Boxer Surge WESTPAC 04 Deployment
LHD-4 Boxer
"Golden Gator"
The Navy announced on January 8, 2004 that more than 200 Marines and 900 Sailors embarked aboard USS Boxer would deploy Jan. 14 from San Diego to the Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 2 (OIF 2) force rotation.
As part of the OIF 2 force rotation, Boxer is providing amphibious lift for a portion of the equipment and personnel from the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing stationed at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, Calif.
Embarked personnel and equipment will include 16 CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 466, MCAS Miramar, Calif., associated equipment, maintenance personnel and aircrew.
For logistical support, Boxer will also deploy with two CH-46D Sea Knight helicopters from Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 11, Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., and three Landing Craft, Air Cushion from Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
USS Boxer arrived in Singapore for a routine port visit Feb. 6, 2004. The visit gave the more than 900 Sailors and 200 Marines embarked aboard Boxer a chance to enjoy the sights and culture of Singapore while the ship took on stores and conducted personnel changes before continuing on to the Persian Gulf.
Upon arrival in the Persian Gulf, Boxer spent five days offloading more than 200 U.S. Marine personnel and their equipment onto Kuwait Naval Base. In total, Boxer transported and offloaded 16 CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 466, 150 trucks with trailers, several aircraft towing vehicles and associated support equipment, and multiple large containers of ammunition.
USS Boxer arrived at Goa, India March 9, 2004 for its first port visit after participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Arabian Gulf. While in port, the ships' approximately 1,100 Sailors and Marines will have a chance to participate in friendship and goodwill activities and interact with local people and officials.
In addition to prt visits at Goa and Singapore, the Boxer also visited Sasebo, Japan; and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Before traveling to the warmer climate of Hawaii, Boxer completed her final operational mission for the deployment, which was to exchange two landing craft air cushion (LCAC) vehicles that had been brought from San Diego with two from Sasebo. Assault Craft Unit 5 took charge of the two Sasebo LCACs, which Boxer is transporting back to Camp Pendleton, Calif., for a routine overhaul.
In Hawaii, the final stop before home, Boxer embarked several members of the Afloat Training Group, Pacific, to conduct the Command Assessment of Readiness and Training (CART), which tests Boxer's battle readiness.
USS Boxer returned to its homeport of San Diego April 29, 2004 after completing a three-and-a-half month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Chronology
-
29 Apr 2004 - Returns to San Diego
21 Apr 2004 - Pacific Ocean
16 Apr 2004 - Port visit, Pearl Harbor
04 Apr 2004 - Pacific Ocean
02 Apr 2004 - Port Visit, Sasebo
23 Mar 2004 - South China Sea
22 Mar 2004 - Port Visit, Singapore
15 Mar 2004 - Indian Ocean
09 Mar 2004 - port visit, Goa
08 Mar 2004 - Indian Ocean
17 Feb 2004 - Arabian Gulf
10 Feb 2004 - Indian Ocean
05 Feb 2004 - Port Visit, Singapore
04 Feb 2004 - South China Sea
26 Jan 2004 - Philippine Sea
14 Jan 2004 - Deploys for OIF 2 Rotation
09 Jan 2004 - San Diego
05 Jan 2004 - Pacific Ocean
late Nov 2003 - San Diego???
17 Nov 2003 - Pacific Ocean
12 Nov 2003 - Port visit San Francisco
05 Nov 2003 - Pacific Ocean
Oct 2003 - San Diego
23 Sep 2003 - Pacific Ocean
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