Undersea Warfare The Official Publication of the Undersea Warfare Community. Summer 2003 Issue. U.S. Submarines… Because Stealth Matters Image of magazine cover
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The fast-attack submarine USS Honolulu (SSN-718) spent an eight-month deployment with 7th Fleet forces in the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein.
Photo of Sailor on the deck of USS Honolulu standing next to the flag pole.

USS Honolulu Warriors Return
By JO2 Cori Rhea, COMSUBPAC Public Affairs

Photo of USS Honolulu sailing into the sunset.After nearly eight months on deployment, the attack submarine USS Honolulu (SSN-718) returned to its namesake home port on 13 April 2003.

Honolulu originally departed Pearl Harbor for a six-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in August 2002. According to Honolulu Commanding Officer CDR Charles Harris, Honolulu laid the “ground work” for all the other submarines in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Honolulu operated in difficult and challenging areas in the Gulf with the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and USS Constellation (CV-63) battle groups, scouting out good spots for other submarines to take station and set up for strike operations.

“It was an incredible deployment,” said Harris.

Harris added he is proud of his crew and their accomplishments. “The men did a great job,” he said. “They rose to every challenge, and I never heard a complaint. They took each new schedule extention in stride, because what they were doing was important, and that boosted their performance,” he continued.

Photo of two armed sailors on the deck of USS Honolulu in front of the sail.