The "Scorpions" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 49 hosted a welcome home ceremony for Detachment 4 at Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) April 17 following the detachment's seven-month deployment aboard USS Gary (FFG 51) to the U.S. 4th and 3rd Fleet areas of operation.

HSM-49 Detachment 4's two SH-60B Sea Hawk helicopters and aircrew returned to NASNI April 16, and the remainder of the detachment, maintainers and aircrew, returned to San Diego aboard Gary April 17.

The return of Detachment 4, also known as the "Omegas," marked the last active-duty deployment of the SH-60B.

Commander, Naval Air Forces, Vice Adm. Mike Shoemaker greeted the Sailors and their families and provided remarks at the welcome home ceremony.

"To the 'Omega' det, thank you for what you all did on deployment," said Shoemaker. "Really a fitting end to an era of SH-60B greatness. Welcome home."

During the seven-month deployment, HSM-49 Detachment 4, along with the crew of the Gary and a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment, played an integral role in Operation Martillo, a U.S., European, and Western Hemisphere partner nation effort launched in January 2012 targeting illicit trafficking routes in coastal waters along the Central American isthmus.

Detachment 4 aided in the detection and monitoring of suspected illicit drug traffickers and the interdiction of 13,921 kilograms of cocaine, with a wholesale value of $278.4 million and 18 pounds of marijuana, valued at $17,100.

"Our embarked helicopters bring a tremendous capability to the ship, but only through the phenomenal teamwork between the Sailors of Gary and of HSM-49 does that capability really pay dividends," said Lt. Cmdr. Chris Gzybowski, officer in charge of HSM-49 Detachment 4.

Detachment 4 flew more than 700 hours of flight operations in the SH-60B throughout the deployment.

The SH-60B has been operational since 1985 and to date, the aircraft has completed more than 198,000 flight hours serving in combat missions. The sundown ceremony for the SH-60B is scheduled May 11 at NASNI.

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