By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Robert Zahn, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo By Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward
YOKOSUKA, Japan – A Lake Charles, Louisiana native and 2014 Alfred M. Barbe High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the guided missile cruiser, USS Antietam.
Fireman Marcus Hughes is a damage controlman aboard the forward deployed Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser operating out of Yokosuka, Japan. Antietam is one of three cruisers forward-deployed in Yokosuka.
A Navy damage controlman is responsible for fighting fires and repairing holes on the ship. If there is a casualty on the ship such as a fire, flood, chemical or gas leak, a damage controlman would be the first to respond.
“It was always instilled in me as a child that work doesn’t stop until the job is completed and this comes from my dad,” said Hughes. “Growing up Catholic helped me keep a positive mind set which I learned from my mom and this all helps me while being forward deployed in Japan.”
With more than 50 percent of the world's shipping tonnage and a third of the world's crude oil passing through the region, the United States has historic and enduring interests in this part of the world.
"Our alliance is rooted in shared interests and shared values," said Adm. Harry Harris, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command. "It's not hyperbole to say that the entire world has benefited from the U.S.-Japan alliance. While our alliance helped stabilize the region after the Second World War, it also enabled the Japanese people to bring about an era of unprecedented economic growth. And for the last six decades, our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have worked side by side with the Japan Self Defense Force to protect and advance peace and freedom."
Approximately 300 men and women serve aboard the ship. Their jobs are highly specialized and keep each part of the cruiser running smoothly, according to Navy officials. They do everything from maintaining gas turbine engines and operating the highly sophisticated Aegis weapons system to driving the ship and operating small boats.
Forward-deployed sailors are crucial to the success of the global Navy mission and earn high praise from their leaders.
“My dad was in the Army and he encouraged me to join the military but to go into the Navy instead of the Army because he knew I needed to be on the water and thought the Navy would be best for me,” said Hughes.
Sailors serving abroad in Japan are highly motivated and quickly adapt to changing conditions, explained Navy officials.
“Serving in the Navy for me means protecting the ones back home and ensuring their freedom and knowing what I’m doing now is what’s going to help me support my family in the future,” added Hughes.
A Navy cruiser is a multi-mission ship that can operate independently or as part of a larger group of ships at sea. The ship is equipped with a vertical launching system, tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, guns, and a phalanx close-in weapons system.
Sailors play a vital role in the overall military mission around the world.
"The U.S.-Japan alliance remains the cornerstone for peace and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region," said Harris.