Navy
GalleryCruiser USS Princeton, destroyer USS Sterett return home after 9-month deployment
Stars and Stripes
August 14, 2025
A sailor assigned to the USS Princeton reunites with his spouse after the ship’s return to its homeport of San Diego on Aug. 13, 2025. (Brandon Roberson/U.S. Navy)
More than 700 sailors returned to San Diego this week after a nine-month deployment that took them far from home and close to the hot spots in the Middle East.
The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett, part of the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group, were greeted Wednesday by hundreds of friends and family members.
During the deployment, Princeton and Sterett sailed into the U.S. 3rd, 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation, including time in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea.
The Princeton, which departed San Diego on Nov. 18, served as the air defense coordinator for Carrier Strike Group 1.
“I’m incredibly proud of the work Princeton’s sailors did during this deployment,” Capt. John Loomis, Princeton’s commanding officer, said in a service news release. “Their hard work allowed this ship, the most lethal warship in the world, to provide integrated air defense and strike capability to Carrier Strike Group 1.”
This was one of the final deployments for the 36-year-old guided-missile cruiser, which the Navy says is likely to be decommissioned in the next two to three years.
The Sterett, which left San Diego on Nov. 17, conducted various independent missions, including aiding the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group.
“We navigated the mission set with bravery, skill and a lot of tenacity,” Cmdr. Kurt Albaugh, the Sterett’s commanding officer, said in a service news release. “As long as you have a good team that sticks together, like what we have on the Sterett, you can adapt to a lot of things that you didn’t anticipate beforehand.”
The USS Carl Vinson left Hawaii last week and is scheduled to arrive at Naval Station North Island on Friday.
Contributing: The San Diego Union-Tribune
A sailor assigned to the USS Princeton reunites with his children after the ship’s return to its homeport of San Diego on Aug. 13, 2025. (Brandon Roberson/U.S. Navy)
A sailor assigned to the USS Sterett reunites with a family member after the ship’s return to its homeport of San Diego on Aug. 13, 2025. (Lordin Kelly/U.S. Navy)
Gas Turbine Systems Technician 2nd Class Dinh Truong, assigned to the USS Princeton, shares a first kiss with his wife after the ship’s return to its homeport of San Diego on Aug. 13, 2025. (Lordin Kelly/U.S. Navy)
Families of sailors assigned to USS Princeton watch as the ship prepares to return to its homeport of San Diego on Aug. 13, 2025. (Brandon Roberson/U.S. Navy)
Electronics Technicican 1st Class Michael Flaherty of Louisville, Ky., left, and Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Emily Cantu of San Francisco, both assigned to the USS Sterett, address the media on the ship’s return home on Aug. 13, 2025. (Brandon Roberson/U.S. Navy)
Cmdr. Kurt Albaugh, commanding officer of the USS Sterett addresses the media after the ship’s return to its homeport of San Diego on Aug. 13, 2025. (Brandon Roberson/U.S. Navy)
Operations Specialist 1st Class Matthew Muenster, assigned to the USS Princeton, shares a first kiss with his spouse after the ship’s return to its homeport of San Diego on Aug. 13, 2025. (Brandon Roberson/U.S. Navy)
Families of Sailors assigned to the USS Princeton wave and cheer after the ship’s return to its homeport of San Diego on Aug. 13, 2025. (Lordin Kelly/U.S. Navy)
Operations Specialist 1st Class Matthew Muenster, assigned to the USS Princeton, reunites with his children after the ship’s return to its homeport of San Diego on Aug. 13, 2025. (Brandon Roberson/U.S. Navy)
Members of the Navy Band perform as USS Princeton returns to its homeport of San Diego on Aug. 13, 2025. (Brandon Roberson/U.S. Navy)
A sailor assigned to the USS Princeton reunites with his children after the ship’s return to its homeport of San Diego on Aug. 13, 2025. (Brandon Roberson/U.S. Navy)
The USS Sterett returns to its homeport of San Diego on Aug. 13, 2025. (Brandon Roberson/U.S. Navy)
The Ticonderoga Class guided missile cruiser USS Princeton returns to its homeport of San Diego on Aug. 13, 2025. (Claire M. Alfaro/U.S. Navy)