GROTON — The U.S.S. Toledo returned to Naval Submarine Base New London Wednesday after a six month deployment.
The crew of about 130 was greeted at the dock by friend and family, some of who had traveled across the country to be there.
Mary Elizabeth Holmes had loaded a moving van three days ago and traveled from Charleston, South Carolina to move and meet up with her boyfriend, Electronics Technician First Class Dennis Spohn. She said, “It was a 20 hour drive over three days. With an antsy german shepard that didn’t want to be in the car.”
This was her first homecoming. She moved to be here with Spohn who will be stationed in New London. Holmes said she was overjoyed to see her boyfriend. “There are no words.”
The Toledo is a Los Angeles class nuclear powered fast attack submarine. It was commissioned in 1995 and is based in New London.
The crew consists of 15 officers and 117 enlisted Sailors. It is deployed in the European Command area supporting national security interests. It sailed June 1 and the crew is expected to be home for 30 days before heading out to sea again.
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Eight years ago, a team from FOX61 spent several days on the Toledo to get a look at what life is like on the U.S.S. Toledo.