KJ 1, fi ,V 00 ,Q Cf xg L4 1