LISBON, Portugal - The U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) returned to Lisbon, Portugal after a successful underway and embarkation of Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO personnel, Nov. 4, 2015.

Quotes:
"It feels great to be returning to Portugal after a successful embarkation and brief underway. It's always great to return to a liberty port like Lisbon, after a long couple of days at sea. Our Sailors love to work with our NATO allies, and we look forward to more embarkations in the near future."
- Lt. Peter Downes, USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) operations officer,

Quick Facts:
Mount Whitney, continuing a month long underway period in the Atlantic Ocean, will use this port as a theater security cooperation stop, and a morale booster for its crew.

While in Portugal, the Mount Whitney will host distinguished guests and city officials at a dinner reception aboard the flagship, and partake in various tours provided by the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) team.

Mount Whitney, forward-deployed to Gaeta, Italy, operates with a combined crew of U.S. Navy Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners. The civil service mariners perform navigation, deck, engineering and supply service operations, while military personnel support communications, weapons systems and security. It is one of only two seaborne Joint Command Platforms in the U.S. Navy, both of which are forward deployed.

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/.