Sam LaGrone – October 23, 2026 5:34 PM
Guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG-74) returned Friday to Naval Station Norfolk, Va., after 11 months deployed.
McFaul left Norfolk on Nov. 25, 2026, for an independent deployment and spent the bulk of the time away in the Middle East.
“The sailors of USS McFaul have performed exceptionally well during this demanding combat deployment, proving themselves as a true warfighting powerhouse. Operating in a highly volatile region, this crew has repeatedly demonstrated the grit, technical mastery and resilience required to protect our strike group and execute complex missions under pressure,” McFaul’s commander Cmdr. Adam Samson said in a statement. “I could not be more proud of their unwavering dedication and the quiet professionalism they bring to the watch every single day.”
Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao and U.S. Fleet Forces commander Adm. Karl Thomas were on hand to see the crew of the destroyer return to the naval base on Friday, according to photos released by the service.
According to USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker, McFaul sailed through the Mediterranean Sea, to the Red Sea, through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and spent the majority of its deployment supporting the naval build up in the North Arabian Sea.
“The warship provided anti-air warfare, surface warfare and naval surface fire support during combat operations, integrating with the USS Abraham Lincoln, USS George H.W. Bush, and USS George Washington carrier strike groups,” reads the Friday statement.
McFaul returned by circumnavigating Africa rather than returning via the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. The U.S. Navy has largely avoided sailing through the maritime chokepoint of the Bab el-Mandeb that links the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden due to its proximity to Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen, USNI News understands. USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) arrived in the region on the same route earlier this year.
McFaul and West Coast-based USS Spruance (DDG-111), which deployed in November with USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), were two of the longest-serving destroyers as part of the naval operations in the Middle East. U.S. destroyers have been in on and off combat operations since shortly after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack in Southern Israel in response to Houthi threats to maritime shipping.
Now the Navy has more than a dozen destroyers supporting the naval blockade in U.S. 5th Fleet.
The demand on the Navy’s versatile multi-mission warships are reshaping how the Navy deploys and trains its force, leaders said last month.
“The traditional model of naval ship maintenance is no longer viable in this high-demand operational environment,” Fleet Forces commander Thomas said at a maintenance conference. “That’s what we [have] got to change.”
On Thursday, Defense One reported families of destroyer sailors could expect deployments of a year or longer.
Sam LaGrone
Sam LaGrone is the editor of USNI News. He has covered legislation, acquisition and operations for the Sea Services since 2009 and spent time underway with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, the Canadian Navy, the French Navy and the Spanish Armada.
Email: slagrone@usni.org
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