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Bataan Transits Suez, Reenters U.S. 6th Fleet AOR

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070606-07
Release Date: 6/6/2007 1:34:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class(SW) Joanne De Vera, USS Bataan (LHD 5) Public Affairs

USS BATAAN, At Sea (NNS) -- The multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) made her way through the Suez Canal and reentered the U.S. 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR) on June 1.

The Suez Canal connects the Red Sea with the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and allows ships to sail between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. It is one of the world’s most heavily used shipping lanes. Bataan began her transit after spending four months conducting maritime operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet AOR.

The transit through the 100-mile-long canal began early in the morning and ended that afternoon.

Bataan’s navigator, Lt. Cmdr. Shawn Wilson, compared the transit to when the ship made her trip down the canal in February.

“Our southbound transit went well in all areas,” said Wilson. “The pilots we picked up were professional and great advisors to our young officers conning the ship. Things went smoothly, and I expected nothing less for our northbound transit.”

Wilson was in charge of safe navigation through the canal, but he wasn’t the only player. From the bridge where a watch team and crew members served weapons watch to the team in the Combat Information Center (CIC), Bataan pulled through in a tight situation.

“We took a lot of measures to make sure everything ran smoothly before we even began the transit,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Operations Specialist (SW) Michael Marotta, who performed duties as CIC watch officer and surface warfare coordinator during the transit. “We had to ensure the watch standers were on time, qualified and focused on the big picture of getting through safely,” he said.

Marotta added that the training the watch teams conducted attributed to completing the transit with ease.

“The contact management of the CIC watch team is the best I’ve seen in my four years aboard,” said Marotta. “They were involved, proactive; and they kept their heads in the game. I’m definitely impressed with the progress they’ve made since the work-up cycle.”

The team’s professionalism and ability to anticipate possible challenges helped make the transit uneventful and kept everyone aboard safe, according to Wilson.

“Making a mistake, no matter how minor it may be, could put the ship in danger,” said Wilson. “When it comes to navigation, perfection is the standard. Anything less than 100 percent just isn’t good enough.”

Upon their return to the 6th Fleet theater, approximately 6,000 U.S. Sailors and Marines assigned to the ships and submarine of the strike group and to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit will provide the Combatant Commander a versatile sea-based force that can be tailored to a variety of missions. The Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) has the capabilities to support maritime operations, combat operations and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief.

Bataan, commanded by Capt. Rick Snyder, left her homeport of Norfolk on Jan. 4 for a regularly scheduled deployment as the flagship of the Bataan ESG, which is comprised of the Bataan Strike Group, commanded by Capt. Pete Fanta, commander, Bataan Strike Group/Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) TWO, and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., commanded by Col. Gregg Sturdevant. Bataan Strike Group includes PHIBRON 2, Bataan, USS Shreveport (LPD 12), USS Oak Hill (LSD 51), USS Vella Gulf (CG 72), USS Nitze (DDG 94), USS Underwood (FFG 36), and USS Scranton (SSN 756).