Figure 1: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 22 December 2007. The guided-missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG-59) celebrates the Christmas season with a brilliant illumination of Christmas lights for which the ship placed first in the annual holiday light decorating contest, held by the Pearl Harbor Naval Base. US Navy photograph by Ensign Theresa Donnelly. Click on photograph for larger image.
Figure 2: San Diego, California, 19 December 2007. The guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) sits pier-side, ready for a judging panel's inspection during the 2007 holiday ship decoration contest. Ships and shore commands were judged on four criteria: degree of difficulty, originality of display, holiday spirit, and creativity. US Navy photograph by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark A. Leonesio. Click on photograph for larger image.
Figure 3: Not everyone got to spend part or all of the week off for the Christmas holiday. Even Santa himself, having secured from present-delivery operations the night before, helped launch aircraft on the carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) on Christmas Day, 2009. US Navy photograph by MC1 David Mercil. Click on photograph for larger image.
Figure 4: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 21 December 2011. The guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93) is decorated with Christmas lights at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. US Navy photograph by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark Logico. Click on photograph for larger image.
Figure 5: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 20 December 2011. The guided-missile frigate USS Crommelin (FFG-37) is decorated with Christmas lights at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. US Navy photograph by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark Logico. Click on photograph for larger image.
Figure 6: Yokosuka, Japan, 18 December 2007. Holiday lights illuminate the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Lassen (DDG-82) and USS McCampbell (DDG-85) at Fleet Activities Yokosuka. Every Yokosuka-based ship of the forward-deployed naval forces is decorated with holiday lights to celebrate the festive season. Just before midnight on New Year's Eve, every ship will go black for a countdown to the New Year. At midnight, every ship will illuminate its holiday lights to bring in the New Year. US Navy photograph by Mass Communication Specialist Bryan Reckard. Click on photograph for larger image.
Figure 7: Yokosuka, Japan, 24 December 2005. The aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), center, along with other US Navy Seventh Fleet ships, showed their holiday spirit on Christmas Eve 2005 with a colorful display of friendship lights. Several other sailors from Carrier Strike Group Five (CSG-5) participated in decorating their ships from bow to stern in holiday colors. Kitty Hawk was the only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier, and was home ported out of Yokosuka, Japan. US Navy photograph by Photographer's Mate Airman Thomas J. Holt. Click on photograph for larger image.
Figure 8: The crew of Type 42 Destroyer HMS Edinburgh sang along to Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End) by rock group The Darkness. They were on a six-month deployment in the South Atlantic and were far away from home for Christmas. Royal Navy photograph, 17 December 2012. Click on photograph for larger image.
Figure 9: Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset celebrated Christmas a week early on 18 December 2011. The crew took advantage of a brief pause in operations to engage in seasonal festivities while the ship was part of the Combined Maritime Forces which patrolled the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean, and the Gulf of Oman. Royal Navy photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.
Figure 10: Lieutenants Richard Dobson and Andy Warwick on the lookout for Santa and his sleigh as LPT Danny Card steers HMS Monmouth in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Bahrain, 25 December 2012.The 200-strong ship’s company chose not to defer or advance Christmas Day (as some ships have done) and observed it while on patrol. Christmas Day in a surface ship at sea is normally a reasonably relaxed affair – although watch routines are, of course, maintained as normal – the British also maintained their tradition of officers serving ratings their dinner (and in some cases the most junior or youngest member of the ship’s company is permitted to be captain for the day). Royal Navy photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.
Figure 11: One of the divers from the mine hunter HMS Ramsey dons a festive holiday costume in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Bahrain, December 2012. Royal Navy photograph. Click on photograph for larger image.
Figure 12: San Diego, California, 19 December 2007. Sailors assigned to the guided-missile frigate USS Curtis (FFG-38) sing Christmas carols during the 2007 holiday ship decoration contest. Ships and shore commands were judged on four criteria: degree of difficulty, originality of display, holiday spirit, and creativity. US Navy photograph by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark A. Leonesio. Click on photograph for larger image.
Figure 13: Persian Gulf, 24 December 2004. Sailors sing Christmas carols on the flight deck of the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG-61) on Christmas Eve. USS Monterey was attached to the USS Harry S. Truman's Carrier Strike Group Ten (CSG-10) and was on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. US Navy photograph by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Craig Spiering. Click on photograph for larger image.
Figure 14: Persian Gulf, 25 December 2004. Culinary Specialist Seaman Demarcos Blow displays the Christmas turkey before the crew enjoys Christmas dinner aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG-61). Monterey was assigned to Carrier Strike Group Ten (CSG-10) and was on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. US Navy photograph by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Danny Ewing Jr. Click on photograph for larger image.
Figure 15: The destroyer USS Russell (DDG-59), seen here in December 2007, has dominated Naval Station Pearl Harbor’s yearly holiday light competition. US Navy photograph by Ensign Theresa Donnelly. Click on photograph for larger image.
Well, another Christmas has come. We should all take a moment to remember the men and women who are currently serving in navies around the world this holiday season. They have an incredibly difficult job and often have to serve on ships and bases far from home. Wishing all of them, and you, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
