These two Navy ships helped save stranded mariners in the Gulf of Aden

The expeditionary sea base Lewis B. Puller and the dry cargo ship Wally Schirra teamed up to rescue stranded mariners in the Gulf of Aden last week.

The Wally Schirra was conducting routine operations in the waters of U.S. 5th Fleet on July 18, when the Turkey-flagged vessel Anatolian issued a mayday call.

“Wally Schirra provided Anatolian engineering support as well as food and water supplies for its 14 crewmembers over three days,” the Navy said in a statement.

Puller took over for the Wally Schirra on July 20, and another support vessel relieved the expeditionary sea base the next day, concluding U.S. involvement.

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The Puller has participated in similar rescues. The ship, along with the patrol craft Sirocco, also aided the rescue of distressed mariners who identified themselves as Iranian citizens in the Gulf of Oman in December.

The Puller, the first-in-its-class expeditionary sea base, was commissioned in 2017 and is named after Lt. Gen. Lewis “Chesty” Puller, the only Marine to earn the Navy Cross five times.

A Military Sealift Command vessel, Schirra has been in service since 2009.

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