USS San Antonio (LPD 17) Returns to Norfolk from Deployment to U.S. 4th Fleet Area of Operations
NAVAL STATION NORFOLK, Vir. – The first-in-class amphibious transport dock USS San Antonio (LPD 17) returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Oct. 13, 2026, concluding a dynamic deployment to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations.
The warship departed Norfolk on June 29, 2026, embarking Marines and loading critical relief supplies before heading south to conduct theater operations.
“I am in awe of the efforts San Antonio’s crew gave during two deployments across a little over fourteen months,” said Capt. Matt Gleason, commanding officer, USS San Antonio. “Captain Tom Uhl led this incredible team through most of this period, and I am honored to take over such a professional and lethal crew. Working alongside Marines from the 22nd Marine Expedition Expeditionary Unit and Littoral Combat Force 24, San Antonio proved the valuable combat power and flexibility that an amphibious warship provides to the Joint Force. My heartfelt thanks go out to the families and friends of this crew for supporting their dedicated loved ones.”
During the deployment, San Antonio provided disaster relief following two earthquakes in Venezuela. Operating near the epicenter in La Guaira, the warship served as the afloat command-and-control center for the U.S. Southern Command Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) element. The crew executed a mid-mission cross-deck of Littoral Combat Force 24 (LCF-24) from USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) and delivered two Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) loads of critical aid directly to the Venezuelan people, in coordination with the Department of State and non-governmental organizations. The warship also hosted senior military-to-military diplomatic talks aboard with Venezuelan defense leadership.
Following a brief logistics stop in Ponce, Puerto Rico, San Antonio sailed to the Pacific, marking a historic milestone as the first amphibious transport dock since 2018 to transit the Panama Canal, and the first of its class to pass through the expanded Neo-Panamax locks.
In the Eastern Pacific, the crew shifted to security and maritime interdiction operations under Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere. These actions systematically disrupted the supply networks of transnational narco-trafficking organizations, with all detained personnel safely transferred to the Ecuadorian Coast Guard.
Following its Eastern Pacific operations, San Antonio returned to the Caribbean via the Panama Canal, offloading LCF-24 Marines and equipment in Ponce.
USS San Antonio is a versatile, amphibious transport dock capable of embarking, transporting, and landing elements of a landing force. As the lead warship of her class of amphibious transport docks, equipped with an expansive well deck and flight facilities, San Antonio is designed to support expeditionary warfare, special operations, and humanitarian missions. By leveraging its landing craft and tilt-rotor aircraft capabilities, San Antonio can project power and deliver combat-ready Marines directly to shore in complex operational environments.
USS San Antonio (LPD 17) was commissioned on Jan. 14, 2006, and is named in honor of San Antonio, Texas, celebrating the city's rich military history and its enduring moniker as "Military City, USA." The naming further commemorates the historic 1836 Battle of the Alamo. Inspired by the resolute determination of Lt. Col. William B. Travis during the historic siege, the warship and her crew sail under the official command motto, “Never Retreat, Never Surrender,” carrying forward a legacy of unyielding courage and service to the nation.
Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic is responsible for manning, training, and equipping assigned surface forces and shore activities, ensuring a capable and combat-ready force to support U.S. national interests. The SURFLANT force consists of more than 66 warships and 34 shore commands.
For more information about SURFLANT, visit Facebook.com/SURFLANT or http://www.surflant.usff.navy.mil.
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