NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. – The USS Cooperstown is departing Naval Station Mayport Monday morning, joining a growing list of Jacksonville-based ships currently supporting operations overseas.
The destination and expected duration of the deployment have not been confirmed.
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The USS Cooperstown’s departure follows recent deployments of two other Mayport-based ships — the USS Mason and the USS Donald Cook — which left port back in March.
The USS Mason made headlines just days before the USS Cooperstown’s departure after navigating the Strait of Hormuz. The ship was among two Navy destroyers that entered the Persian Gulf after encountering what the U.S. military described as an Iranian barrage.
News4JAX spoke with retired Navy Commander Richard Kolko about the capabilities of the ships and the sailors aboard.
“Well, they go to general quarters and they have to be prepared for every threat again, and as we’ve seen, the threat can be air-based, surface-based, and they’re aware and they’ve got their defensive systems up and running at all times. It is stressful. It is tiring,” Kolko said.
Families and friends gathered at Naval Station Mayport on Monday morning to say goodbye to the crew of the USS Cooperstown. At this time, details about the ship’s mission and timeline remain undisclosed.