Kearsarge Celebrates 240 Years of Navy’s Pride
The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) flagship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) celebrated the Navy’s 240th birthday Oct. 13, 2015. The Kearsarge ARG team is comprised of the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), the amphibious dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51), the amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24), and embarked Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), which departed the U.S. on October 6, 2015. Kearsarge celebrated the event with 1MC announcements throughout the day, a cake cutting and singing during a ceremony aboard. The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26th MEU) is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps.
USS Ashland to the Rescue of Typhoon Soudelor Victims
Through the coordination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) will depart Guam and arrive in Saipan Aug. 8 to provide relief in the aftermath of Typhoon Soudelor, which devastated the island Aug. 2-3. Agencies including the Government of Guam, American Red Cross, Ayuda Foundation and other non-profit/non-governmental organizations have provided drinking water, bed sheets, food, generators, power lines and other electrical restoration supplies to aid in the effort. Upon arriving in Saipan, the supplies will be sent to distribution sites, shelters and schools around the island to provide the much needed supplies to local residents and government agencies.
"Iron Nickel's" Last Voyage
USS Peleliu (LHA 5) returned to Naval Base San Diego Dec. 24 from a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific. Upon return, the ship will make preparations to decommission in March after 34 years of service, 17 deployments and more than a million miles transited, and as the last remaining Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship. During the ship's deployment Peleliu, its crew, Commander, Amphibious Squadron Three, Special Purpose Marine Task Force Three and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 participated in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2014 as part of U.S. 3rd Fleet. Upon assignment to 7th Fleet, the ship embarked Commander, Amphibious Force Seventh Fleet…
US Warship Departs for Final Deployment
To begin the ship's final deployment, USS Simpson (FFG 56) departed her homeport Nov. 14, for regularly scheduled theater security missions in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. Commanded by Cmdr. Ken Anderson, the crew concluded a highly-successful maintenance availability and intense training exercises, and was outfitted with four Fire Scout (MQ-8B) vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicles prior to departure. Simpson returned from her last 6th Fleet…
Navy Ships Respond for Hurricane Relief
Joint Task Force Katrina is setting up today at Camp Shelby, Miss. , as the Defense Department's focal point to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency's relief efforts along the Gulf Coast, Air Force Maj. Eric Butterbaugh, a U. S. Northern Command spokesman, confirmed today. Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, 1st U. S. Army commander, will head the task force to coordinate DoD active-duty support for disaster relief efforts in the hurricane's aftermath, much of it already under way or in the works. Meanwhile, the number of National Guardsmen on duty in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida rose to almost 8,300 today. National Guard units and members in 17 more states remained on standby today…
