NORFOLK, Va. — With the usual fanfare from family and friends, sailors on the USS Gettysburg returned to Naval Station Norfolk Monday after helping support U.S. Southern Command.
“Very excited," said Staci Theyer. She was waiting for her son.
“I was out there with them on the Rough Rider deployment on the ship, and he was a good friend there. I heard him coming back and I was excited to see him," Colten Givens said as he waited for his friend.
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“We thought we had him home for good for a while there and then they had to leave again, so it’s been long," Allison King, who's husband was on the ship, said.
The Gettysburg previously returned in June 2025 after supporting the Norfolk-based USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group’s nearly-nine-month deployment in the Middle East.
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About three months later, the ship was deployed as the military was building up a presence in the Caribbean. The quick turnaround is something that hasn’t been easy.
“We don’t allow tired. So, if we did, they would be. Just a little kidding there. They are. They’ve gone through a lot, but they’ve been resilient the entire time," USS Gettysburg Commander Capt. John Lucas said.
Family and friends tried to stay positive while the ship was in and around the Caribbean with everything happening there the past few months.
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“I was very relieved when I heard they were going to the Caribbean versus out back to the [Mediterranean] and the Red Sea area," said King.
“I like to have faith that they are all trained, that they are all very specialized with what they do," Theyer said.
“I know that’s what we train for. We are taught to train and we are taught that when duty calls we have to answer it," said Givens.
As for what was next for the ship, Lucas couldn’t get into specifics but said he didn’t look forward to being employed or deployed any time soon.
