Island Images: USS Texas returns

This is Lt. j.g. Cosmas Samaritis getting the "first kiss" he won in a random drawing to be the first off the USS Texas from his wife Kathryn Samaritis just after he stepped. The Virginia-class submarine USS Texas (SSN 775) returned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Friday completing her maiden Western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment. Texas conducted port visits in Guam, Yokosuka, Japan, Busan, South Korea, and Subic Bay, Philippines. This was the first overseas deployment for more than a third of the crew. More than 20 Sailors and three junior officers completed submarine qualifications and are now authorized to wear the Submarine Warfare insignia or better known to submariners as "dolphins".