US Navy shares 2021 highlights with stunning 'The Year in Photos' gallery

The U.S. Navy recognized the work American soldiers put in with a 2021 year in review.

Mount Etna erupted on Feb. 16, 2021. MC2 Austin Ingram captured the moment, which occurred behind the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft at Naval Air Station in Sigonella, Italy. (U.S. Navy/SWNS) The U.S. Navy Blue Angels and U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds debuted a ‘Super Hornet’ flight formation, which included F-16 Fighting Falcons and F/A-18s. The moment was captured by MC2 Cody Hendrix and took place during a joint training over Naval Air Facility El Centro on March 2, 2021. (U.S. Navy/SWNS) The USS Paul Ignatius ship (DDG 117) launched an SM-3 missile during an exercise in the Atlantic Ocean on May 26, 2021. The moment was captured by MC2 Nathan T. Beard. (U.S. Navy/SWNS) New Navy recruits graduated from the Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill., on May 13, 2021. The moment was captured by MC1 Spencer Fling. (U.S. Navy/SWNS) The U.S. Navy conducted a mountain search and rescue training in Fallon, Nev. with an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter. Pinnacle landings and extractions were practiced on April 8, 2021. The moment was captured by MCC Shannon Renfroe. (U.S. Navy/SWNS) On June 4, 2021, an unmanned Boeing MQ-25 T1 Stingray, (left) refueled a manned F/A-18 Super Hornet (right) midair near Mascoutah, Ill. The moment was captured by Boeing Corp. (U.S. Navy/SWNS) On May, 3, 2021, an F/A-18E Super Hornet was refueled with a U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender midair over Alaska. The moment was captured by Master Sgt. Burt Traynor. (U.S. Navy/SWNS) Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Shane Miller prepared COVID-19 vaccines in the Naval Base San Diego fitness center as part of Operation Warp Speed. The photo was captured by MC1 Julio Rivera on Jan. 8, 2021. (U.S. Navy/SWNS) In this stunning photo captured by MCSN Trent P. Hawkins, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower ship (CVN 69) replenished from USNS Arctic (T-AOE 8) in the Arabian Sea, on April 13, 2021. (U.S. Navy/SWNS) Cryptologic Technician (Collection) 1st Class Kameron Bradley greeted his famil, after he returned from a seventh-month deployment on May 24, 2021. The joyous moment was captured by MC2 Michael J. Lieberknecht. (U.S. Navy/SWNS)

"As they have for more than a century, military photographers and today's Mass Communication Specialists were there to document the work of American Sailors as they carried out their missions around the world, above, on and below the sea," the Navy Office of Information wrote about its yearly review. "The following photographs illustrate the integrity, accountability, initiative, and toughness of the Navy’s diverse, all-volunteer force of American Sailors and civilians following in the footsteps of those who, for 246 years, have gone before them in defense of freedom. Dedicated to all who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Nation in 2021."