The crew of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) aided in the rescue of 26 people from a vessel in distress off the Florida coast, March 8.

James E. Williams was conducting routine operations when the officer of the deck (OOD) heard over the ship’s bridge-to-bridge radio about a vessel in distress approximately 30 nautical miles away.

"The OOD called me with his intentions to render assistance to the vessel in distress,” said Cmdr. Joe Fals, commanding officer of James E. Williams. "I concurred with his plan and we set out to reach the vessel.”

Once they were in the immediate area, crew members deployed in a rigid-hulled inflatable boat and checked on the welfare of the people aboard the vessel.

Several of the people reported not feeling well, Fals said. His crew provided bottled water and the Sailors remained with the vessel until the U.S. Coast Guard cutter U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Charles Sexton (WPC 1108) could arrive to pick up the passengers.

Once the cutter was in the area, the Sailors assisted in getting the passengers over to the cutter before sinking the vessel to prevent it from being a hazard to navigation.

"From start to finish, the James E. Williams crew demonstrated top-tier professionalism," said Fals. "They exercised mission command, quickly developing and communicating a solid plan which they smoothly executed. As a result, the boat crew performed extremely well. I couldn’t be prouder of them."

The Norfolk-based James E. Williams is assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 26, part of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10, also known as the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group.

Get more information about the Navy from US Navy facebook or twitter.

For more news from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), visit www.navy.mil/.