Destroyer Squadron 7
| Destroyer Squadron 7 | |
|---|---|
DESRON 7 Emblem
|
|
| Active | 1920–22, 1939–45, 1946–present |
| Country |
 United States of America
|
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Type | Destroyer Squadron |
| Role | Naval surface/strike/anti-aircraft warfare |
| Part of | U.S. 7th Fleet |
| Engagements |
Neutrality Patrol World War II Operation Husky Operation Avalanche Operation Shingle Operation Dragoon Korean War Operation Chromite Vietnam War Operation Desert Storm Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan Operation New Dawn |
| Website | Official Website |
| Commanders | |
| Commodore | Captain H.B. Le, USN |
| Senior Enlisted Leader | Senior Enlisted Leader ITCS(IDW/SW/AW) Robert A. Labrenz, USN |
Destroyer Squadron 7's (DESRON 7) mission is to conduct prompt, sustained operations at sea in support of United States national policy and maritime security objectives as part of Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF) in U.S. 7th Fleet.
DESRON 7 is a tangible example of the Asia-Pacific Rebalance after shifting homeports from San Diego to Southeast Asia in December 2012 and is the first forward deployed DESRON command in Southeast Asia in more than 40 years.
The command leads the execution of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise series. CARAT is an annual bilateral exercise, now in its 21st year, and is the lifeblood of U.S. navy-to-navy relationships in Southeast Asia. During the 2014 CARAT season alone, DESRON 7 operated with more than 40 U.S. and international ships, embarked 12 U.S. Navy ships, and led bilateral task groups totaling more than 10,000 personnel. Additionally, CARAT included Seabees, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians, medical professionals, diving experts, 50 U.S. and international aircraft, U.S. Marine Corps landing forces, and more than 150 days of interaction as we planned and exercised with our partners and allies.
DESRON 7 assumed tactical command of USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) on December 4, 2014. Building on the achievements of USS Freedom's (LCS 1) inaugural 10-month deployment to Southeast Asia from March to December 2013, Fort Worth will visit more ports, engage more regional navies during exercises like CARAT and expand LCS capabilities, including embarking and using the MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aircraft system. LCSs are optimally sized for the region’s geography and operate well alongside the small, but capable, ships of many Southeast Asian navies.
DESRON 7 has also successfully taken lead in conducting major exercises and events, to include Operations Guardian and Damayan, Foal Eagle, ANNUALEX and FST-J, and can provide permanent major command at-sea presence and serve as a sea combat commander for carrier strike groups when tasked. Additionally, the commodore served as the tactical commander of Fort Worth and USS Sampson (DDG 102) during the Indonesian-led search for AirAsia Flight QZ8501.
In a short period of time, DESRON 7 has made an immediate impact in Southeast Asia.
DESRON 7 is in tactical command of USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), which is currently on a 16-month rotational deployment to the Asia-Pacific and operating from Singapore as its maintenance and logistics hub.
DESRON 7 was first established in September 1920 as a reserve squadron of 15 ships home-ported at Charleston, South Carolina. The squadron was deactivated from July 1922 until April 1939 when it was reorganized in San Diego, California.
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Wikipedia