From the First Kiss Files

My assignment on Friday last week was the homecoming of the U.S. Navy attack submarine USS Pittsburgh. Having shot dozens of submarine homecomings over the years I was struck with the idea to go into the archive and look back at homecomings past.

this is, as best I can tell, the first homecoming I covered:

Baby, Meet Daddy! Lucrecia Mirano introduces her husband, Lt. David Mirano, left, to his 2-month old daughter Barbara at the homecoming for the USS Springfield (SSN 761) after four-months at sea Wednesday, December 4, 1996. Mirano's son Miguel, 4, in his arm.

Lt. Cmdr. Lynn Smith, Executive Officer aboard the USS Trepang, gets a welcoming kiss from his wife Dawn while daughters Sharisse, 8, and Tarin, 6, give their dad a hug Tuesday, November 25, 1997. The USS Trepang returned to the U.S. Submarine Base in Groton after a six month tour in the Mediterranean.

Sometimes the traditional first kiss, which is determined by a drawing, can have a twist:

FT3 Jeremy Ryerson drops to one knee and proposes to his girlfriend Melanie Tabor after his submarine, the USS Hartford, returned to port Thursday, August 24, 2000 in Groton. The Hartford returned from a six-month deployment.

Some first kisses were pretty intense:

Linda Preable kisses her husband, ETC Timothy Preable, as his sub, the USS Memphis, (SSN 691) returns home to Groton from a six-month deployment to the north atlantic Thurs. Dec. 14, 2000.

And some were just ... different:

Macy the dog jumps for joy as Lt. Commander Diego Hernandez and his wife Lisa embrace on the pier after the USS Toledo, SSN 769, returned home to Groton from a six-month deployment to the north atlantic Thurs. Dec. 14, 2000.

And then there was a short hiatus. After the September 11, 2001 attacks we couldn't get on base for over a year.

Couples, Daniel Purvis and Angela Dickau, left, and Michael Benavides and Allison Keck, reuninte on the pier after the USS Connecticut, SSN 22, a Seawolf class fast attack submarine, returned to the U.S. Navy Submarine Base in Groton Wed. Nov. 13, 2002 after a six-month deployment.

Many times I have been the only non-Navy photographer on the pier. But sometimes I have not been:

Nicole and Jordan Kahle share the ceremonial first kiss in the spotlight of a ring of TV cameras as the USS Seawolf returns to the Navy Submarine Base in Groton Thurs. Nov. 26. 2003 after a six month deployment.

When the USS Philadelphia returned in November of 2005 I caught this couple kissing amidst the crowds well after the ceremonial first kiss. I can't find their names anywhere now.

and I have the names for this one ...

Christa Wilson embraces her husband Jeffrey Wilson as the USS Philadelphia, SSN 690, returns to the U.S. Navy Submarine base in Groton Wed. Nov. 16, 2005 after a six-month deployment. The Philadelphia was damaged in a collision with a freighter in the Red Sea during the mission.

but it's the background that really has me wondering what I missed.

Sometimes it's much later, like headed back to the PAO's van for the ride off-base, when I spot the moment I'd been missing.

Newlyweds Petty Officer 2nd class Randy and his wife Tiffany embrace on the pier after the USS Toledo (SSN 769) returned to the U.S. Navy Submarine Base in Groton, Conn., Mon.July 31, 2006 after a six-month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In the background is the USS Springfield, docked at a pier adjacent to the Toledo. The couple were wed just before the ship went to sea.

In addition to the traditional First Kiss, the homecoming includes a First Hug ... for a child and father ... and sometimes that can be the photo:

Kaylee Harmon, 3, runs to greet her father, Petty Officer second class Justin Harmon, with the traditional first hug as the USS Providence (SSN 719) returns to the U.S. Navy Submarine Base in Groton Fri. April.20, 2007 after a six-month deployment.

Matthew Williamson, 9, left, races to greet his father, petty officer first class Barry Williamson, as his submarine, the Virginia class fast-attack submarine USS New Hampshire (SSN 778), returns to Naval Submarine Base New London Wed. July 22, 2009 after her first operational deployment.

Which brings me back to last week ... one new baby and a pair of first kisses:

Machinists mate 1st class Zachary Shafer, left, is introduced to his daughter Jesse, for the first time, by his wife Michelle, right, on the pier as his sub, the USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720) returns to the U.S. Navy Submarine Base in Groton, Conn., Friday, October 15, 2010 following a six-month deployment. Jesse Shafer was born while her father was at sea.

Traditional first kiss recipients; Lt. Cmdr. Sean Stein and his wife Nina, left, and ET3 Loren Trover and his wife Andrea, right, greet each other on the pier upon the return of the Los Angeles class attack submarine USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720) to the U.S. Navy Submarine Base in Groton, Conn., Friday, October 15, 2010 following a six-month deployment.