Ugly Duckling

We learn more about crew haircuts than the mission of U.S.S. Ponce in this article.

Yes, it vaguely mentions special forces missions. But that's it. I discussed Ponce here and the similar mission run in the 1980s during the First Gulf War between Iran and Iraq.

I suppose it is too much to expect Stars and Stripes to discuss operations too much. I will admit that the mixed civilian/military crew of the ship rather surprised me. Unless the age of the equipment required older civilians who used to operate that equipment when they were in the Navy, the use of civilians for a potential war zone mission.

Ponce isn't pretty or flashy. But it's a brawler for the Persian Gulf environment.