Bataan Deploys on Short Notice
Navy NewsStand
2/10/2003
Story Number: NNS030210-05
By Journalist 2nd Class Amy Pomeroy, USS Bataan Public Affairs
ABOARD USS BATAAN, At Sea (NNS) -- Crew members of USS Bataan (LHD 5) were enjoying the holidays when they got word they might deploy. Although the multipurpose amphibious assault ship had recently returned from Operation Enduring Freedom and had barely been out of the yards three months, plans to get underway kicked off immediately.
The responsibility of completing a 12-month task in just over a week rested completely on the crew, according to Capt. Earle S. Yerger, the ship's commanding officer.
"These guys know what they're doing," Yerger said. It usually takes a ship a year to do what we've done in 10 days."
"Getting the ship underway in 10 days had its challenges, but there was never a doubt in my mind that we could do it," added Lithographer 2nd Class Andrew Trammell. "We're just doing our job. It's what we get paid to do."
Once the supplies were loaded and the ship completed initial training and testing, Bataan was underway and headed to Naval Weapons Station in Earle, N.J., to take on 1,000 tons of ammunition for possible combat operations. The crew expeditiously completed an onload usually expected to take a minimum of five days.
"In less than 24 working hours, Bataan took on 936 palates of ammunition," said Leading Chief Petty Officer Al Grant, combat ordnance division. "Naval Weapons Station Earle has never seen a ship this size do that. They (crew members) knew what needed to be done and they did it safely, quickly and efficiently."
Upon departing Earle, the ship received orders to deploy in support of the global war on terrorism. Before leaving, the ship made two last stops, one in Virginia and the other in North Carolina, to pick up troops and their equipment. Due to the superior performance of the crew, Bataan was able to rapidly deploy and answer the nation's call to duty.
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