Emory S. Land makes second port call on Saipan

The submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) made a scheduled port visit to Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on May 2.

“We’re grateful to the local community for welcoming our crew,” said Capt. Brent Spillner, commanding officer of Emory S. Land. “Saipan is always a wonderful place to visit, and it’s the perfect spot for us to exercise the expeditionary capabilities that we might be called upon to provide anywhere in the Indo-Pacific.”

This is Emory S. Land’s second port visit to Saipan since taking over as the lead maintenance activity from USS Frank Cable (AS 40) in 2021. Their last visit was in February 2022.

“We extend our warmest welcome to the captain and crew of USS Emory S. Land to Saipan. We appreciate their visit to the Commonwealth, and equally important, thank them for engaging in community service work while in Saipan,” said Gov. Arnold I. Palacios. “We also wanted to recognize and express pride in GMC Kevin Barbo, from Saipan, who—as leading chief petty officer of the USS Emory S. Land’s Gunnery Division—plays an important role in the Navy’s mission of defending our freedom, keeping America safe, and ensuring the seas remain free and open. We are proud of him and all the crew and thank them for their service.”

While in port, Emory S. Land is slated to participate in community outreach events and provide ship tours to students and civic leaders. The tender will also conduct small boat operations and rehearse its procedures to support submarines and surface ships in ports without established Navy facilities.

Guam is home to the U.S. Navy’s only submarine tenders, Emory S. Land and Frank Cable, as well as several Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines. The submarine tenders are tasked to provide expeditionary intermediate level maintenance and repairs, services, and logistics support to submarines. The submarines and tenders are maintained as part of the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed submarine force and are readily capable of meeting global operational requirements. They are manned by a unique hybrid crew of uniformed sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners.

For more information about USS Emory S. Land (AS 39), visit http://www.csp.navy.mil/emorysland/ or like http://www.facebook.com/EmorySLand. For more news from USS Emory S. Land (AS 39), visit http://www.navy.mil/local/as39/.