USS Minnesota Completes Landmark Pacific Mission as Oregon National Guard Drops Thousands of Gallons on Wildfire

By Tiffany Williams –

The U.S. military marked two significant operational milestones this week, with the Navy celebrating the successful completion of the USS Minnesota’s first deployment as the nation’s first forward-deployed Virginia-class submarine based in Guam, while the Oregon Army National Guard expanded its response to the state’s growing wildfire emergency by deploying helicopters that have already dropped tens of thousands of gallons of water on the Hagen Fire.

The USS Minnesota returned to its home port at Naval Base Guam on July 29 after completing its first deployment since becoming the Navy’s first forward-deployed submarine.

“[The] Minnesota’s return marks a significant milestone for the Pacific submarine force and demonstrates the Navy’s ability to sustain and employ advanced Virginia-class capabilities in the Pacific,” said Navy Capt. Christopher Carter, commander of Submarine Squadron 15. “Operating from Guam, this crew demonstrated the readiness, endurance and advanced capabilities the Virginia-class platform brings to the strategic outpost in the Western Pacific.”

During the deployment, the submarine participated in the multinational Exercise Valiant Shield 26 and conducted port visits to Okinawa and Sasebo, Japan. The Navy said the Okinawa visit demonstrated its ability to sustain undersea capabilities at multiple locations across the Pacific region.

“This homecoming marks the successful completion of [the] Minnesota’s first deployment from Guam,” said Navy Cmdr. Jeffrey Cornielle, commander of the USS Minnesota. “The crew performed superbly while executing missions vital to the defense of the homeland and strengthening our alliances and partnerships.”

“The experience they gained operating throughout the Western Pacific will shape [the] Minnesota’s continued success for years to come,” he continued. “I am proud of every sailor and deeply grateful to our families, whose strength and support made this deployment possible.”

The deployment also marked a professional milestone for members of the crew. Two officers and 20 enlisted sailors earned their submarine warfare insignia, recognizing qualification to operate at the highest standards of the Navy’s undersea force.

“The sailors aboard [the] Minnesota represented the Navy with pride and professionalism, no matter the task,” said Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Joshua Garrett, the submarine’s chief of the boat. “Every time a challenge stood before them, they answered the call with discipline, character and an unwavering commitment to one another. Their readiness and effectiveness were evident throughout this deployment, and I could not be prouder of what this crew accomplished.”

The homecoming also included the Navy’s traditional first kiss and first hug ceremony, awarded to Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jose Salazar and Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jaccor Blakley.

Since arriving in Guam in November 2024, the USS Minnesota has also conducted operations in Western Australia in support of the Submarine Command Course and participated in Exercise Lungfish, a tactical development exercise between the U.S. Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. The submarine also visited Darwin, Australia, in support of bilateral engagements.

Meanwhile, on the West Coast, the Oregon Army National Guard continued supporting efforts to battle the Hagen Fire in Umatilla County.

Two CH-47 Chinook helicopters and two HH-60M Black Hawk helicopters began water bucket operations on July 29 after receiving state active-duty orders. According to the Oregon Department of Forestry, the fire had burned approximately 33,504 acres and was 3% contained as of July 29.

Aircrews completed 44 water bucket drops that day, delivering approximately 50,000 gallons of water onto the fire.

“Currently, we’re activated on state active duty for forest fires,” said Army Maj. Taylor Fry, operations officer at Army Aviation Support Facility No. 2. “We have two CH-47s and crews that are out fighting these fires, along with two Black Hawks … to support our local community, to save land, to save livestock and to save homes.”

Fry said coordination with the Oregon Department of Forestry and partner agencies has remained strong, with additional support this year from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

“We work very well with them and have for many years,” Fry said. “We have a couple of representatives from [the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection] up here this year, helping us out with our helicopter management and coordination with them.”

Behind every flight is a maintenance team working to keep aircraft operational.

“There’s a lot that goes into making sure that our buckets are operational,” said Army Staff Sgt. Amanda Hickman, an aircraft systems supervisor. “The mechanics spend a lot of time making sure that all of our faults are minimized the best that we can. I do a little bit of production control, so a lot goes into verifying how much time I have available on each aircraft and then setting priorities for which aircraft can fly and how many hours each aircraft can fly.”

Hickman, who has served in the Oregon Army National Guard for 20 years, said supporting communities is what motivates her service.

“I like that the National Guard is being used for something to help our community, and so if I can play a part in helping the community, that’s what I want to do,” she said.

Army Sgt. Isaiah Torres, a Chinook crew chief, described the preparation required before every firefighting mission.

“It’s almost the same as for any other flight, except you have to get the bucket ready,” Torres said. “We get our bucket staged … inspect the bucket, make sure valves are good. We do an [operational] check before we actually take the bucket to the target site.”

Once airborne, Torres said the crew guides pilots over the fire before releasing the water and returning to refill for another drop.

“It’s better than just training flights. I think we’re actually doing our job, which I enjoy,” he said. “I’ve never been in a helicopter before the Army, so it’s a pretty cool experience.”

Fry acknowledged the personal sacrifices required of National Guard members who balance military service with civilian careers and family responsibilities.

“It takes our citizen soldiers away from their full-time jobs and their families,” Fry said. “But the best part about this organization is that everybody is willing to do that, and everybody is willing to give up their summers and their time to come and support this mission.”

“These people are your neighbors. They’re your friends,” Fry said. “They’re out here supporting you, supporting the state and supporting our interests to keep the state safe and beautiful.”

According to the Oregon Department of Forestry, National Guard aircraft are expected to continue supporting firefighting operations for as long as conditions on the ground require.