Wasp, Enterprise, Kearsarge now on duty in Persian Gulf

AV-8B Harriers have been flying missions on a daily basis from the USS Kearsarge, an amphibious assault ship currently serving in the Persian Gulf. A similar vessel, the USS Wasp, is also deployed to the region.


Wasp, Enterprise, Kearsarge now on duty in Persian Gulf
By Scott Schonauer, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Monday, October 15, 2007


MANAMA, Bahrain — The departure of the USS Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group from the Persian Gulf earlier this month leaves an aircraft carrier and a pair of amphibious assault ships and their strike groups in the region.

More than 20 U.S. ships are in the Middle East region with the job of maritime security, supporting troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan and security cooperation missions.

The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise arrived in the Navy’s 5th Fleet’s area of operations in August to take over for the USS Nimitz and USS John S. Stennis carrier groups.

The Nimitz and Stennis had operated off the coast of Iran, performing exercises in a show of force.

The San Diego-based Bonhomme Richard and its group spent four months in the gulf before announcing last week that it left 5th Fleet operations.

The 5th Fleet, which is based in the island nation of Bahrain, covers area that is 2.5 million square miles and includes the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean.


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=49513