JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Navy warship and its crew returned home to Naval Station Mayport, Florida, Saturday after nearly a year at sea.
The USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81), commanded by Capt. Judson Mallory, departed Mayport on June 21, 2025, and spent 11 months operating across three major regions — the Middle East, Europe, and the Caribbean.
During the deployment, the ship worked alongside more than 15 allied nations and partner countries, supported two operations in the Caribbean Sea, and conducted combat operations in the Middle East.
Winston S. Churchill sailed as part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, a large naval force that included the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, nine aviation squadrons, and several other destroyers.