USS Patriot ( MCM - 7 ) USS " Patriot " ( MCM - 7 ) , an " Avenger " - class mine countermeasures ship of the United States Navy , and is the third Navy ship of that name . " Patriot " was launched 15 May 1990 by Marinette Marine in Marinette , Wisconsin , and commissioned 13 December 1991 in Charleston , South Carolina . Commander Michael J . O ' Moore , a native of Brooklyn , New York , was the commissioning Commanding Officer . " Patriot " was originally homeported at NS Charleston until 1993 , when , she transferred to NS Ingleside , Texas . History . In 1994 " Patriot " was called to serve in the Pacific , and since then has served as one of four forward - deployed MCMs in 7th Fleet ' s Amphibious Ready Group . " Patriot " is operationally assigned to MCMDiv 11 , CTF 76 , ComSeventhFlt , CinCPacFlt , and USCinCPac . Her administrative chain of command is CoMCMDiv 11 , CoMCMRon 1 , CoMineWarCom ( NAS Corpus Christi , TX ) recently merged with Naval Anti - Submarine Warfare Command into NMAWC ( Naval Mine and Anti - Submarine Warfare Command ) , and ComNavSurfLant . Although " Patriot " was permanently assigned to Sasebo , Japan , her crew served on a rotational basis from Ingleside , Texas . Each rotation lasted approximately 6 months . In 1996 the crew assignments were changed to permanent overseas assignments . In March 2003 the major event was TSTA3 / FEP . This Tailored Ship ' s Training Availability ( TSTA3 ) / Final Exercise Problem ( FEP ) initially designed to be a training assist visit to assess readiness , was turned into a graded scenario to prove her battle readiness . This advanced stage of training is designed to improve ships operations and give " Patriot " an opportunity to prove she is ready to perform her primary and secondary missions with utmost efficiency and skill . " Patriot " executed her deployment phase during the 2003 calendar year . Along with conducting MINEX , she participated in Exercise Foal Eagle 2003 , a combined naval exercise with the Republic of Korea . " Patriot " successfully accomplished 100 percent mine - warfare tasking during the integrated exercise . " Patriot " conducted a WESTPAC Deployment during the months of May and June conducting port visits in Okinawa , Fukuoka , JA , Pusan , ROK , Inchon , ROK , and Kagoshima , JA . " Patriot " also took part in the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War with a port visit to Pusan , South Korea . " Patriot " routinely participates in a combined Mine Warfare training exercises with the Japanese Maritime Self - Defense Force as part of an annual MINEX and EODEX . MINEX / EODEX is a joint mine countermeasures ( MCM ) exercise designed to foster US Navy and Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force ( JMSDF ) interoperability through the use of the MCM Triad , surface MCM ( SMCM ) air MCM ( AMCM ) and Explosive Ordnance disposal ( EOD ) teams . In 2005 , " Patriot " conducted a Selected Maintenance Availability during which the ship was refitted with the most recent equipment upgrades and shipboard alterations . The maintenance period allowed the ship to re - train personnel and in preparations for the ship ' s Basic Training Phase and Interdeployment Training Cycle . On 16 February 2007 , " Patriot " was awarded the 2006 Battle " E " award . In late November 2007 , " Patriot " and fellow minesweeper sought refueling and refuge from an approaching storm in Hong Kong ' s Victoria Harbour , but were denied entry without explanation by the People ' s Republic of China . Both ships were eventually refueled at sea and returned safely to their home ports in Japan . In June 2011 , six crew members were given nonjudicial punishment and recommended for discharge from the Navy . The discipline was the result of a hazing incident which took place during the preceding Memorial Day weekend .