Underwood, HSL-48 Det 2 Is Back

Underwood departed Mayport Oct. 5, 2008, and transited through the Panama Canal en route to the Eastern Pacific. The primary mission throughout the deployment was drug interdiction in the Eastern Pacific, and throughout the deployment Underwood seized and disrupted more than 53,000 pounds of contraband worth an estimated street value of more than $1.6 billion.

The first three months of deployment resulted in several drug busts for Underwood as well as an extremely successful Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) port visit to Golfito, Costa Rica Nov. 18, 2008. In an attempt to strengthen international relations between the Costa Rican government and the United States, Underwood hosted a reception onboard with the U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica and several Costa Rican military and government officials. The guests took a tour of the ship and attended a frocking ceremony. Following the reception onboard the Costa Rican government held their own reception at a local hotel and invited members of the wardroom and crew.

The port visits also provided Underwood Sailors with liberty and the opportunity to interact with the host nations. Underwood's Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) set up numerous trips during the port visits for the crew to get a chance to experience different aspects of the host nations. These trips included scuba diving, white-water rafting, deep sea fishing, city tours and shopping, and volcano climbing. Other port visits included Panama City, Panama, Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, Acapulco, Mexico, and Cartagena, Colombia.

On Dec. 30, 2008, a potential drug interdiction turned into a rescue at sea when Underwood recovered 43 SOLAS (Survival of Life at Sea) survivors. As Underwood approached the vessel suspected of drug smuggling, Underwood's boarding team discovered many battered passengers whose nationalities ranged from Ecuadorian, Columbian and Chinese (PRC). It was later determined that these passengers had been adrift for over a week with minimal food and supplies. After it was deemed that the fishing vessel lacked sufficient fuel or food to return to port, Underwood executed its AMIO (Alien Migrant Interdiction Operation) plan, embarking all 43 survivors including 14 females, 28 males, and a 3 year old girl. Once on board, each survivor was documented and processed before being medically screened. The following morning, through a combination of helicopter operations and small boat transfers, the 43 survivors were transferred over to the USNS Saturn which had been supporting Underwood during her Eastern Pacific CIT deployment.

Several community relations (COMREL) projects were conducted throughout the deployment. In Golfito, Underwood Sailors helped build classroom walls for a local elementary school, painted walls for a local library, and distributed medical supplies to the local retirement home. In Panama, projects included the renovation of Casco Viejo, a poverty and crime-stricken area in Panama, as well as the refurbishment of a Panamanian schoolhouse located in the San Felipe area. Towards the end of deployment Underwood visited a Colombian school in the Ternera neighborhood of Cartagena, where Sailors donated equipment towards the school's recreation department as well as attended a ceremony hosted by the Colombian National Police (CNP).

Underwood Sailors achieved success on all levels, as a unit and individually. During the deployment 48 Sailors earned their Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialists (ESWS) pins.

"I'm very proud of the crew's performance during the deployment. Even though this was the first CIT deployment for many of the Sailors, their performance was nothing short of outstanding," said Command Senior Chief Matthew T. Miesle. "They were highly successful with the drug seizures and humanitarian rescues represented Underwood in a highly professional manner in every port visit; many volunteering their free time to help several countries during multiple community relation projects. These are great Americans serving their country, and should be proud of their accomplishments over the last six months."

During the deployment, Underwood was under operational control of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO)/U.S. 4th Fleet conducting counter-illicit trafficking operations for Joint Interagency Task Force-South in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Area of Focus (AOF). Once the ship returned to Mayport, U.S. 2nd Fleet took over operational control.

NAVSO, the Naval Component Command of SOUTHCOM, directs U.S. Naval Forces operating in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions and interacts with partner nation navies within the maritime environment. Various operations include counter-illicit trafficking, theater security cooperation, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, military-to-military interaction and bilateral and multinational training.