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USS Ponce First Warship in a Year to Visit Ash Shuaybah, Kuwait

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070924-07
Release Date: 9/24/2007 2:23:00 PM

By Kearsarge Expeditionary Strike Group Public Affairs

USS PONCE, At Sea (NNS) -- The amphibious transport dock USS Ponce (LPD 15) visited the port of Ash Shuaybah, Kuwait Sept. 12 to deliver needed combat gear and supplies to Marines of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Ponce spent several hours pierside and is the first U.S. warship in over a year to visit the port. Cargo was craned ashore by the combined efforts of Sailors, Marines and Kuwaiti dock workers. The stop is part of a larger evolution that sent hundreds of Marines and tons of equipment ashore to conduct sustainment training in Kuwait.

“Being able to use the port of Al Shuaybah was key to our being able to quickly and effectively offload gear,” said Cmdr. Richard Frey, commanding officer of Ponce. “We appreciate the cooperation and effort of our partners in Kuwait in accomplishing this mission.”

Ponce, which deployed with the Kearsarge Strike Group, is in the region conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO). MSO help set the conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment, as well as complement the counterterrorism and security efforts of regional nations. These operations seek to disrupt violent extremists’ use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other material.