The commander and two crew members of the USS Olympia visited Olympia during the Capital Lakefair last week, updating people about what the 360-foot submarine has been doing.

Cmdr. Tom Shugart, who became commander of the USS Olympia in November 2013, and his accompanying crew spent four days in Olympia after making a red-eye flight Wednesday from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where the namesake submarine is stationed.

Their objective was simple.

"It's an effort for us to connect with our namesake city," Shugart said as he left the Capitol and en route to an event at the Governor's house. "It's to let you know about what the great things that your submarine has been doing."

In the 31 years of the submarine's history, that mission hasn't changed.

"That's representing our nation and defending our interest overseas," Shugart said.

About every two to three years, members of the USS Olympia visit its namesake city. Shugart and his accompanying crew members, including Chief of the Boat Roland Midgett and Junior Officer of the Year Zachary Copes, had a busy schedule. They visited the state Capitol and met with state officials, visited the Mayor of Olympia, toured the Port of Olympia and talked at the Rotary Club meeting.

Shugart and his accompanying crew members also appeared at several Lakefair events. They were at the Queen and Princesses Royalty program, the 50-plus in the Park, the Lakefair Car Show, Lakefair Run and Kids' Day. They were even in the Capital Lakefair grand parade.

Besides updating and sharing news about the USS Olympia, Shugart and his crew did a lot of handshaking during Lakefair.

"They visit Olympia in order to further the bonds of friendship that have been established by the previous commanding officers and crew members of the USS Olympia," said Bob Terhune, who is the Capital Lakefair military liaison. "Every time they come in to visit, they make friends, and people are amazed how wonderful the Navy guys are."

The USS Olympia was commissioned in 1984, and its first commander, Capt. Bill Hughes, ended up living in Olympia when he got out of the Navy. The submarine's last visit here was in 1998.

The city of Olympia has two ships named after it. The first was a cruiser, a flagship of Adm. Dewey in the Spanish-American War in 1898. That ship is now a museum ship in Philadelphia.