Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group MED 98 Deployment
Wasp Amphibious Ready Group MED 98 Deployment
LHD-1 Wasp
"Honor, Tradition, Excellence"
USS Wasp (LHD 1) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Carrier Battle Group (CVBG) participated in Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) 98-1 from 12 January through 04 February 1998. The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit was embarked aboard ships of the Wasp ARG. Ships of the Wasp ARG included USS Trenton (LPD 14) and USS Portland (LSD 37).
The John C. Stennis CVBG and Wasp ARG departed for a scheduled six-month deployment on 26 February 1998, and the JTFEX served as the final certification on their readiness to deploy. The John C. Stennis CVBG and the Wasp ARG relieved the USS George Washington (CVN 73) CVBG and USS Guam (LPH 9) ARG, who had been forward deployed during the past five months to regions including the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Gulf. During the deployment Wasp served as the flagship for Commander, Amphibious Squadron SIX. Dynamic Response `98 was the first operation Wasp conducted during its deployment.
While in the Adriatic, the ARG operated as part of the Strategic Reserve Force with the Stabilization Force (SFOR) in the Balkans. SFOR's mission is to help the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina maintain peace in the region. In June, Wasp and Portland returned to the Adriatic for Operation Determined Falcon when conflict embroiled the Balkans. Less than 24 hours after arriving off the coast of Albania, the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) launched Harrier jets to join more than 80 other NATO aircraft flying over Albania and Macedonia. While deployed, the Wasp ARG participated in numerous other NATO exercises, including Alexander the Great off the coast of Greece and Destined Glory `98 off the coast of southern Spain.
The USS Wasp (LHD 1) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) returned to Virginia home ports 28 July 1998. Wasp and USS Trenton (LPD 14) returned to Naval Station Norfolk, and USS Portland (LSD 37) returned to Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA.
Chronology
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28 Jul 1998 - Returned to Norfolk
26 Feb 1998 - Deployed
12 Jan-4 Feb 1998 - JTFEX
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