Rear Adm. Nowell visits Guam, Frank Cable

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Brian T. Glunt

USS Frank Cable (AS 40) Public Affairs

POLARIS POINT, Guam (NNS) -- Capt. Drew St. John, commanding officer, USS Frank Cable (AS 40), welcomed aboard Rear Adm. John B. Nowell Jr., commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 7, Amphibious Force 7th Fleet, Task Force 76, Oct. 27.

Nowell traveled to Guam to visit with leaders and crew members of the many Navy commands on the island. The admiral also toured Frank Cable - one of only two submarine tenders still active in the U.S. Navy - to meet with Sailors and learn about the ship's repair and maintenance capabilities offered to the fleet.

"I'm in Guam to visit our helicopter sea combat squadron, HSC-25, the 'Island Knights," said Nowell. "But I'm also using the visit to meet with the leadership and Sailors of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 71, CTF-75, and to get to Frank Cable to see the maintainers who keep the submarines and ships at the tip of the spear, maintained and ready."

Nowell toured the ship's repair work centers including the carpentry, sheet metal, pipe repair and machine shops, along with the ship's medical and dental spaces.

"I think the capabilities of Frank Cable and the capabilities that her Sailors bring are incredible," the admiral commented. "As we look at the forward-deployed naval forces here in the western Pacific, they are so critical to our national security and the national security of our partners. As we look at what these maintainers aboard this great ship can do for both submarines [and] surface ships, it is really magnificent."

Frank Cable, forward deployed to Guam, conducts maintenance and support of submarines and surface vessels deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.