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Kearsarge Offloads 24th MEU in Arabian Gulf

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS040712-06
Release Date: 7/12/2004 9:59:00 AM

By Journalist 1st Class (SW) Chris Hoffpauir, USS Kearsarge Public Affairs

ARABIAN GULF (NNS) -- USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) began offloading elements of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) in the Arabian Gulf July 7, reaching the mid-point of its surge mission to the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility (AOR). The process took three days.

The ship left its homeport in Norfolk, Va., June 7 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the global war on terrorism. The deployment is in response to a Central Command request for additional assets.

Kearsarge debarked approximately 250 Marines and 1,200 tons of equipment, including amphibious assault vehicles (AAV), trucks and artillery, using Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 4's Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC).

The ship's combat cargo department tracks each Marine, vehicle and piece of equipment that comes aboard or goes ashore. The department also plans how and where the cargo is stored in the ship.

According to Kearsarge Combat Cargo Officer, Marine Chief Warrant Officer Max Clifford, the offload was complicated by several of factors.

"First, we had to coordinate with USS Belleau Wood's (LHA 3) offload," Clifford said. "We had to agree on the best part of the beach to use for landing our LCACs."

"Also, we had the heat to deal with," he continued. "The heat took its toll on equipment, as well as personnel. We split the Combat Cargo Platoon into shifts and made sure everyone stayed hydrated."

ACU-4 Detachment Delta officer in charge Chief Warrant Officer 2 Shawn Stacey said his three LCACs made an average of 16 trips, or hops, to the beach a day.

Like Kearsarge, Stacey's detachment also surge deployed. Detachments usually go through training cycles with the ships they are slated to deploy with. Due to the short timeline involved, Detachment Delta was put together on short notice and deployed after 22 days of preparation.

Despite the short notice, Stacey said the operation went smoothly.

"This is business as usual for these guys," he said.

Business as usual was exactly how Kearsarge's air department handled its share of the offload.

According to V-1 Division Leading Chief Petty Officer Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate (AW/SW) Joseph Arce, 24th MEU's Air Combat Element (ACE) was off the ship an hour and a half after the operation began.

"The ACE offload was flawless," Arce said.

"This was the mission," said Capt. Luke Parent, Kearsarge's commanding officer, referring to the three-day offload. "Our job was to bring the Marines and their equipment over and offload them swiftly and safely so they can carry out their mission. Team Kearsarge put in a lot of hours to make that happen and did an outstanding job."