Churchville native deployed for holidays

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Douglas G. Becker, son of Douglas Becker Sr. of Churchville, and June Becker of Rochester, deployed on board the guided missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56) in early December.

USS San Jacinto, part of the USS Harry S. Truman carrier battle group, departed on its regularly scheduled six-month Mediterranean deployment. The crew may participate in a number of international exercises and operations, to include Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Southern Watch.

"I will miss my family and friends the most," he said. "There really is no way to prepare for leaving, especially in the state of terrorism we are in." A 1999 Churchville-Chili graduate, Becker and his wife, Hollyann, have two children. He is a fire controlman on board the ship and joined the Navy in 1999.

USS San Jacinto is a multi-mission surface combatant, capable of supporting the carrier battle group with anti-air, anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare. The ship can also support amphibious forces, operate independently, or act as the flagship of a surface action group. The Navy's cruisers are equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles, which gives them the ability to conduct long-range strikes.