Rochester, N.Y. - Jim and Pat Fuehrer learned of their son’s latest mission while watching the news on television last night.
“It was a little surprising,” says Jim.
“I hope they don’t have to engage much.”
Charles Fuehrer grew up in Rochester and joined up with ROTC at East High School. He stayed with the program through college at both RIT and the University of Rochester.
“He’s career Navy,” says his father Jim.
Lt. Fuehrer is a communications specialist on his second deployment aboard the USS Laboon. He underwent training for nearly a year in Norfolk, Virginia before leaving in July for a mission in the Mediterranean.
The Laboon is outfitted with a ballistic defense system designed to intercept and shoot down enemy missiles. The original deployment was to deal with tensions in Iran but after the violence in Libya that resulted in the death of the US ambassador, the mission was diverted.
“It’s a little scary, but they’re all trained to do their duties and hopefully things will calm down,” says Jim Fuehrer.
Fuehrer says he visited his son in Norfolk in June but has not spoken to him since the original deployment in July.
The news about their one son comes as their other son arrives home from Afghanistan. (See related story)
“We are proud of them both,” he says.
