USS Tarawa Docks in Guam Enroute to Middle East

by ryan | November 25, 2007 at 01:45 pm | 2660 views | add comment

The strike group is headed to the Middle East to support Opreations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom and conduct general maritime security operations.

the USS Tarawa Expeditionary Strike Group are on Guam for a port visit, the Navy announced yesterday.

According to the U.S. Naval Forces Marianas public affairs office, the dock landing ship USS Germantown, guided-missile frigate USS Ingraham, guided-missile cruiser USS Port Royal, and components of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived on Guam yesterday.

While in port, approximately 1,400 members of the strike group will tour Guam, providing a boost to the island’s economy.

The visiting military personnel will also be participating in various community service projects, the Navy said.

The San Diego element of the Tarawa Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) departed Nov. 5 for a six-month deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operations.

Units from San Diego include Amphibious Squadron 1, USS Tarawa (LHA 1), USS Cleveland (LPD 7), USS Germantown (LSD 42), 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and elements of Naval Beach Group 1. USS Port Royal (CG 73), USS Hopper (DDG 70) and USS Ingraham (FFG 61) will join the Tarawa ESG in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

"We will be working with different units as one team in the Pacific and Indian Oceans," said Capt. John Miley, ESG commander. "The crew is ready to provide support and humanitarian assistance."

More than 5,500 Sailors and Marines make up the Tarawa ESG, which has the flexibility and power to conduct strike warfare and engage enemy forces in the air, on the sea's surface and beneath the surface. In addition, they provide support capabilities using landing craft air cushion and landing craft utility vehicles, CH-46s, CH-53s, AH-1, UH-1, SH-60 helicopters and AV-8B Harrier jet aircraft.