Why is American destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill in Portsmouth? Royal Navy Cdr lifts lid on "symbolic visit"

USS Winston Churchill, an American vessel named after Britain’s Second World War time leader, sailed into HMNB Portsmouth during her operations as part of a carrier strike group. Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander Owen Long is the destroyer’s navigator, with his position alongside the American crew being a nod to the ties between both nations.

Lt Cdr Long, from Boston in Lincolnshire, said: “The captain very graciously allowed me to bring her in. It was a real privilege passing Round Tower and my girlfriend Emily on the tower there waving us in. That was brilliant to actually be able to drive the ship into effectively the closest thing I have to a homeport.”

As previously reported in The News, she arrived at the naval base on Sunday (September 14) and is part of Carrier Strike Group Twelve. This group is led by the humungous USS Gerald R Ford. Lt Cdr Long sailed the Arleigh Burke destroyer and her 370 sailors into the city for a port stop.

The destroyer is the lead escort for the aircraft carrier and has come to His Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth to underscore bonds with the Royal Navy and the ship’s connection to the UK thanks to its name, the Royal Navy said, describing the event as a “symbolic visit”.

The crew have been exploring Portsmouth, visiting the National Museum of the Royal Navy and other city sights. “I put together plenty of recommendations. I feel like part navigator, part tour guide,” Lt Cdr Long added.

“Plenty of people have stopped me in the passageways and asked best recommendations for restaurants in Portsmouth and I’m only too pleased to facilitate that.” Some of the American sailors got the chance to tour Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and step aboard HMS Victory. Many were given promotion insignia after completing training and being selected to become Chief Petty Officers.

Lt Cdr Long, currently stationed in Mayport, Florida, got the chance to catch up with former navigators of his ship as well as loved ones, including girlfriend Emily. The 26-year-old takes English comforts and treats with him wherever he is with USS Winston S Churchill – which recently has been operating in the Arctic Circle – although his efforts to impress British culture on his American shipmates have largely fallen on deaf ears.

“Not many listen to Oasis on here, only me,” he said. “I play into the Britishness on board where I can. I have a kettle, and a big box of Yorkshire Tea in the chart room. When they’re all having their morning coffee, I’m having my morning cup tea, and I’m trying to make tea more popular on board as well, and make it less likely to be thrown in the harbour.

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“I like to use the opportunity to really build that relationship between the UK and the US is so important to us. It really is important to the guys on board as well. A lot of people in America are very proud of their heritage.

“Famously American people like to look into their ancestry and history and so many of them come up to me and tell me they’ve got British history, Scottish ancestry, English ancestry, and they really like to learn more about what life is like in the place of their family are from. That’s a nice part of the job.

“The fact I can come across to the US Navy in this role and seamlessly integrate with their wardroom is testament to our two countries’ ability to work together as allies in theatres across the globe, standing shoulder to shoulder as we have for hundreds of years.”