NAVY WIRE SERVICE - A WIRE (NWSA) - 23 January 1998 -
NWSA23jan-1. USS Independence, escort ships depart Japan to
relieve USS Nimitz
by JO3 Jason L. Moore, USS Independence Public Affairs
YOKOSUKA, Japan (NWSA) -- USS Independence (CV 62), USS
John S. McCain (DDG 56) and USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) departed
Yokosuka, Japan, the morning of Jan. 22 for the Arabian
Gulf.
USS Charlotte (SSN 766), which will join Independence's
Battle Group, departed Yokosuka a few days prior.
On Jan. 21, Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen
officially announced the orders to the crew that the 39-year-
old aircraft carrier would relieve USS Nimitz (CVN 68).
When the ship received word of the potential for the
deployment two weeks ago, it prepared by conducting a week
of underway training for the crew and carrier qualifications
for Carrier Air Wing 5. A day after pulling back into
Yokosuka, Cohen made the deployment announcement.
According to LT Andy Mueck, readiness officer, 600
pallets of material were brought aboard during three days
spent in port. Most of the supplies are "fast moving
consumables used by everyone on the ship," said the
Woodbridge, Va., native. "The remainder of the material
loaded was high priority parts needed to support the
airwing's planes, ship's systems or to replenish our on
board stock."
LT Tom Dailey, ship services officer from Dracut,
Mass., said, "to ensure sustainability without re-supply we
load aboard 30 days of frozen food, 60 days of dry
provisions and 14 days of fresh vegetables. (The crew)
loaded over 125 pallets in the past three days to meet these
endurance levels."
In order to complete the ship's schedule of entering
the Gulf, engineers must maintain an average of 500 miles
per day.
"Prior to sea trials we completed steam plant testing
in three days instead of ten days," said CDR Craig W.
Little, chief engineer, from Virginia Beach, Va.
The steam plant testing is a requirement prior to
pulling out after a maintenance period to ensure the
engineering plant is ready for steaming.
With a steaming plant in proper condition and
supplies on board, the crew will head toward the
Arabian Gulf to relieve Nimitz and defend our national
interests.
-USN-
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