NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. – Jacksonville sailors aboard the USS Cooperstown returned home after spending several months deployed to the southern border, reuniting with loved ones at Naval Station Mayport.
Four months ago, families gathered on the pier to say their goodbyes. On Monday, those same families came back — this time with smiles instead of tears.
Carolina Walker, a Navy mom, described the mix of emotions she felt when her sailor first departed.
“It’s a sense of pride, fear with the environment that’s going on right now, and just within the military and everything that we see happening overseas, but immensely proud,” Walker said.
Jewelia Lenze, a Navy daughter, said staying positive helped her get through the long months apart.
“Take it one day at a time… and keep thinking back to the memories that we have with him before, and then look forward to the ones you’re going to make afterwards,” she said.
A mission along the southern border
While the crew couldn’t share specific details about its mission, Commander Jesse DuParc, the commanding officer of the USS Cooperstown, explained the ship’s general area of operation.
“We were in the southern border, protecting the southern border, working for Northern Command. So all around in South America and the southern United States,” DuParc said.
Before deploying, DuParc expressed confidence in his crew’s readiness.
“My sailors are trained and ready and eager to go fight for our country and for our loved ones,” he said.
A lot can change in 4 months
For the Lenze family, the deployment brought more than just time apart — it brought a major milestone. Back in May, Navy wife Danielle Lenze hinted that the homecoming would look a little different.
“It’ll look a lot different because we’ll have one that’s going to be walking around instead of being held,” she said.
She was right. Baby Lenze took her first steps in front of dad during the reunion.
Jewelia Lenze summed up the day simply when asked how she felt.
“Feeling a lot better. We’re happy to have Dad home,” she said. When asked for one word to describe her emotions, she didn’t hesitate: “Just happiness.”
For sailor Timothy Lenze, the moment was almost too good to believe.
“Just surreal that life’s going to be life again,” he said.
As the families filed off the pier Monday, they began another transition — settling back into their routines and making up for all the time spent apart.
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