Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Dakota D. Saunders, son of Teresa L. and John S. Saunders of Lometa, Texas, alongside approximately 1, 200 fellow Sailors and Marines assigned to amphibious transport dock ship USS Dubuque (LPD-8) homeported in Naval Base San Diego, Calif. recently reached the mid-way point of their deployment in support of anti-piracy in the Pacific region.

Dubuque is attached to Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group (PEL ARG) which consist of, amphibious assault ship USS Peliliu (LHA 5), amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52), 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (15 MEU) and various different squadrons and assault craft units.

Dubuque has assisted in many different missions since deploying earlier this year, to include relief efforts in Pakistan after flooding by providing supplies by means of helicopter support, anti-piracy operations and exercises in both the Fifth and Seventh Fleet countries.

Saunders is a 2007 graduate of Lometa High School of Lometa, Texas and joined the Navy in July 2007. For more information on USS Dubuque, please visit www.dubuque.navy.mil and www.navy.mil