Navy sailor returns home, meets baby daughter for the first time

An adorable photo shows a sailor meeting his child for the first time, just days before Christmas.

Electronics Technician 3rd Class Tyler Hernandez embraced his baby girl, who was beaming from ear to ear, when he returned home to Norfolk, Virginia on Dec. 15.

Hernandez and more than 300 other sailors had been serving on the guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf since April 23, according to the U.S Navy.

The ship supported a security operation in the Persian Gulf and helped conduct air strikes against ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria.

Many of the sailors were overcome with emotion after returning home following their eight-month deployment.

“I wish every American could be here on the pier today to celebrate the sailors and their families who do so much to safeguard our freedom,” Capt. Rob Thompson said in a statement.

According to the Navy, the crew will be home for both the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.