Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73) celebrated a traditional Thanksgiving meal underway, November 22.

Sailors assigned to the ship’s supply department began meal preparations the night before in order to prepare 10 oven-roasted turkeys, 10 honey-baked hams, a variety of side dishes and desserts for 281 Sailors.

The goal was to provide a familiar taste of home and a sentimental reminder of what it means to serve while deployed away from friends and family.

“I prepared and cooked Thanksgiving dinner like I would have for my own children back home,” said Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Darasha Harrison, a mother of two from Shreveport, Louisiana. “The crew of Decatur is my family.” 

For many of Decatur’s crew, like Lt. j.g. Kristie Chardon, this Thanksgiving was their first spent underway.

“Although I have spent two Christmas’ away from my family and friends, I didn’t know what to expect of Thanksgiving Day in the 5th Fleet,” said Chardon. “We enjoyed food, making light jokes and had a grand time.”

Decatur is currently deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses nearly 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The region is comprised of 20 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab-al-Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.

For further questions, please contact U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs Office

011-973-1785-4562 or navcentpao@me.navy.mil

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For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet, visit www.cusnc.navy.mil/.