NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. – Sailors assigned to the USS Mason at Naval Station Mayport set sail Tuesday on a scheduled deployment overseas.
Their families bid them farewell as global tensions remain high amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The parents of Ensign Emma Single told News4JAX their daughter told them not to worry about her as she embarks on her first deployment after being recently commissioned from the U.S. Naval Academy in Maryland.
“‘I’ll be fine,’ she said. ‘I’m not afraid. I’m just going to miss Florida.’ Those were her exact words,” Robin and John Single told News4JAX.
Valencia Smith, mother of sailor Ashley West, said she comes from a military family, but the experience and the heartache hit differently when a child of your own is deploying.
“I don’t want her to go, but I mean it’s her job,” Smith said. “I love her so much, and I’m going to miss her and I can’t wait until she gets back.”
The length and exact location of the deployment mission, and the number of sailors aboard the ship, will not be disclosed for security reasons.
But Capt. Kevin Hoffman, commanding officer of the USS Mason, said it’s a routine deployment that has been planned months and years in advance.
“The official ship’s motto of USS Mason is Proudly We Serve. And we are proud to serve each other on the crew of Mason,” Hoffman said. “We are proud to serve our families and friends and loved ones who are gathered with us today. We’re proud to serve our Navy, and we’re proud to serve our nation.”
The USS Mason is no stranger to combat. The destroyer returned from a nine-month deployment in July 2024.
During past missions, sailors aboard the Mason intercepted missiles and conducted defensive operations.
The ship previously operated in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Mediterranean Sea, responding to threats in the region.
The vessel’s main capabilities include advanced anti-air, anti-submarine, and surface warfare. It specializes in ballistic missile defense, making it an essential asset to defending both land and sea.
Family members tell us they will have the ability to send and receive emails to communicate with their sailors aboard the ship.
News4JAX joins the families in wishing the sailors a successful deployment and safe return.