Naval Station Everett welcomes USS John S. McCain

The guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain arrived at its new homeport, Naval Station Everett in Washington state, in mid-October 2021, after 24 years forward-deployed with the U.S. 7th Fleet out of Yokosuka, Japan. Coverage of the exact arrival date varies by outlet — MyNorthwest and Navy Region Northwest reporting point to October 15, while other Navy-linked accounts cite October 16 or 17 — a discrepancy this account does not resolve. More than 300 sailors and their families relocated with the ship, according to HeraldNet, many of them stationed in Everett for the first time in their careers.

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, commissioned in 1994, carries the motto "Fortune Favors the Brave." It is named for three men: Admiral John S. McCain Sr. and his son, Admiral John S. McCain Jr., both career Navy officers, and — since a 2018 rededication one month before his death — Senator John McCain, their grandson and son, who served as a Navy captain in Vietnam before his decades in the Senate.

A ship with a long Pacific record

During its 24 years based in Japan, the destroyer took part in operations across the Indo-Pacific, including pursuing a North Korean cargo ship in 2009 and assisting with relief efforts following Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The USS Ralph Johnson is replacing it in the forward-deployed role in Japan.

Why Everett

John S. McCain and her Sailors have proven time and time again our Navy's resolve to answer the call in support of our nation and our allies. After 24 years of faithful overseas service, we are ready to head back home to America, back to Washington State.

The emphasis is getting our sailors back meeting their families, reintegrating.

Both quotes are attributed to the ship's commanding officer, Commander Tin Tran. Naval Station Everett's natural deepwater port and modern facilities were cited as factors in the relocation, and Rep. Rick Larsen had advocated for the base to draw further ship assignments; the McCain's arrival followed the base's earlier addition of the USS Kidd and USS John Paul Jones, expanding the Navy's footprint in the community.

Families on the pier

Sailor Augustus Jaskiewicz was among those reunited with family on arrival, reconnecting with his wife and 1½-year-old daughter after the long separation. "The joy of reuniting overcame all the stress," he said, according to HeraldNet's account of the homecoming.

What it signals

A single destroyer's homeport change is also a community story: more than 300 families moving from Japan to Washington state at once represents a meaningful shift for both the Navy families involved and for Everett, which has been steadily building a larger surface fleet presence beyond its historical role. The rededication of the ship's name to include Senator McCain, finalized just before his 2018 death, means its return to U.S. soil also closes a symbolic loop between the ship's three namesakes and its home country.

US In News compiled this archived account from contemporaneous coverage by MyNorthwest and HeraldNet. It restores a story originally published on this site in October 2021; figures are as reported at the time.