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West Coast Ships Offload in Kuwait

Story Number: NNS030227-06
2/27/2003

By Journalist 1st Class Joseph E. Krypel, Commander, Amphibious Group 3 Public Affairs

CAMP PATRIOT, Kuwait (NNS) -- A joint-service, multinational force is currently participating in the offload of seven American West Coast ships at Camp Patriot, Kuwait.

The armada of ships, known as Commander, Task Group (CTG) 51.6, recently arrived to offload personnel and equipment for possible future contingencies in the Central Command area of responsibility.

This is the third such offload to take place at Camp Patriot. More than 2,000 Sailors, Marines, Soldiers, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen make up Camp Patriot, which is the location for CTG 51.8.

During the week-long process, Camp Patriot residents will work with their Kuwaiti counterparts in ensuring weapons systems, aviation assets, combat equipment, military supplies and more than 1,500 Marines from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Battalion are transported from the beach to their specific mission areas.

Typical loads include 155 mm Howitzer artillery guns, light armored vehicles (LAV), high-mobility multiwheeled vehicles, a variety of trucks and trailers, power generators and other miscellaneous military supply requirements.

According to Capt. Donald P. Cook, the "mayor" of Camp Patriot, the offload requires close attention and cooperation from all parties involved.

"We work as a team here. We are a coalition not only of American forces, but a multinational cooperation with our host nation and others."

The ships of CTG 51.6 will transition their cargos through the use of the Navy's landing craft, air cushion (LCAC) hovercraft, land craft, utility (LCU) boats and a multitude of helicopters assigned to the task group.

Task Group 51.6 ships are USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), USS Boxer (LHD 4), USS Cleveland (LPD 7), USS Dubuque (LPD 8), USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52), USS Anchorage (LSD 36) and USS Comstock (LSD 45).

CTG 51.8 is deployed to Kuwait to support the global war on terrorism and to prepare for possible future contingencies.