Area Navy officer sails aboard USS Kitty Hawk

Navy Lt. Matthew J. Brickhaus, son of Lolamae Brickhaus of Sedgewickville, Mo., and his shipmates made a port visit to Sydney, Australia while assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk, deployed to Yokosuka, Japan. On the first day of the visit, Brickhaus's ship was host to a reception for more than 1,000 Australian dignitaries, and conducted tours for more than 3,000 guests. Brickhaus is a 1989 graduate of Duschesne High School of St. Charles and joined the Navy in December 1992. He graduated and earned a bachelor of arts at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb.

-- From staff reports