Virginia class submarine USS Texas, commanded by a former resident, recently completed a historic exercise in the arctic region when it became the first vessel of its class not only to operate in the region, but also to surface through the ice while in transit to its home port of Pearl Harbor. “Words cannot describe how impressed I am with my crew’s performance and professionalism,” said Cmdr. Robert Roncska, former Dunkirk resident and Commanding Officer of USS Texas. “The ship performed extremely well in the cold, under-ice environment and I am honored to carry on the tradition of arctic operations by our awesome submarine force.” Though the submarine force has continually operated in the dangerous region successfully for over 50 years, this occasion marked the first such venture by one the Navy’s newest assets. “Once surfaced, the ship moored safely to the ice for over 24 hours,” said Ens. James Robinson, Supply Officer of USS Texas.