GROTON, Conn —
The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Montpelier (SSN 765) returned to Naval Submarine Base New London Sunday, Sept. 19, after a four-month deployment.
In a press release, Cmdr. Roderick Hodges, commanding officer of the Montpelier, said the submarine traveled more than 40,000 nautical miles during its deployment and visited ports in Souda Bay, Greece, and Rota, Spain.
Rebecca McIntyre and her husband, Lt. Matt McIntyre, were awarded the ceremonial first kiss pier-side. But this time, the Navy homecoming tradition carried an additional surprise: It’s a boy!
“We made signs and I was planning to do [a gender reveal] anyway, but this [first kiss] just makes it extra special,” said Rebecca McIntyre, whose cardboard sign broke the news the couple’s second child would be a son. “I found out at the beginning of September, so I’ve known for a couple weeks. It’s been really hard not to put it in an email at some point.”
Matt McIntyre said he was “really, really excited” to hear the news of the gender reveal, but he knew his wife was pregnant.
Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Dolan, the submarine’s executive officer, didn’t.
“He knew we had been trying,” said his wife, Jabin. “We had been trying for a long time.”
When the Dolans embraced on the pier, his two young sons had an announcement for their father: “There’s a baby sister in mommy’s tummy!”
“This was exciting,” said Christopher Dolan, wearing a wide smile. “We’re so used to boys, this will be an exciting change.”
USS Montpelier returns to Groton
According to the release, pier-side announcements were among hundreds of new experiences in recent months for members of the Montpelier crew. The deployment was the first for more than 120 of the sub’s approximately 140 sailors.
“The crew did incredibly well not only protecting the security of the United States, but also contributing to the capabilities of our allies,” said Hodges. “This crew worked incredibly hard and they deserve this homecoming.”
USS Montpelier was commissioned in 1993, the third U.S. Navy ship to bear the name of Vermont’s capital city. SSN 765 is more than 360 feet long and can displace nearly 7,000 tons.
Fast-attack submarines are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities – sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence. They are designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, irregular warfare, and mine warfare. Fast-attack submarines project power ashore with special operations forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or preparation of regional crises.