U.S. Sixth Fleet Celebrates 71st Anniversary at Sea and Shore

12 February 2021

From Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kaila Peters, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa / U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

U.S. Sixth Fleet, established Feb. 12, 1950, celebrates more than seven decades of support to European and African Allies and partners, promoting regional security and maritime stability in critical sea lanes, Feb 12, 2021.

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Throughout the last year, U.S. Sixth Fleet conducted landmark operations and exercises throughout Europe and Africa.

SLIDESHOW | images | 210130-N-GW139-3078 Landing Signalman Enlisted Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Sydney Payne (left), and Landing Signalman Enlisted Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Kieara Dexter lift an MV-22 Osprey from the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force as part of the Expeditionary Sea Base Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) interoperability flight operations while operation in the Gulf of Aden, Jan. 30, 2021. Hershel Williams’ flight deck crew simultaneously directed deck landing qualifications for multiple MV-22 Osprey pilots from Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force.

Sailors assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) heave in storm lines in preparation to get underway

SLIDESHOW | images | 201108-N-TC847-1011 TROMSO, NORWAY (Nov. 8, 2020) Sailors assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) heave in storm lines in preparation to get underway, Nov. 8, 2020.

SLIDESHOW | images | 200331-N-AZ907-1129 200331-N-AZ907-1129 ROTA, Spain (March 31, 2020) A crew member heaves a line to shore as the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) returns to Naval Station Rota, Spain after a scheduled deployment, March 31, 2020. Carney, forward deployed to Rota, Spain, completed its seventh patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter Lewis/Released)

SLIDESHOW | images | 200331-N-AZ907-1138 200331-N-AZ907-1138 ROTA, Spain (March 31, 2020) A crew member heaves a line to shore as the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) returns to Naval Station Rota after a scheduled deployment, March 31, 2020. Carney, forward deployed to Rota, Spain, completed its seventh patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter Lewis/Released)

SLIDESHOW | images | 200331-N-TI693-1121 200331-N-TI693-1121 ROTA, Spain (March 31, 2020) Fire Controlman (Aegis) 3rd Class Grant Smith, back, from Loveland, Texas, and Fire Controlman (Aegis) Jacob Zimmerman, from Flagstaff, Arizona, salute the American flag after shifting colors when the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) pulled into Naval Stations Rota, Spain, March 31, 2020. Carney, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is returning from its seventh forward deployed naval force patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of regional allies and partners as well as U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Fred Gray IV/Released)

SLIDESHOW | images | 200331-N-TI693-1202 200331-N-TI693-1202 NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (March 31, 2020) Sailors assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) heave around mooring line after pulling into Naval Station Rota, Spain, March 31, 2020. Carney, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is returning from its seventh forward deployed naval force patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of regional allies and partners as well as U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Fred Gray IV/Released)

U.S. Service Members and Kenyan officials receive a presentation on flight deck firefighting and the equipment needed to help put out fires while on board the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4) in Mombasa, Kenya Feb. 9, 2021.

SLIDESHOW | images | 210209-N-GW139-1153 MOMBASA, Kenya (Feb. 9, 2021) U.S. Service Members and Kenyan officials receive a presentation on flight deck firefighting and the equipment needed to help put out fires while on board the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4) in Mombasa, Kenya Feb. 9, 2021. Hershel Williams is operating in U.S. 6th Fleet to conduct interoperability training and building strategic partnerships with their African partners. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric Coffer)

Dr. Monica Juma, Cabinet Secretary and Minister of Defence to Kenya, walks through the side boys of the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4) in Mombasa, Kenya Feb. 9, 2021.

SLIDESHOW | images | 210209-N-GW139-1088 MOMBASA, Kenya (Feb. 9, 2021) Dr. Monica Juma, Cabinet Secretary and Minister of Defence to Kenya, walks through the side boys of the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4) in Mombasa, Kenya Feb. 9, 2021. Hershel Williams is operating in U.S. 6th Fleet to conduct interoperability training and building strategic partnerships with their African partners. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric Coffer)

Dr. Monica Juma, Cabinet Secretary and Minister of Defence to Kenya, walks across the brow of the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4) in Mombasa, Kenya Feb. 9, 2021.

SLIDESHOW | images | 210209-N-GW139-1085 MOMBASA, Kenya (Feb. 9, 2021) Dr. Monica Juma, Cabinet Secretary and Minister of Defence to Kenya, walks across the brow of the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4) in Mombasa, Kenya Feb. 9, 2021. Hershel Williams is operating in U.S. 6th Fleet to conduct interoperability training and building strategic partnerships with their African partners. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric Coffer)

USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4); Mombasa, Kenya

SLIDESHOW | images | 210208-N-GW139-1091 The Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) steams along through the Mombasa, Kenya harbor, Feb. 8, 2021. Hershel Williams is operating in U.S. Sixth Fleet to conduct interoperability training and build strategic partnerships with their African partners.

The U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) honor guard parades the colors during the ship's 50th anniversary celebration, Jan. 14, 2021, in Gaeta, Italy.

SLIDESHOW | images | 210114-N-XT273-0286 GAETA, Italy (Jan. 14, 2021) The U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) honor guard parades the colors during the ship's 50th anniversary celebration, Jan. 14, 2021, in Gaeta, Italy. U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests, security and stability in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Justin Stumberg)

Capt. Dave Pollard, USS Mount Whitney commanding officer, and the crew of U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) salute during the ship's 50th anniversary celebration crew photo, Jan. 14, 2021, in Gaeta, Italy.

SLIDESHOW | images | 210114-N-XT273-0040 GAETA, Italy (Jan. 14, 2021) Capt. Dave Pollard, USS Mount Whitney commanding officer, and the crew of U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) salute during the ship's 50th anniversary celebration crew photo, Jan. 14, 2021, in Gaeta, Italy. U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests, security and stability in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Justin Stumberg)

The U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) in port during the ship's 50th anniversary celebration, Jan. 14, 2021, in Gaeta, Italy.

SLIDESHOW | images | 210114-N-XT273-0001 GAETA, Italy (Jan. 14, 2021) The U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) in port during the ship's 50th anniversary celebration, Jan. 14, 2021, in Gaeta, Italy. U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests, security and stability in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Justin Stumberg)

Highlights of the last 12 months include:

- In April, USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) joined the Forward Deployed Naval Forces-Europe team in Rota, as our first Aegis Baseline 9 Flight II destroyer and we bid farewell to USS Carney (DDG 64) following her circumnavigation of Africa.

- USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams (ESB 4) shifted homeports to Souda Bay, Greece in August to support missions in Africa, including a recent port visit to Kenya.

- Maritime patrol aircraft operated alongside NATO Allies and partners throughout Europe and Africa and maintained an ever-vigilant watch throughout the maritime domain.

- USS Seawolf highlighted U.S. Sixth Fleet submarine operations while forward deployed to the region, enhancing our already robust undersea warfare capability.

- Expeditionary Sailors participated in Eurasian Mine Counter Measure Dive 2020 in Constanta, Romania with Romanian and Bulgarian forces, which improved our operational and tactical interoperability.

- USS Mount Whitney, the U.S. Sixth Fleet flagship, celebrated its 50th birthday.

“For the past 71 years, Sixth Fleet Sailors, Marines, Coastguardsmen, and civilians just like you have operated in a dynamic and ever-changing security environment,” said Black. “No matter the situation, we provide credible deterrence and response options to our national decision-makers.”

The command’s maritime skills and proficiencies are honed with partners and allies by conducting more than 70 joint exercises annually, including Sea Breeze in the Black Sea, BALTOPs in the Baltic Sea, and the Express Series around the west, north, and east of Africa.

“Typically, we would celebrate with a large command wide event, but in the era of COVID-19 pandemic that just isn’t possible,” said Black. “But we still have an opportunity to pause, reflect, and be proud of the efforts each and everyone one of you have demonstrated across the region.”

C6F area of operation covers more than 100 countries and 67 percent of the world's coastline, stretching from the North Pole to Antarctica. C6F Sailors operate from bases in Rota, Spain; Sigonella, Sicily; Souda Bay, Crete; and Gaeta, Italy, while the command itself is headquartered in the maritime port of Naples, Italy.

For 71 years, C6F has enhanced transatlantic security through support to NATO, building partnership capacity and working with partners to promote trade and freedom, stop unlawful activity at sea, and ensure enduring relationships with allies.

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

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