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Posted by jason (Member # 99) on May 22, 2003, 08:40 AM:

heres is what the big bosses put out for the dates for when we will be home... [Big Grin]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 21, 2003

Constellation Carrier Strike Group

Returns Home From Operation Iraqi Freedom

SAN DIEGO - The Constellation Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is scheduled to

return to San Diego June 2, following a successful seven-month deployment in

support of Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Enduring Freedom (OEF) and

Southern Watch (OSW).

USS Constellation (CV 64) and other ships in her strike group will first

stop in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on May 22 before getting underway for San

Diego May 27. The ships joining the carrier in Hawaii are USS Bunker Hill

(CG 52 ), USS Valley Forge (CG 50 ), USS Milius (DDG 69), USS Thach (FFG 43)

and USS Rainier (AOE 7).

Carrier Air Wing Two will fly off USS Constellation May 31 and June 1. USS

Constellation will then pull into Naval Air Station North Island June 2 to

off load the rest of the air wing and the ship's crew.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Constellation CSG flew more than 1,500

sorties (missions) and expended more than a million pounds of ordnance,

including 408 Tomahawk cruise missiles. Bunker Hill was one of the first

warships to conduct Tomahawk strikes against leadership targets in Iraq.

Its embarked LAMPS helicopter detachment (HSL 45.5 WOLFPACK) supported the

rescue of United Nations workers being forcibly removed from oil platforms

in the Northern Arabian Gulf and provided medical evacuations from Umm Qasr.

"Your accelerated deployment to the Arabian Gulf in support of this

operation served as an important diplomatic tool for our nation as we

increased pressure on the Iraqi regime," Army Gen. Tommy Franks, U.S.

Central Command commander, said in a message to the Constellation CSG. "I

have no doubt your efforts directly hastened the fall of Saddam Hussein's

regime and the liberation of the Iraqi people."

Throughout the deployment, the ships of the CSG also provided significant

contributions to the war against terrorism. They escorted merchant and

military ships through strategic waterways and conducted maritime

interdiction operations, intercepting ships suspected of transporting

illegal cargo.

Valley Forge was designated as the flagship for the commander of Maritime

Interception Operations (MIO) in the Northern Arabian Gulf. It also served

as the logistics command for many of the coalition ships in the Arabian Gulf

and, in the days prior to the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Valley Forge

played a crucial role as the command and control platform for Special Forces

Units (U. S. Navy SEALs and USMC Fast Platoons) for the seizing of two Iraqi

Offshore Gulf Oil Platforms. Throughout OIF combat operations, Valley Forge

was the closest U.S. cruiser or destroyer to Iraq.

The Aegis destroyer Milius took station in the Arabian Gulf as the flagship

for Commander, Maritime Interception Forces. The crew conducted over 300

boat launches and recoveries and accumulated over 200 helicopter landings in

one month. Soon after arriving on station in the Gulf in mid December 2002,

Milius was responsible for rescuing nine Iranian fishermen whose vessel had

capsized.

Thach played a key role in anti-submarine defense for all three CSGs

operating in the Arabian Gulf.

Rainier, the Constellation CSG's resupply and refueling ship, also played an

integral role. Rainier, homeported in Bremerton, Wash., is a fast combat

support ship, which conducted over 240 Underway Replenishment (UNREP)

operations, besting the ship's earlier UNREP record of 178, and enabling

ships to remain on station longer without having to pull into port for

re-supply. While Rainier usually provides for about 24 ships during a

six-month deployment, during OIF, Rainier provided for 64 ships, completing

up to six UNREP evolutions per day. Rainier received and issued over 135

million gallons of fuel and 25,000 pallets (15,000 tons) of material that

included mail, dry goods, food, and 10 million pounds of ordnance to the CSG

and coalition forces. The embarked helicopter detachment from Helicopter

Support Squadron ELEVEN (HC-11) contributed to move 9,000 tons of material

via Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP).

Constellation left San Diego Nov. 2. It is one of only three conventional

(non-nuclear powered) carriers remaining in the U.S. Navy and is

affectionately known as "America's Flagship." Displacing 88,000 tons,

Constellation is home to 5,000 Sailors and Marines as well as 72 combat and

support aircraft. From its 4.5-acre flight deck, Constellation can quickly

launch and recover the world's most modern military aircraft that operate

with other elements of the U.S. Armed Forces as well as those of allied

nations.

so i see everyone at the very first METAL SHOP show in San Diego in june...

jason

Posted by Jenn (Member # 17) on May 22, 2003, 10:10 AM:

Yup, saw that on the news this morning! So it looks like you're a go for the DLR show at Viejas too!

Can't wait to see you at Metal Shop! Keep practicing that bass for the amateur jam session.