Brownsville Native Patrolling Middle East Waters with U.S. Navy

by LT Philip Fortnam, Navy Office of Community Outreach

MANAMA, Bahrain – A 2014 Gladys Porter High School graduate and Brownsville, Texas native is serving overseas aboard the U.S. Navy Coastal Patrol Ship USS Thunderbolt (PC-12), living and working at a Navy base in Manama, Bahrain.

Seaman Cruz Garza is a quartermaster on the Bahrain-based ship. Bahrain is a small island country situated near the western shores of the Arabian Gulf.

A Navy quartermaster is responsible for the overall navigation the ship.

“I really enjoy seeing the ocean and experiencing working with other ships going past,” said Garza.

The Thunderbolt was commissioned in 1994 and is one of the Navy’s 13 Cyclone-class ships designed for coastal patrol and interdiction surveillance.

These ships provide the U.S. Navy with a fast, reliable platform that can respond to crises in a shallow water environment.

“It’s a small ship and a small crew so I get to know everybody,” said Garza.

The Thunderbolt is 179 feet long, 25 feet wide and is powered by four diesel engines and can reach speeds of more than 40 mph.

Its armament is made up of 8 total machine guns and two grenade launchers: two MK 38 25mm machine guns, four .50 caliber machine guns, two M-60 machine guns and two MK 19 40mm automatic grenade launchers.

With approximately four officers and 25 enlisted comprising the ship’s company, jobs are highly varied which keeps the ship mission ready — this includes everything from washing dishes and preparing meals to handling weaponry and maintaining the propulsion system.

As a member of the crew, Garza and other Thunderbolt Sailors know they are part of a forward-deployed naval forces team that is heavily relied upon to help protect and defend America on the world’s oceans.

“I’ve had the chance to travel overseas,” said Garza. “It’s been a great adventure.”

In addition to the Thunderbolt, another seven Cyclone-class coastal patrol ships and two Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship are forward deployed in Bahrain.

The world is increasingly complex and crewmembers aboard the Thunderbolt, as well as the other forward-deployed naval vessels in Bahrain, assist with assuring international sea lines between the Middle East and Europe remain open and help protect against possible maritime threats.

As a Sailor with numerous responsibilities, deployed halfway around the world away from friends and family back home, Garza said he is learning about himself as a leader, Sailor and a person.

“I’ve developed discipline, learned money management, and seen different cultures,” said Garza.