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Families, Friends Welcome Home Three ESG 5 Ships

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070314-15
Release Date: 3/14/2007 4:34:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Matthew N. Jackson, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- More than 1,000 Sailors reunited with family and friends March 13 when three Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG 5) ships were welcomed home after returning from a six-month deployment in the Persian Gulf.

The guided missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), and the guided missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG 83) and USS Benfold (DDG 65) returned to their homeport of San Diego after serving in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

USS Boxer (LHD 4), USS Dubuque (LPD 8), USS Comstock (LSD 45), the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Coast Guard Cutter Midgett (WHEC 726) and Canadian Frigate HMCS Ottawa (FFH 341) all remain in the 5th Fleet area of operations.

“Our team came together and we had a very successful deployment,” said Benfold's Command Master Chief Terry Craddock.

Different class ships had different missions. Boxer was responsible for transporting Marines to the Middle East in support of the global war on terrorism.

Operating near the Horn of Africa and the Persian Gulf, Craddock said, “The primary mission of USS Benfold was to conduct maritime (security) operations. We had approximately 60 approach and board operations, aimed at deterring terrorist activity.”

Other responsibilities of the Bunker Hill, Howard and Benfold included protecting the strike group from enemy submarines and conducting anti-submarine warfare exercises with ESG 5.

According to Ensign Ashley Lorenz, electrical officer aboard Bunker Hill, the ship had conducted many operations during their deployment. “In October, we participated in an exercise called Malabar, with Indian and Canadian navies participating with the us.”

“The toughest part of the deployment was the 53 day stretch when we didn’t stop at any ports, 53 straight days out to sea,” said Ship’s Serviceman 1st Class (SW) Rodolfo N. Fuentes, aboard Bunker Hill. “It feels like a dream to be back in the good old U.S., I can’t wait to visit my family.”

According to Lorenz, Sailors will take their experiences with them.

“I will walk away from this deployment with a new respect for Navy personnel in general, deployment is a very hard time, especially for men and women with families,” she said. “I think the level of professionalism and hard work they did for the past six-months is quite an accomplishment.”