Freedom Concludes Final C4F Port Visit In Panama City

PANAMA CITY, Panama (NNS) -- USS Freedom (LCS 1) left Vasco Nunez de Balboa Naval Base in Panama City, Panama, March 29 after concluding the second and final theater security cooperation (TSC) port visit of its deployment to the U.S. 4th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR).

"From the unique experience of transiting the Panama Canal, to the interesting liberty spots in Panama City, the crew thoroughly enjoyed our visit," said Cmdr. Randy Garner, Freedom's commanding officer. "We had several opportunities to interact with our Panamanian counterparts and discuss how our two countries have and can work together on many fronts. Our countries have many goals in common. We would love to come back to Panama City."

Freedom is scheduled to resume counter-illicit trafficking operations in the Eastern Pacific before entering the U.S. 3rd Fleet AOR. After another TSC port visit in Mexico, Freedom will finally arrive at its homeport of San Diego in spring 2010.

Following its first transit through the Panama Canal March 25, Freedom arrived in Panama City and immediately went to work. Freedom Sailors presented two pallets of medical and hygiene supplies, donated by Project Handclasp, to Patronato del Servicio Nacional de Nutricion, a local non-governmental organization which assists with disaster relief, March 26.

Freedom also hosted two days of tours by distinguished visitors and members of the U.S. Embassy staff and their families.

The first ship of the revolutionary littoral combat ship program, Freedom is a fast, agile, mission-focused ship that demonstrates the latest in naval technology.

Embarked aboard Freedom are Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22, Detachment 2, based in Norfolk; the first tailored LCS Surface Warfare Mission Package, based in San Diego; and a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment.

For more news from USS Freedom (LCS 1), visit www.navy.mil/local/lcs1/.