Guided-Missile Frigate Completes Visit to Murmansk, Russia

The guided-missile frigate USS Carr (FFG 52) departed Murmansk, Russia, Sept. 5, after completing its third port visit to Russia since late June.

During their visit, Carr Sailors participated in a community service project and hosted a reception on board for local government officials and special guests. Among those guests were veterans of the Polar Convoys. During World War II, the men who ran these convoys supplied much-needed aid from the Allies to the Soviet Union in their fight against Germany.

“Most Americans will not have the opportunity to visit Russia once in their lifetime and my Sailors have been fortunate enough to visit three distinct areas of Russia,” said Cmdr. Patrick Kulakowski, Carr commanding officer. “Many Sailors state that they joined the Navy to see the world; my crew has most definitely had that opportunity this deployment.”

Carr Sailors also visited a local Russian naval museum and participated in two wreath-laying ceremonies. The first wreath was presented at the Alyosha monument, the Russian memorial to the unknown soldier of World War II. The second wreath was presented at the memorial for the Russian submarine Kursk, which sank in August 2000, losing all 118 crewmembers aboard.

“It was an honor to visit the memorials,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Eric Nobriga, who attended both wreath-laying ceremonies. “Everyone has repeatedly expressed their gratitude for the assistance that the allies provided during World War II.”

Upon departure from Murmansk, Carr crewmembers manned the rails and rendered honors as they passed the final resting place of the liberty ship SS Thomas Donaldson, which was sunk in March 1945.

Carr is homeported in Norfolk, Va., and is on a three-month deployment supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility.

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Source: navy, September 9, 2011;