Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group MED 04 Deployment
LHD-1 Wasp
"Honor, Tradition, Excellence"
The Navy announced on February 10, 2004 that the USS Wasp would deploy in support of the Global War on Terrorism on February 17, 2004 at the center of Expedtionary Strike Group 2. Wasp ESG - the first Expeditionary Strike Group from the East Coast - completed their month-long Expeditionary Strike Group Exercise (ESGEX) with Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) 22 in December 2003, successfully completing a series of complex training events, which included naval surface fire support training and air-to-ground bombing off the coasts of Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. ESGEX is an intermediate-level exercise designed to forge the strike group into a cohesive fighting team and is a critical step in the pre-deployment training cycle. This training exercise used the comprehensive Training Resource Strategy, which better coordinates use of existing East Coast and Gulf Coast range training facilities and improved simulation technology to prepare combat-ready forces.
The strike group consists of the amphibious assault ship Wasp, the guided-missile cruisers USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), homeported in Norfolk, Va., and USS Yorktown (CG 48), homeported in Pascagoula, Miss.; the amphibious transport ship USS Shreveport (LPD 12), homeported in Norfolk, Va.; the dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41), homeported at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va.; the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74), homeported in Norfolk, Va.; and the fast-attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22), homeported in Groton, Conn. The MEU is composed of the Marine aviation squadron, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 266, the battalion landing team, BLT 1/6, and the MEU Service and Support Group (MSSG) 22.
Expeditionary Strike Group 2 participated in Adriatic PHIBLEX 04-5 off the coast of Albania, March 8-12, 2004. The purpose of the exercise is to conduct training in ESG warfare capabilities, including U.S. Navy and Marine Corps joint operations, amphibious operations, fixed- and rotary-wing air support and field combat. PHIBLEX 04-5 also enhances theater strategic cooperation between the United States and Albania by providing an opportunity to conduct various drills in real-world environments.
Six of ESG 2's ships also wrapped up simultaneous port visits around the Mediterranean Sea March 8, marking the team's red carpet arrival in the European area of responsibility. From Malta to Albania, and Italy to Croatia, ESG 2 Sailors and Marines experienced the diversity of European hospitality and history over the weekend before joining forces for PHIBLEX 04-5.
Wasp stopped in Valletta, Malta, where the ship played host to a reception that included the U.S. ambassador. Whidbey Island and Leyte Gulf visited Dubrovnik and Split, Croatia, respectively, while Yorktown and McFaul made calls to Taranto and Trieste, Italy. Shreveport tied up for liberty in Durres, Albania, also hosting a reception that included the U.S. ambassador. All Sailors and Marines had a chance to sightsee, shop and enjoy recreational activities, as well as participate in other cultural exchanges with local citizens.
Prior to the port visits, ESG 2 participated in a series of U.S.-only exercises designed to showcase ESG capabilities through execution of multi-mission demonstrations, including maritime interdiction operations, air defense exercises and anti-submarine warfare.
The Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group transited the Suez Canal on March 16, 2004 heading for the Red Sea.
After being out to sea for a month, the crew of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) enjoyed a port visit to Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates, April 5-8.
In 5th Fleet, Expeditionary Strike Group 2 landed the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit to conduct missions in Afghanistan supporting the global war on terrorism. While the Marines were ashore, Wasp participated in Operation Sea Dragon, helping establish a database of local shipping, fishing and merchant traffic in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea.
During the three-day back load Aug. 7-10, 2004 to pick up the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit in Kuwait, USS Wasp (LHD 1) hosted several visitors, including Sailors from a foreign ship next door. Five distinguished officers from the Republic of Korean (ROK) Navy Ship Kwanggaeto (DD 971) spent part of their afternoon learning about Wasp, while swapping customs, culture and memorabilia with crewmembers and tour guides.
USS Wasp (LHD 1), the flagship for Expeditionary Strike Group 2, transited the Suez Canal and entered the Mediterranean Sea Aug. 21 after more than six months deployed in support of the global war on terrorism. The multipurpose amphibious assault ship made a 14-hour journey through the Suez Canal, leaving U.S. 5th Fleet's area of operation and entering U.S. 6th Fleet jurisdiction. Surrounded by land less than 250 yards to either side, Wasp inched its way through the canal at five knots, led by a pilot craft and followed by tugs.
The USS Wasp (LHD 1), returned to its homeport of Norfolk Naval Station on Sept. 18, 2004, from a seven-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and the global war on terrorism. In addition to Wasp, USS Shreveport (LPD 12), and USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41), ESG 2 consisted of the guided-missile cruisers USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), homeported in Norfolk, Va., and USS Yorktown (CG 48), homeported in Pascagoula, Miss.; the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74), homeported in Norfolk, Va.; and the attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22), homeported in Groton, Conn.
It offloaded what remained of its ammunition stores at Earle Naval Weapons Station, N.J., Oct. 23-28. Wasp was scheduled to conduct exercises with the Marine Corps' newest aircraft, the V-22 Osprey, in mid-November 2004 before its maintenance availability in early 2005.
USS Wasp (LHD 1) completed a 10-day exercise testing the V-22A Osprey off the Mid-Atlantic coast, Nov. 12-23, 2004. The ship spent nearly two weeks at sea helping more than 100 flight engineers, contractors, government employees and Marine Corps pilots collect data and aviation information about the military's future transport aircraft.
Chronology
-
18 Sep 2004 - Returns Home
07 Sep 2004 - Atlantic Ocean
31 Aug 2004 - Port visit, Rota, Spain
30 Aug 2004 - Atlantic Ocean
25 Aug 2004 - Port visit, Tarragona, Spain
23 Aug 2004 - Mediterranean Sea
21 Aug 2004 - Transits Suez Canal
18 Aug 2004 - Red Sea
17 Aug 2004 - Gulf of Aden
16 Aug 2004 - North Arabian Sea
03 Aug 2004 - Persian Gulf
02 Jul 2004 - Gulf of Oman
25 Jun 2004 - Persian Gulf
19 May 2004 - Indian Ocean
27 Apr 2004 - Gulf of Aden
23 Apr 2004 - Indian Ocean
15 Apr 2004 - Persian Gulf
12 Apr 2004 - Gulf of Oman
05 Apr 2004 - Port Visit, Jebel Ali
23 Mar 2004 - Persian Gulf
22 Mar 2004 - Gulf of Oman
17 Mar 2004 - Red Sea
16 Mar 2004 - Transits Suez Canal
13 Mar 2004 - MEU Upload, N. Albania
08 Mar 2004 - Adriatic Phiblex 04-5
07 Mar 2004 - Mediterranean Sea
04 Mar 2004 - port visit, Valletta, Malta
03 Mar 2004 - Mediterranean Sea
20 Feb 2004 - Atlantic Ocean
18 Feb 2004 - MEU Upload, NC
17 Feb 2004 - Deploys
22 Jan 2004 - Norfolk??
07 Jan 2004 - Atlantic Ocean
23 Dec 2003 - Norfolk??
22 Dec 2003 - Atlantic Ocean
16 Dec 2003 - Gulf of Mexico
?? Dec 2003 - ESGEX
25 Nov 2003 - Atlantic Ocean
19 Nov 2003 - port visit @ Earle
14 Oct 2003 - Atlantic Ocean
08 Oct 2003 - Pacific Ocean
06 Oct 2003 - Norfolk
08 Sep 2003 - Departs Norfolk / Atlantic Ocean
22 Aug 2003 - Returns to Norfolk
19 Aug 2003 - Atlantic Ocean
18 Aug 2003 - Departs Port Canaveral
15 Aug 2003 - port visit @ Port Canaveral
11 Aug 2003 - W. Atlantic
29 Jul 2003 - returns to Nortfolk
21 Jul 2003 - Departs Norfolk
Oct 2002 - Enters Yard
Oct 2002 - Carrier Quals
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