EVERETT — DeLithea and Jocelyn Davis waited in the sun Friday afternoon at Naval Station Everett for their son and brother, Myles Davis — who was named after the famous jazz trumpeter.
This was the first time they had seen him in four years.
“He’s the life of the party,” DeLithea said. “That’s what I miss most about him.”
Myles was one of 300 sailors aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Barry that arrived in Everett after sailing from Yokosuka, Japan. Loved ones, some holding flowers and homemade signs, lined the boarding dock filled with excitement and anticipation as sailors exited the ship one-by-one.
“We’ve been looking forward to this for months,” Barry’s commanding officer Cmdr. Grant Bryan said. “The PAC Northwest is beautiful, we saw some whales on the way out here.”
Left to right, Jessica Rundhaug, Justin Rundhaug, and Xander Rundhaug reunite in Everett, Washington on Friday, March 17, 2023. The USS Barry arrived to its new homeport at Everett Naval Station, previously from Yokosuka, Japan. The crew is led by Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Grant Bryan. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
USS Barry was returning from a six-year deployment in Japan. The ship was commissioned in 1992, making it the Navy’s oldest missile destroyer, according to a press release. Maintenance will take about nine months, and the ship is expected to remain in Everett after they have finished.
“The crew is proud to keep it shipshape and seaworthy,” Bryan said in the press release. “I could not be more proud of this crew for how well they have executed our forward deployed missions and I am thankful for the families who have supported their sailors during this move.”
Some sailors consider Everett their hometown. Others, like sailor Matthew Allen, are seeing snow caps on the Cascade Range for the first time.
The USS Barry makes its way into port in Everett, Washington on Friday, March 17, 2023. The USS Barry arrived to its new homeport at Everett Naval Station, previously from Yokosuka, Japan. The crew is led by Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Grant Bryan. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Allen said the journey back to the states was stressful as the sailors did everything they could to get here on time.
“It feels good to be across the finish line,” Allen said.
His wife of seven years, Martina Allen, welcomed him home with a homemade poster: “Of all the weirdos, you’re my favorite.”
City leaders in recent years have advocated for more ships to dock in their port. In 2020, U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Everett, announced a $17 million grant to the Port of Everett for improvements to waterfront infrastructure.
In June 2022, the Navy announced Everett as the future homeport for a new generation of guided-missile frigates.
USS Barry is the eighth U.S. Navy ship to homeport in Everett, following the USS Momsen, USS Gridley, USS Sampson, USS John Paul Jones, USS Kidd, USS John S. McCain, and most recently until now, USS McCampbell.
Left to right, Tyler Morgan, Martina Allen, and Kelicia Jessie wait for their loved ones to arrive in Everett, Washington on Friday, March 17, 2023. The USS Barry arrived to its new homeport at Everett Naval Station, previously from Yokosuka, Japan. The crew is led by Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Grant Bryan. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
All of the above ships are Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
USS Barry is the fourth U.S. Navy Ship to bear the name, titled after a naval commanding officer during the Revolutionary War, John Barry.
Sailor Octavio Mendoza was excited to be reunited his wife Saharah and 18-month-old daughter Cielo, who he has only seen for six months of her life.
“It’s just amazing,” Mendoza said. “It’s a lot of mental battle being by myself.”
Maya Tizon; 425-339-3434; mayatizon@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @mayatizon
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