EVERETT — The USS Ingraham is almost home, but its sailors will have to wait one more day before being reunited with family members and friends.
The frigate is now expected to return to its home port — Naval Station Everett — early Thursday morning.
The Ingraham and its nearly 200 sailors have been at sea since March 11.
Crew members draw straws to determine who gets the privilege of being the first sailor to come down the gangway — and the one who gets the first kiss on the dock.
Following close behind will be 10 crewmen coming home to babies born while they were deployed, said Kristin Ching, Naval Station Everett’s public affairs officer.
During its seven-month deployment, the Ingraham participated in Operation Martillo — Spanish for “hammer” — a multinational drug interdiction mission in waters around Central America and South America. The Ingraham helped seize more than 26,000 pounds of cocaine, according to the Navy.
During many busts, anti-submarine helicopters tracked vessels suspected of carrying illegal drugs. Ships such as the Ingraham would interdict the vessel and order it to stop. Sometimes warning shots had to be fired before the suspected traffickers stopped, according to the Navy.
Law enforcement officers and sailors from the task force would then board the vessels, which included fast boats, fishing ships and a semi-submersible.
The ship and its crew also performed various good-will missions during the deployment, such as helping build a local school in Peru.
Several crew members received promotions during the deployment, including Elaine Brunelle, who was promoted to commander from lieutenant commander.
The deployment is slated to be the last for the Ingraham, which is scheduled to be decommissioned in November.
The frigate was launched in 1989, and is the fourth Navy ship named for Capt. Duncan Ingraham (1802-1891). He served in the U.S. Navy before resigning his commission for a post in the Confederate Navy.
Dan Catchpole: 425-339-3454; dcatchpole@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @dcatchpole.
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