Acting SECNAV Tells Sailors, Marines on Tarawa to Stay Prepared
Story Number: NNS030224-15
Release Date: 2/25/2003 3:12:00 AM
By Chief Journalist William Polson, USS Tarawa Public Affairs
ABOARD USS TARAWA, At Sea (NNS) -- Several months after Navy Secretary Gordon R. England told the crew of USS Tarawa (LHA 1) to be prepared, the new acting Navy secretary delivered a follow-up message to the ship during a brief speech in the North Arabian Gulf Feb. 21.
Acting Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Hansford T. Johnson and his official party flew aboard for an afternoon stopover to talk to Sailors and Marines aboard the San Diego-based amphibious assault ship.
"I wanted to come out and be able to say that I looked you in the eye. I wanted to know, number one, your commitment; number two, your readiness; and number three, your tremendous pride in being an American," Johnson told a packed crowd of Sailors and Marines in the ship's upper vehicle deck. "Each and every one of you is America's most precious resource."
The SECNAV flew aboard the "Eagle of the Sea" during an official visit to the region that included stops aboard aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53).
Tarawa's presence in the North Arabian Gulf comes as part of a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf. More than 4,000 Sailors and Marines of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) are embarked on the three ships of the Tarawa Amphibious Ready Group - Tarawa, dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47) and amphibious transport dock ship USS Duluth (LPD 6).
Before speaking at the all-hands call, Johnson met with the senior Navy leaders aboard, which included Rear Adm. W. Clyde Marsh, Commander, Task Force 51; Capt. Ronald Thomas, Commander, Amphibious Squadron 7; and Tarawa's commanding officer, Capt. Jay Bowling.
Earlier in the day, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (for research, development and acquisition) flew aboard for a separate but related visit. The Honorable John J. Young Jr. came to talk business with the ship's combat systems officers and chief petty officers.
"The assistant secretary wanted to discuss the combat systems equipment that currently provides or could provide joint capability," said Tarawa's Combat Systems Officer Lt. Cmdr. Elton Sayward. "If a system or a software could be used by all military services, that system would create an environment where all users could interoperate seamlessly."
While Young's message was primarily business, Johnson's was exclusively aimed at rallying the troops. He said, among many recent accomplishments, Navy forces had offloaded 11 ships in 16 days as part of the maritime prepositioning operations in the North Arabian Gulf.
"Our Marines are ready, you're ready, our air power in the Navy is ready, and when the President calls, we will move forward," he said.
Shortly after his speech, he walked into the crowd to personally met and greeted the troops.
"It was really cool that he walked through the crowd," said Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 2nd Class Wendy Bischoff, 36, from Glendale, California. "I was surprised because all of a sudden, the crowd opened up, and there he was. I didn?t even think I would get to see him that close and shake his hand."
Tarawa's crew returned the show of courtesy with a memento of his stopover. Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Karlyn Crawford presented a plaque with the engraved words "From the Tip of the Spear," on behalf of the ship and it's engineering department.
Before departing, Johnson reassured his audience reports of protests in Washington and elsewhere only reinforced the strength of American democracy and those who defend it.
"We're very proud in our country to recognize that we have the option to demonstrate for and against things, and to be heard. Our President hears them, and he's listening to various inputs from around the world, and at some point, he will make a decision that will be wise and also the proper one."
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