Carrier Strike Group Two
Encyclopedia
Carrier Strike Group Two, abbreviated CSG-2 or CARSTRKGRU 2, is one of five U.S. Navy carrier strike group
Carrier Strike Group
A carrier strike group is an operational formation of the United States Navy. It is composed of roughly 7,500 personnel, an aircraft carrier, at least one cruiser, a destroyer squadron of at least two destroyers and/or frigates, and a carrier air wing of 65 to 70 aircraft...

s currently assigned the United States Fleet Forces Command
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...

. U.S. Navy carrier strike groups are employed in a variety of roles, all of which involve gaining and maintaining sea control.

CARSTRKGRU 2 is currently based at Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...

, and it typically deploys to the U.S. Sixth Fleet operating in the Mediterranean and the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...

 and the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...

. The current flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...

 for Carrier Strike Group Two is the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier
Nimitz class aircraft carrier
The Nimitz-class supercarriers are a class of ten nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in service with the United States Navy. With an overall length of and full-load displacements of over 100,000 long tons, they are the largest capital ships in the world...

 , replacing the which was undergoing its mid-life refueling and complex overhaul.

On 29 July 2010, Rear Admiral Nora W. Tyson
Nora W. Tyson
Rear Admiral Nora Wingfield Tyson, USN, currently in command of Carrier Strike Group Two, is the first female commander of a U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Group.-Education:...

 assumed command of Carrier Strike Group Two, becoming the first woman to command a U.S. Navy carrier task group. Carrier Strike Group Two's 2011 Mediterrranean (MED) deployment marked the maiden deployment for the carrier George H.W. Bush and the guided-missile destroyer
Arleigh Burke class destroyer
The Arleigh Burke class of guided missile destroyers is the United States Navy's first class of destroyer built around the Aegis combat system and the SPY-1D multi-function phased array radar. The class is named for Admiral Arleigh "31-Knot" Burke, the most famous American destroyer officer of...

 , as well as the first carrier-based overseas deployment for the Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft.

Carrier Division Two

Carrier Division Two (CarDiv 2) was established on 30 September 1937, consisting of the fleet aircraft carriers and , under the command of Vice Admiral
Vice admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of...

 William F. Halsey. In February 1939, Carrier Division Two, still consisting of Yorktown and Enterprise, participated in the war game Fleet Problem XX. The scenario for the exercise called for one fleet to control the sea lanes in the Caribbean against the incursion of a foreign European power while maintaining sufficient naval strength to protect vital American interests in the Pacific.

During World War II, aircraft carriers assigned to Carrier Division Two participated in the Doolittle Raid
Doolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...

 (pictured), the Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...

, the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, 26 October 1942, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Santa Cruz or in Japanese sources as the , was the fourth carrier battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II and the fourth major naval engagement fought between the United States Navy and the Imperial...

, Operation Hailstone
Operation Hailstone
Operation Hailstone was a massive naval air and surface attack launched on February 17–18, 1944, during World War II by the United States Navy against the Japanese naval and air base at Truk in the Caroline Islands, a pre-war Japanese territory.-Background:Truk was a major Japanese logistical base...

, the Battle of the Philippine Sea
Battle of the Philippine Sea
The Battle of the Philippine Sea was a decisive naval battle of World War II which effectively eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invasion of the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War...

, and the Battle of Leyte Gulf
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...

, as well as the Solomon Islands campaign
Solomon Islands campaign
The Solomon Islands campaign was a major campaign of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign began with Japanese landings and occupation of several areas in the British Solomon Islands and Bougainville, in the Territory of New Guinea, during the first six months of 1942...

, the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign
Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign
In the Pacific Theater of World War II, the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, from November 1943 through February 1944, were key strategic operations of the United States Pacific Fleet and Marine Corps in the Central Pacific. The campaign was preceded by a raid on Makin Island by U.S...

, the Hollandia and Western New Guinea campaign
Western New Guinea campaign
The Western New Guinea campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. United States and Australian forces assaulted Japanese bases and positions in the northwest coastal areas of Netherlands New Guinea and adjoining parts of the Australian Territory of New Guinea...

, the Philippines Campaign, the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign
Mariana and Palau Islands campaign
The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, also known as Operation Forager, was an offensive launched by United States forces against Imperial Japanese forces in the Mariana Islands and Palau in the Pacific Ocean between June and November, 1944 during the Pacific War...

, the Iwo Jima campaign
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...

, and the Okinawan campaign
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...

, as part of the U.S. Navy's Fast Carrier Task Force
Fast Carrier Task Force
The Fast Carrier Task Force was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II.The Fast Carrier Task Force was known under two designations. The Navy made use of two sets of upper command structures for planning the upcoming operations...

.

After the war, aircraft carriers assigned to Carrier Division Two were involved in the Cuba Missile Crisis, Operation Sea Orbit
Operation Sea Orbit
Operation Sea Orbit was the 1964 around-the-world cruise of the United States Navy's Task Force One, consisting of USS Enterprise , USS Long Beach , and USS Bainbridge . This all-nuclear-powered unit steamed 30,565 miles unrefuelled around the world for sixty-five days.The cruise began on July 31...

, the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...

, and the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

. flew the flag of Commander Carrier Division 2 in 1963. On 25 September 1965, Rear Admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...

 J. O. Cobb broke his flag as Commander, Carrier Division 2, aboard . The division was re-designated as Commander Carrier Group Two (ComCarGru 2) in 1973.

Carrier Group Two

The 1980s were also a particularly busy operational period for Carrier Group Two (CarGru 2). During the 1986 Mediterranean deployment with as flagship, the F/A-18 Hornet was introduced to the fleet. Subsequently, battle group aircraft led Operation El Dorado Canyon
Operation El Dorado Canyon
The 1986 United States bombing of Libya, code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon, comprised the joint United States Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps air-strikes against Libya on April 15, 1986. The attack was carried out in response to the 1986 Berlin discotheque bombing.-Origins:Shortly after his...

 strikes against Libyan targets. On August 15, 1990, the group staff demonstrated the importance of 'training to fight' as it embarked in for a surge combat deployment in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait (pictured). The battle group deployed for Operation Desert Storm only five days after notification, even though she had dispersed her air wing throughout the continental United States for training and just off-loaded stores and material in preparation for a routine yard period.

In the summer of 1992, the U.S. Navy decided to group escorts more consistently with aircraft carriers. Instead of routinely changing the cruisers, destroyers, and frigates assigned to each carrier battle group, there was an attempt made to affiliate certain escorts more permanently with the carriers they escorted. Each of the Navy's 12 existing carrier battle groups was planned to consist of an aircraft carrier; an embarked carrier air wing; cruiser, destroyer, and frigate units; and two nuclear-powered attack submarines. The first such carrier battle group assigned to Carrier Group Two consisted of Carrier Air Wing Three
Carrier Air Wing Three
Carrier Air Wing Three , known as the "Battle Axe", is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS Harry S...

; Destroyer Squadron 40; the nuclear submarines and ; the guided-missile cruisers , , and ; and the carrier which served as the battle group's flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...

.

The John F. Kennedy Carrier Battle Group (JFKCVBG) saw extensive service with the U.S. Sixth Fleet in enforcement of the U.N.-mandated no-fly zone
SFOR
The Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. It replaced the previous force IFOR...

 over Bosnia-Herzegovina. The battle group also saw service with the U.S. Fifth Fleet enforcing the no-fly zone over southern Iraq, Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...

. On 1 October 1995, John F. Kennedy was designated an operational reserve carrier and reserve force ship assigned to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Beginning in 2001, the Harry S. Truman Carrier Battle Group (HSTCVBG) participated in Operation Joint Endeavor, Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation that began on April 12, 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina...

, Operation Southern Watch, Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...

, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Summer Pulse '04 under the operational control of the Commander Carrier Group Two (ComCarGru 2).

Commander Carrier Group Two also served as Commander Joint Task Force 120 during Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy was an intervention designed to remove the military regime installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état that overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide...

, the 1994–1995 intervention designed to remove the military regime in Haiti installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état
1991 Haitian coup d'état
The 1991 Haitian coup d'état took place on 29 September 1991 when President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, elected 8 months earlier in the Haitian general election, 1990–1991, was deposed by the Haitian army. The coup was led by Army General Raoul Cédras, Army Chief of Staff Phillipe Biamby and Chief of...

.

Command structure

Commander Carrier Strike Group Two (COMCARSTRKGRU 2) serves as Immediate Superior-in-Command (ISIC) for the ships and units assigned to Carrier Strike Group Ten. Acting as an Operational Commander, COMCARSTRKGRU 2 exercises oversight of unit-level training, integrated training, and readiness for assigned ships and units, as well as maintains administrative functions and material readiness tracking for ships and squadrons assigned to the group.

Carrier Strike Group Two reports to the Deputy Commander, Fleet & Joint Operations, United States Fleet Forces Command
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...

/Commander Task Force 20
Task Force 20
Task Force 20 is a designation that has been used by at least two United States Department of Defense units.-United States Navy:Task Force 20 is one of the task force designators assigned to the United States Fleet Forces Command in the Atlantic, and was previously one of the task force designators...

 as one of its six carrier strike groups reporting directly to that Vice Admiral
Vice admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of...

-ranked flag officer. CARSTRKGRU 2's pre-deployment training and certification
Composite Unit Training Exercise
COMPTUEX, or Composite Training Unit Exercise, is a rehearsal each US Navy Carrier Strike Group performs before departing for deployment. Each ship and aircraft in the battle group trains in its speciality, COMPTUEX brings ships together to project force as a battle group...

 comes under the operational control (OPCON) of USFLTFORCOM following the disestablisment of the U.S. Second Fleet on 30 September 2011. When deployed overseas, Carrier Strike Group Two comes under the command authority of the U.S. Sixth Fleet when operating in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...

 and the U.S. Fifth Fleet when operating in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...

 and the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...

.

U.S. Navy type commands
U.S. Navy type commands
U.S. Navy type commands perform vital administrative, personnel, and operational training functions for a "type" of weapon system within a fleet organization.-Overview:...

 are in administrative control (ADCON) and in some cases, operational control (OPCON) of certain types of assets (i.e., surface combatant ships, submarines, aircraft, and fleet marines) assigned to the U.S. Fleet Forces Command. The aircraft carrier ; the guided-missile cruisers , , and ; and Destroyer Squadron Twenty-Two are under the administrative authority of Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic
Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic
Commander, Naval Surface Forces, Atlantic is a post within the United States Fleet Forces Command. As Naval Surface Forces, Atlantic, it is a military formation, but the organization is often known as COMNAVSURFLANT. Its headquarters are at the Norfolk Naval Base, Norfolk, Virginia. The commander,...

. Carrier Air Wing 8 is under the administrative authority of Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic
Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet
Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet is the aviation Type Commander for the United States Atlantic Fleet naval aviation units...

.

CARSTRKGRU 2 Commanders

    • Rear Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Jr.
James A. Winnefeld, Jr.
James Alexander "Sandy" Winnefeld, Jr. is a United States Navy four-star admiral who currently serves as the ninth Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He previously served as the fourth Commander, U.S. Northern Command and the 21st Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command from...

 
  (July 2004 – June 2006)
    • Rear Admiral Michael C. Vitale   (June 2006 – September 2007)
    • Rear Admiral Frank Craig Pandolfe
Frank Craig Pandolfe
Frank Craig Pandolfe is a Vice Admiral in the United States Navy.-Career:Pandolfe graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1980. He later obtained a Ph.D. from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy....

 
  (September 2007 – July 2009)
    • Rear Admiral David M. Thomas
David M. Thomas
David M. Thomas is an officer in the United States Navy.-Early life:Thomas's father was a career Navy officer.Thomas, and three of his brothers, are graduates of the United States Naval Academy. All are active duty, including one in the Marine Corps. Another brother served in the Peace Corps...

 
  (July 2009 – July 2010)
    • Captain Jeffrey A. Hesterman   (July 2010)
    • Rear Admiral Nora W. Tyson
Nora W. Tyson
Rear Admiral Nora Wingfield Tyson, USN, currently in command of Carrier Strike Group Two, is the first female commander of a U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Group.-Education:...

  (July 2010 – )

Force composition in 2011

U.S. Navy carrier strike groups typically consist of an aircraft carrier
Supercarrier
Supercarrier is an unofficial descriptive term for the largest type of aircraft carrier, usually displacing over 70,000 long tons.Supercarrier is an unofficial descriptive term for the largest type of aircraft carrier, usually displacing over 70,000 long tons.Supercarrier is an unofficial...

 (flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...

), an embarked carrier air wing
Carrier air wing
A Carrier Air Wing is an operational naval aviation organization composed of several aircraft squadrons and detachments of various types of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft...

, at least one Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser
Ticonderoga class cruiser
The Ticonderoga class of missile cruisers is a class of warships in the United States Navy, first ordered and authorized in FY 1978. The class uses phased-array radar and was originally planned as a class of destroyers...

, and a destroyer squadron
DESRON
A destroyer squadron is a naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers rather than other types of vessel. In some navies other vessels, such as frigates, may be included. In English the word "squadron" tends to be used for larger and "flotilla" for smaller vessels, both may be used...

. As of 2011, Carrier Strike Group Two comprises:
, flagship (pictured)
  • Carrier Air Wing Eight
    Carrier Air Wing Eight
    Carrier Air Wing Eight , is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS George H.W...

     (CVW-8)
  • Destroyer Squadron Twenty-Two (DESRON-22):

2004 maintenance cycle

The aircraft carrier was re-assigned to Carrier Group Two (CarGru 2) effective 1 February 2004, and the ship underwent its Docked Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA) yard overhaul at the Newport Naval Yard in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

 between 10 August to 10 December 2004. On 1 October 2004, Carrier Group Two was re-designated as Carrier Strike Group Two (CARSTRKGRU 2), with Theodore Roosevelt as its flagship. Theodore Roosevelt underwent sea trials 11–15 December 2004, and the carrier was officially delivered back to the Navy on 17 December 2004.

Flight deck certifications



The carrier Theodore Roosevelt and Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight , is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS George H.W...

 got under way on 12 January 2005 to begin flight deck certifications. Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet
Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet
Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet is the aviation Type Commander for the United States Atlantic Fleet naval aviation units...

 Handling Team, Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment Maintenance Program inspectors, and contractors from Carrier Airfield Support Unit, who assist in mechanical maintenance during flight deck certification, were on board the Theodore Roosevelt during these certification exercises. Also, on 4 May 2005, the Spanish guided-missile frigate Álvaro de Bazán
Álvaro de Bazán (F101)
The Álvaro de Bazán is the lead ship of the Álvaro de Bazán class of air defence frigates entering service with the Spanish Navy. She is named after Admiral Álvaro de Bazán.-Operational history:...

 (pictured) officially joined the group for its 2005 Mediterranean deployment, a first for a Spanish naval vessel.

Joint Task Force Exercise 05-2: Operation Brewing Storm

Carrier Strike Group Two (CARSTRKGRU 2) participated in Joint Task Force Exercise 05-2 (JTFEX 05-2), code-named Operation Brewing Storm, between 14–22 July 2005. The operation involved warships from four navies, and it presented U.S. and coalition forces with realistic and dynamic exercise threats that closely replicate operational challenges military forces routinely encounter around the world. It was designed to provide quality, realistic training to prepare U.S. forces for joint and combined operations. In addition to CARSTRKGRU 2, Operation Brewing Storm also included Carrier Strike Group Ten
Carrier Strike Group Ten
Carrier Strike Group Ten, abbreviated as CSG-10 or CARSTRKGRU 10, is one of five U.S. Navy carrier strike groups currently assigned to the United States Fleet Forces Command. U.S...

 led by the , as well as the Spanish guided-missile frigate Álvaro de Bazán
Álvaro de Bazán (F101)
The Álvaro de Bazán is the lead ship of the Álvaro de Bazán class of air defence frigates entering service with the Spanish Navy. She is named after Admiral Álvaro de Bazán.-Operational history:...

, and the Peruvian diesel-electric attack submarine Antofagasta
BAP Antofagasta (SS-32)
BAP Antofagasta ' is one of two Type 209/1200 submarines ordered by the Peruvian Navy on August 12, 1976. She was built by the German shipbuilder Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft AG at its shipyard in Kiel. She is named after the battle of Antofagasta which took place between naval forces of Peru and...

. Also, on 17 July 2005, the group officially achieved its Combat Operations Efficiency (COE) certification attesting it had met the criteria required to fly in the open ocean without the need of a divert airfield. To obtain its COE, the carrier Theodore Roosevelt and Carrier Air Wing Eight had to demonstrate maximum efficiency and safety during flight operations.

2005–2006 MED Deployment

Carrier Strike Group Two (CARSTRKGRU 2) departed from Norfolk on 1 September 2005 for its 2005 Mediterranean (MED) deployment under the command of Rear Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Jr.
James A. Winnefeld, Jr.
James Alexander "Sandy" Winnefeld, Jr. is a United States Navy four-star admiral who currently serves as the ninth Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He previously served as the fourth Commander, U.S. Northern Command and the 21st Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command from...

, returning to Norfolk on 11 March 2006.

Force composition

Units CARSTRKGRU 2 Warships Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight , is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS George H.W...

 (CVW-8) squadrons embarked aboard flagship
#1 Fighter Squadron 213 (VF-213):  10 F-14D Sea Control Squadron 24 (VS-24): 8 S-3
#2 Fighter Squadron 31 (VF-31):
VF-31
VFA-31 or Strike Fighter Squadron 31 is known as the Tomcatters, callsign "Felix", a United States Navy strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet.-Squadron insignia and nickname:...

  12 F-14D Tomcat
Helicopter Squadron 3 (HS-3):
HSC-9
Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Nine "Tridents" is a United States Navy helicopter squadron based at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia. HSC-9 is attached to Carrier Air Wing Eight and deploys aboard CVN-77...

  2 HH-60H & 4 SH-60F
#3 Strike Fighter Squadron 87 (VFA-87):
VFA-87
The Strike Fighter Squadron 87 is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana. Nicknamed the Golden Warriors, its call sign is War Party , its tail code is AJ, and it flies the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet...

  10 F/A-18C(N)
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 (VRC-40), Det. 1:
VRC-40
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 , also known as the "Rawhides", is a United States Navy fleet logistics support squadron based at Naval Air Station Norfolk...

  2 C-2A
#4 SPS Álvaro de Bazán (F101) Strike Fighter Squadron 15 (VFA-15):
VFA-15
The VFA-15, Strike Fighter Squadron 15 is a U.S. Navy strike fighter squadron based at NAS Oceana. Their call sign is Pride, tail code is AJ, and they fly the F-18 Hornet...

  12 F/A-18C(N) Hornet
#5 Electronic Attack Squadron 141 (VAQ-141)
VAQ-141
Electronic Attack Squadron 141 , also known as the "Shadowhawks", is an EA-18G Growler squadron of the United States Navy that is based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island...

: 4 EA-6B
#6 Carrier Airborne Early Warning (VAW-124): 4 E-2C 2000 NP
E-2 Hawkeye
The Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, aircraft carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the...

Notes

Operation Iraqi Freedom

Carrier Strike Group Two transited the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...

 on 27 September 2005, entering the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of responsibility, and the strike grouo subsequently relieved Carrier Strike Group Eleven led by the carrier . On 6 October 2005, Carrier Air Wing 8 began Operation Iraqi Freedom air combat operations. Fighter squadrons VF-213 and VF-31
VF-31
VFA-31 or Strike Fighter Squadron 31 is known as the Tomcatters, callsign "Felix", a United States Navy strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet.-Squadron insignia and nickname:...

, along with the strike fighter squadron VFA-87
VFA-87
The Strike Fighter Squadron 87 is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana. Nicknamed the Golden Warriors, its call sign is War Party , its tail code is AJ, and it flies the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet...

 and VFA-15
VFA-15
The VFA-15, Strike Fighter Squadron 15 is a U.S. Navy strike fighter squadron based at NAS Oceana. Their call sign is Pride, tail code is AJ, and they fly the F-18 Hornet...

, attacked insurgent targets in Iraq. Electronic Attack Squadron 141 (VAQ-141) operated from Al Asad
Al Asad
Al Asad Airbase is the second largest US military airbase in Iraq and is located in the largely Sunni western Province of Iraq Al Anbar. It was formerly the home of the II Marine Expeditionary Force until January 2010...

, Iraq, from September 24 to October 6, 2005, flying 37 combat sorties. Sixty-three personnel from the squadron were flown from the Theodore Roosevelt in support of this mission. Aircraft from Carrier Airbone Early Warning Squadron 124 (VAW-124), Sea Control Squadron 24 (VS-24), and Helicopter Squadron 3 (HS-3) flew missions in support of Maritime Security Operations (MSO)
Maritime Security Operations
Maritime Security Operations is a term for the actions of modern naval forces to "combat sea–based terrorism and other illegal activities, such as hijacking, piracy, and slavery, also known as human trafficking." Ships assigned to such operations may also assist seafaring vessels in distress...

 to help promote stability in the maritime environment. CVW-8 aircraft supported Operation Steel Curtain (OSC)
Operation Steel Curtain
Operation Steel Curtain was a military endeavor executed by coalition forces in early November 2005 to reduce the flow of foreign insurgents crossing the border and joining the Iraqi insurgency. The operation was important in that it was the first large scale deployment of the New Iraqi Army...

 throughout the second week of November, conducting 5 consecutive days of strikes against terrorist targets in support of coalition troops in Iraq.

On 6 February 2006, a chapter in naval aviation history drew to a close when the last Grumman F-14 Tomcat was recovered from a combat mission landed on board the Theodore Roosevelt. This deployment also marked the final mission for the Navy's last two F-14 squadrons, VF-31 and VF-213, as well as the final deployment of the Lockheed S-3 Viking ASW aircraft of squadron VS-24.

Carrier Strike Group Two transited the Suez Canal on 15 February 2006, completing its overseas deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Exercises & port visits

Number Regional Exercises Port Visits Notes
Duration U.S. Force Bilateral/Multilateral Partner(s) Operating Area Location Dates
1st: —- —- —- —- Palma de Mallorca
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...

, Spain
13–17 Sep. 2005
2nd: —- —- —- —- Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...

, Italy
19–23 Sep. 2005
3rd: —- —- —- —- Jebel Ali, UAE
Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali is a port town, located 35 kilometres southwest of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates . The village has a thriving expatriate community with over 300 residents. The area is also home to "5,500 companies from 120 countries"....

28 Dec. 2005
4th: —- —- —- —- Jebel Ali, UAE 22 Jan. 2006
5th: —- —- —- —- Souda Bay, Crete
Souda Bay
Souda Bay is a bay and natural harbour on the northwest coast of the Greek island of Crete. The bay is about 15 km long and only two to four km wide, and a deep natural harbour. It is formed between the Akrotiri peninsula and Cape Drapano, and runs west to east...

22 Feb. 2006

2007 maintenance cycle

On 7 March 2007, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) began a nine-month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) maintenance cycle in Norfolk, which saw the addition of RAM missiles, JP-5 (fuel system) alteration, and installation of a new electronic throttle system in the ship's propulsion plants, among other upgrades. On 17 December 2007, Carrier Strike Group Two operated together for the first time since the Theodore Roosevelt completed its PIA at Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy as well as the most...

 three weeks earlier. Joining TR were the guided-missile destroyers and and the guided-missile cruisers and .

Joint Task Force Exercise 08-4: Operation Brimstone

From July 21–31, 2008, Second Fleet conducted Joint Task Force Exercise 08-4 (JTFEX 08-4), code-named Operation Brimstone, in North Carolina and off the eastern U.S. coast from Virginia to Florida. It served as a ready-for-deployment certification event for Carrier Strike Group Two and the Expeditionary Strike Group. It also served as a Joint Task Force Capable Headquarters sustainment event for U.S. Second Fleet. The exercise also marked the first time that forces from Navy Expeditionary Combat Command
Navy Expeditionary Combat Command
The Navy Expeditionary Combat Command serves as the single functional command to centrally manage current and future readiness, resources, manning, training and equipping of the United States Navy's 40,000 expeditionary forces who are currently serving in every theater of operation. The NECC was...

 participated in an East-Coast JTFEX.

During the exercise Carrier Strike Group Two consisted of the carrier Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71); Carrier Air Wing 8 (CVW-8); the guided-missile cruiser ; DESRON-22 guided-missile destroyers , , and ; and the nuclear attack submarine . British light aircraft carrier , the Brazilian frigate Greenhalgh (F-46), and the French nuclear submarine Améthyste, also participated in the exercise, with Greenhalgh being first Brazilian Navy ship to operate integrated in a U.S. strike group.

Ships that participated in the exercise as simulated opposition forces included the guided missile cruisers , , and ; the guided-missile destroyers , , and ; and the guided-missile frigate .

French Dassault Rafale
Dassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...

 fighter aircraft (pictired) assigned to Flottile 12F and French E-2 Hawkeye
E-2 Hawkeye
The Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, aircraft carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the...

 early warning aircraft assigned to Flottile 4F conducted carrier qualifications and cyclic flight operations with Carrier Air Wing 8 during the exercise, marking the first integrated U.S. and French carrier qualifications and cyclic flight operations conducted aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier.

2008–2009 MED Deployment

On 8 September 2008, Carrier Strike Group Two departed for its regularly scheduled deployment to the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea and the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf and Arabian, returning to Norfolk on 18 April 2009 after a seven-month overseas deployment.

Force composition

Units CARSTRKGRU 2 Warships Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight , is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS George H.W...

 (CVW-8) squadrons embarked aboard flagship
#1 Strike Fighter Squadron 213 (VF-213): 12 F/A-18F Helicopter Squadron 3 (HS-3): 2 HH-60H & 4 SH-60F
#2 Strike Fighter Squadron 87 (VFA-87): 10 F/A-18CA+ Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 (VRC-40), Det. 1: 2 C-2A
#3 Fighter Squadron 31 (VF-31): 12 F/A-18F
#4 Strike Fighter Squadron 15 (VFA-15): 10 F/A-18C(N)
#5 Electronic Attack Squadron 141 (VAQ-141): 4 EA-6B
#6 Carrier Airborne Early Warning (VAW-124): 4 E-2C
Notes

Fifth Fleet operations

Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan

On 18 October 2008, CVW-8 aircraft began combat air support for Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan (OEF-A) from the strike group's station in the northern Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...

. CVW-8 aircraft flew more than 3,100 sorties into Afghanistan and dropped 59,500 pounds of ordnance while providing vital close air support to coalition forces operating as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

On 21 March 2009, Carrier Strike Group Two was relieved by Carrier Strike Group Eight, led by the carrier , and paid a 4-day port visit to Portsmouth, England, before returning home.
Theater security cooperation

On 9 October 2008, Theodore Roosevelt and the guided missile cruiser participated in a one-day theater security cooperation (TSC) exercise with three South African warships
South African Navy
The South African Navy is the navy of the Republic of South Africa.-Formation:The South African Navy can trace its official origins back to the SA Naval Service, which was established on 1 April 1922....

 and one French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...

 warship in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...

 following a 3-day port visit to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...

, the first by an U.S. aircraft carrier since 1967.
Aman 2009

Between 5–14 March 2009, Theodore Roosevelt, the cruiser , and the Coast Guard cutter participated in the international naval exercise Aman 2009 off the coast of Pakistan (pictured). The exercise was sponsored by the Pakistani Navy, and it included surface exercises, air-defense training, explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) exercises, and participation in foreign officer exchanges. Aman 2009 include participants from Australia, Bangladesh, China, France, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nigeria, Turkey, United States, and the United Kingdom. Also, 46 observers from naval forces of 27 countries monitored the exercise.

Exercises & port visits

Number Regional Exercises Port Visits Notes
Duration U.S. Force Bilateral/Multilateral Partner(s) Operating Area Location Dates
1st: 10 Oct. 2008 Carrier Strike Group Two Theater security cooperation (TSC)South African Navy
South African Navy
The South African Navy is the navy of the Republic of South Africa.-Formation:The South African Navy can trace its official origins back to the SA Naval Service, which was established on 1 April 1922....

 frigate SAS Isandlwana (F146)
SAS Isandlwana (F146)
SAS Isandlwana is the second of four Valour class frigates for the South African Navy.-Construction:They were manufactured by the European South African Corvette Consortium , consisting of the German Frigate Consortium , African Defence Systems and a number of...

, oiler SAS Drakensburg (A301), patrol boat SAS Isaac Dyobia (P1565), and the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...

 frigate Floreal (F730).
Indian Ocean Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...

4–7 Oct. 2008
2nd: —- —- —- —- Jebel Ali, UAE
Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali is a port town, located 35 kilometres southwest of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates . The village has a thriving expatriate community with over 300 residents. The area is also home to "5,500 companies from 120 countries"....

29 Nov. 2008
3rd: —- —- —- —- Jebel Ali, UAE 29 Jan. 2009
4th: 5–14 Mar. 2009 Theordore Roosevelt, , Aman 2009 North Arabian Sea Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...

, England
4 Apr. 2009

USS Theodore Roosevelt mid-life refueling and complex overhaul

The carrier began a Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) in 29 August 2009 at Newport News Shipbuilding yard at a cost of $2.4 billion USD, with a completion date of February 2013. The RCOH involves the re-fueling of the Theodore Roosevelts two A4W nuclear reactors
A4W reactor
The A4W reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to propel warships and generate onboard electricity.The A4W designation stands for:* A = Aircraft carrier platform* 4 = Fourth-generation core designed by the contractor...

; extensive modernization to more than 2,300 compartments, 600 tanks, and hundreds of ship systems; and major upgrades to the flight deck, the four steam catapults, various combat systems, and the island superstructure. With the Theodore Roosevelt in overhaul, the newly-commissioned carrier was assigned to Carrier Strike Group Two as its flagship, with the Bushs maiden overseas deployment scheduled for 2011.

Operation Unified Response

More than 172 sailors from Carrier Strike Group Two took part in Operation Unified Response
Operation Unified Response
Operation Unified Response is the United States military's response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake. It is being conducted by Joint Task Force Haiti and commanded by United States Southern Command Military Deputy Commander Lieutenant General Ken Keen, although the overall U.S...

, the relief effort for earthquaked-ravaged Haiti
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...

. Rear Admial David M. Thomas
David M. Thomas
David M. Thomas is an officer in the United States Navy.-Early life:Thomas's father was a career Navy officer.Thomas, and three of his brothers, are graduates of the United States Naval Academy. All are active duty, including one in the Marine Corps. Another brother served in the Peace Corps...

 and his command staff were charged with providing the command and control to manage the movement of food, water, medical supplies and relief personnel to Haiti from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and ships operating off the coast. Thomas assumed command of Task Force 41, the U.S. Navy's sea-based element supporting JTF-Haiti, on 1 Feb 2010, after and its strike group
Carrier Strike Group One
Carrier Strike Group One, abbreviated as CSG-1, CARSTRKGRU 1, is one of six U.S. Navy carrier strike groups currently assigned to the United States Pacific Fleet. U.S...

 departed the area. The group staff alternated between being embarked aboard the amphibious assault ship and living in tents outside of the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....

 until late March. Most of the strike group staff returned to Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...

 by 25 March 2010 after a 70-day tour of duty, with Rear Admiral Thomas returning on 1 April 2010.

Change of command

On 29 July 2010, Rear Admiral Nora W. Tyson (pictured) assumed command of the group from Captain Jeffrey Hesterman, acting strike group commander, on board the new group flagship, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush, at Naval Station Norfolk. Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...

 Admiral Gary Roughead
Gary Roughead
Gary Roughead is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral who last served as the 29th Chief of Naval Operations from September 29, 2007 to September 22, 2011. He previously served as Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, from May 17, 2007, to September 29, 2007. Prior to that he served as...

 had announced Admiral Tyson's CARSTRKGRU 2 appointment on 28 January 2010, and he attended the change of command ceremonies. Admiral Tyson became the 69th linear commander of Carrier Strike Group Two, and she also became the first woman to command a U.S. Navy carrier task group.

On 20 September 2010, Admiral Tyson and her CSG-2 flag staff embarked on board the George H.W. Bush for the first time. The George H.W. Bush Strike Group will conduct a series of training exercises and at-sea certifications prior to its 2011 overseas deployment.

2010 training exercises

On 4 October 2010, the carrier departed Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...

, Virginia, to begin its Tailored Ship's Training Availability/Final Evaluation Period (TSTA/FEP) in preparation for the ship's upcoming combat deployment in 2011. TSTA is an assessment of how shipboard training is conducted with the objective to develop and enhance the crew's ability to self-train. FEP is an evaluation of the crew's ability to conduct combat missions, support air wing operations while maintaining casualty control, and survive complex casualty control situations. Twenty-five inspectors from Afloat Training Group (ATG) Atlantic embarked aboard Bush, assessing the ship's damage control, medical responses, seamanship and navigation, weapons, integrated training teams, and the integration of Carrier Air Wing 8 (CVW-8) with the ship's Air Department.

On 29 October 2010, sea and air assets assigned to Carrier Strike Group Two successfully sank the decommissioned U.S. Navy combat stores ship
Combat stores ship
Combat stores ships, or Storeships were originally a designation given to captured ships in the Age of Sail and immediately afterward, used to stow supplies and other goods for naval purposes. Modern combat store ships are operated by the United States Navy...

 Saturn
RFA Stromness (A344)
RFA Stromness was a fleet stores ship which served the Royal Fleet Auxiliary until sold to the United States Military Sealift Command in 1983.-Construction:...

 during a sinking exercise (SINKEX) in the Atlantic Ocean 250 nmi (463 km; 287.7 mi) off the coast of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

. The guided-missile destroyer ; the guided-missile cruisers and ; carrier-based aircraft and helicopters from Carrier Air Wing 8; and land-based aircraft from patrol squadrons VP-10
VP-10
The VP-10 "Red Lancers" are a U.S. Navy P-3C squadron based at Jacksonville Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, USA.-Pre War Origins:Patrol Squadron TEN, United States Navy, is considered to be one of the original Patrol Squadrons in aviation history. Nicknamed the RED LANCERS, the squadron...

 and VP-45 participated in this exercise. Also, on 3 December 2010, while conducting carrier qualifications, the carrier George H.W. Bush delivered aid to a stranded sailboat in distress approximately 90 nmi (166.7 km; 103.6 mi) off the coast of Cape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras is a cape on the coast of North Carolina. It is the point that protrudes the farthest to the southeast along the northeast-to-southwest line of the Atlantic coast of North America...

, North Carolina.

2011 pre-deployment training

On 12 January 2011, the Spanish guided-missile frigate
Álvaro de Bazán class frigate
The Álvaro de Bazán class are a new class of Aegis combat system-equipped air defense frigates entering service with the Spanish Navy...

 Almirante Juan De Borbón
Almirante Juan de Borbón (F102)
Almirante Juan de Borbón is the second ship of the new F-100 class of air defence frigates entering service with the Spanish Navy in 2003...

 (pictured) arrived at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...

, prior to the warship's participation with Carrier Strike Group Two during its Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX)
Composite Unit Training Exercise
COMPTUEX, or Composite Training Unit Exercise, is a rehearsal each US Navy Carrier Strike Group performs before departing for deployment. Each ship and aircraft in the battle group trains in its speciality, COMPTUEX brings ships together to project force as a battle group...

 and Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) predeployment underway training cycle.

Carrier Strike Group Two was certified as being combat ready on 21 February 2011 following the successful completion of its COMPTUEX and JTFEX pre-deployment training exercises.

Composite Training Unit Exercise

On 19 January 2011, the group departed Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...

 to undergo its Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) and Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX), a series of training exercises and at-sea certifications prior to its 2011 overseas deployment. CARSTRKGRU 2 included the carrier and its embarked Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight , is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS George H.W...

 (CVW-8); the guided-missile cruiser ; the guided-missile destroyers , , and ; the Spanish guided-missile frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón
Almirante Juan de Borbón (F102)
Almirante Juan de Borbón is the second ship of the new F-100 class of air defence frigates entering service with the Spanish Navy in 2003...

, and the French destroyer Primauguet. A detachment of F/A-18C Hornet strike fighters from Fighter Squadron Composite 12 (VFC-12) was deployed to Naval Air Station Jacksonville
Naval Air Station Jacksonville
Naval Air Station Jacksonville or NAS Jacksonville is a military airport located four miles south of the central business district of Jacksonville...

, Florida, to act as adversary aircraft
Dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is a form of aerial combat between fighter aircraft; in particular, combat of maneuver at short range, where each side is aware of the other's presence. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I, shortly after the invention of the airplane...

 for Carrier Air Wing Eight during its air combat training exercises.

On 11 February 2011, the group completed its three-week COMPTUEX training. CARSTRKGRU 2 boarding teams performed almost 20 practice visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) evolutions, while Carrier Air Wing Eight flew 1,808 sorties for a total of 3,777 hours of flight time. Group commander Rear Admiral Tyson noted: "I am extremely proud of the George H.W. Bush Strike Group's performance during COMPTUEX. Our Strike Group and coalition team have come together and formed an effective and cohesive fighting unit."

Joint Task Force Exercise

The group paid a call to Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport is a major United States Navy base in Jacksonville, Florida. It contains a military airfield with one asphalt paved runway measuring 8,001 x 200 ft. ....

 on 11 February and subsequently departed for its Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) pre-deployment training exercises on 14 February. The strike group's JTFEX was supported by personnel from NATO's Headquarters Naval Striking and Support Forces (STRIKFORNATO), with representatives from Canada, Denmark, Greece, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. STRIKFORNATO was involved in this scenario-driven tactical exercise that focused on major combat operations, with its objective being to increase multilateral interoperability among allied military forces. STRIKFORNATO's interest in JTFEX training cycle dates back to 2008, and this is the first time that STRIKFORNATO had participated as a component commander in a carrier strike group certification.

2011 MED deployment

On 11 May 2011, Carrier Strike Group Two departed Norfolk Naval Base on its 2011 Mediterranean (MED) overseas deployment under the command of Rear Admiral Nora Tyson, with the guided-missile cruiser Gettysburg acting as the strike group's air defense coordinator. This marked the maiden deployment for the USS George H.W. Bush and USS Truxtun, as well as the first carrier-based overseas deployment for the Boeing EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft. Carrier Strike Group Two deployed to replace Carrier Strike Group Twelve, led by the supercarrier , operating with the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...

.

During the strike group's 2011 MED deployment, CVW-8 commander Captain Jeff Davis completed his 1,000 flight deck landing ("trap") when he flew on board the carrier George H.W. Bush on 1 August 2011. CVW-8 deputy commander Captain Daniel W. Dwyer made his 1,000 trap on 18 July 2011. On 23 August 2011, the carrier George H.W. Bush mades its 20,000 arrested landing while operating in the Arabian Sea during flight operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. This milestone was accomplished by Lt. Cmdr. Chris R. Swanson who was flying an E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft assigned to Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 124.

The strike group's flagship was host to several visiting dignitaries during its 2011 deployment. The Commander, U.S. Central Command, General
General (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...

 James N. Mattis, USMC, visited the carrier George H.W. Bush as Carrier Strike Group Two transitted the Strait of Hormuz
Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow, strategically important waterway between the Gulf of Oman in the southeast and the Persian Gulf. On the north coast is Iran and on the south coast is the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman....

 on 15 July 2011. Rear Admiral Ted N. Branch paid a two-day visit to the carrier George H.W. Bush between 23-24 August 2011. Admiral Branch was the Commander Naval Air Force Atlantic (COMNAVAIRLANT)
Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet
Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet is the aviation Type Commander for the United States Atlantic Fleet naval aviation units...

. Vice Admiral Mark Fox, Commander U.S. Fifth Fleet, was aboard the Bush during Carrier Strike Group Two's transit through the Strait of Hormuz
Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow, strategically important waterway between the Gulf of Oman in the southeast and the Persian Gulf. On the north coast is Iran and on the south coast is the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman....

 on 30 August 2011.

Force composition

Units CARSTRKGRU 2 Warships Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight , is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS George H.W...

 (CVW-8) squadrons embarked aboard flagship
#1 Strike Fighter Squadron 213 (VFA-213):
VFA-213
Strike Fighter Squadron 213 Black Lions is an aviation unit of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia . It was established in 1955 and is currently equipped with the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet...

  12 F/A-18E
Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 124 (VAW-124): 4 E-2C
E-2 Hawkeye
The Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, aircraft carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the...

#2 Strike Fighter Squadron 87 (VFA-87):
VFA-87
The Strike Fighter Squadron 87 is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana. Nicknamed the Golden Warriors, its call sign is War Party , its tail code is AJ, and it flies the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet...

  10 F/A-18A+
Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Squadron 9 (HSC-9): 7 MH-60S
H-60
H-60 is often used as a general name for a wide family of U.S. military helicopters. However, they all use a modified mission symbol in addition to the 'H' vehicle type designator under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system . The mission prefix H-60 is often used as a...

#3 Strike Fighter Squadron 31 (VFA-31):  12 F/A-18E Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 70 (HMS-70): 11 MH-60R
H-60
H-60 is often used as a general name for a wide family of U.S. military helicopters. However, they all use a modified mission symbol in addition to the 'H' vehicle type designator under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system . The mission prefix H-60 is often used as a...

#4 Strike Fighter Squadron 15 (VFA-15):
VFA-15
The VFA-15, Strike Fighter Squadron 15 is a U.S. Navy strike fighter squadron based at NAS Oceana. Their call sign is Pride, tail code is AJ, and they fly the F-18 Hornet...

  10 F/A-18C
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 (VRC-40), Det.5:
VRC-40
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 , also known as the "Rawhides", is a United States Navy fleet logistics support squadron based at Naval Air Station Norfolk...

  2 C-2A
#5 Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadron 141 (VAQ-141):
VAQ-141
Electronic Attack Squadron 141 , also known as the "Shadowhawks", is an EA-18G Growler squadron of the United States Navy that is based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island...

  4–6 EA-18G
Notes

Saxon Warrior '11

On 19 May 2011, Carrier Strike Group Two participated in Saxon Warrior '11, an eight-day series of NATO military exercises in the Western Approaches
Western Approaches
The Western Approaches is a rectangular area of the Atlantic ocean lying on the western coast of Great Britain. The rectangle is higher than it is wide, the north and south boundaries defined by the north and south ends of the British Isles, the eastern boundary lying on the western coast, and the...

 designed to develop theater-specific combat capabilities, as well as fostering enhance cooperation between multi-national military forces and other governmental agencies. Saxon Warrior '11 included naval forces from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, Canada, and Spain under the overall direction of Flag Officer Sea Training
Flag Officer Sea Training
Flag Officer Sea Training is a Royal Navy training organisation responsible for ensuring that Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels are fit to join the operational fleet. FOST certifies crews and vessels as being sufficiently prepared for any eventuality through rigorous exercises and...

.

As part of Saxon Warrior '11, on 21 May 2011, CARSTRKGRU 2 destroyers Truxtun and Mitscher joined the U.S. replenishment tanker and the Spanish frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón in conducting a transit exercise, with the British destroyer and frigate acting as hostile forces during this exercise. This was the final deployment for Gloucester prior to its decommissioning. Also, the guided-missile cruiser Gettysburg and the British destroyer conducted joint air defense exercises (pictured).

Following Saxon Warrior '11, Carrier Strike Group Two paid a port visit to Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...

 on 27 May 2011, with the carrier George H.W. Bush anchoring in Stokes Bay
Stokes Bay
Stokes Bay is an area of the Solent that lies just south of Gosport, between Portsmouth and Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire. There is a shingle beach that has a great view of Ryde and East Cowes on the Isle of Wight to the south and also Fawley in the south west. The village of Alverstoke is close by...

, Gosport
Gosport
Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months...

, because her draft was too deep to enter the harbor. This was the first foreign port call by the George H.W. Bush and the destroyer Truxtun.

Sixth Fleet operations

On 16 May 2011, Carrier Strike Group Two entered into the U.S. Sixth Fleet's area of responsibility (AOR), officially changing operational control for the strike group from the U.S. Second Fleet to the Mediterranean-based Sixth Fleet. On 21 May 2001, the guided-missile cruiser Anzio transited the Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...

, entering the Sixth Fleet's AOR. On 5 June 2011, the carrier George H.W. Bush, guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, guided-missile destroyer Truxtun, and the Spanish frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón transited the Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...

 and entered the Mediterranean.

On 20 November 2011, Carrier Strike Group Two transited from the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...

 to the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...

 and re-entered the U.S. Sixth Fleet's AOR. The strike group conducted a full range of maritime and theater security cooperation operations in the Mediterranean Sea while its flagship, the carrier George H.W. Bush, made its seventh scheduled port visit while making its return to Norfolk. Also, a Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...

 dispatch reported Carrier Strike Group Two operating off the coast of Syria to monitor the ongoing internal conflict
2011 Syrian uprising
The 2011 Syrian uprising is an ongoing internal conflict occurring in Syria. Protests started on 26 January 2011, and escalated into an uprising by 15 March 2011...

 in that country, with an unamed Western diplomat in the region noting: "It is probably routine movement. But it is going to put psychological pressure on the regime, and the Americans don’t mind that."

Sea Breeze 2011

Air, land, and naval forces from Azerbaijan, Algeria, Belgium, Denmark, Georgia, Germany, Macedonia, Moldova, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States participated in Sea Breeze 2001, the largest multi-national maritime exercise held in the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...

 (pictured). Sea Breeze 2001 was co-hosted by the Ukrainian
Ukrainian Navy
The Ukrainian Naval Forces is the navy of Ukraine and part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was established in 1992. It consists of 5 branches: surface forces, submarine forces, Navy aviation, coast rocket-artillery and marines...

 and U.S. navies, and the exercise included counter-piracy training operations, non-combatant evacuation operations, and visit, board, search and seizure training. Additionally, ground forces conducted non-lethal weapons training designed to combat unlawful fishing, piracy, trafficking in persons, drugs, and illegal weapons.

The opening ceremony were held on 6 June 2011, and it was followed by a press conference and an evening reception aboard the guided-missile cruiser . On 8 June 2011, Danish, Ukrainian, and U.S. Navy divers conducted joint dive evolutions at the Ukrainian Western Naval Base. On 11 June 2011, Marines from Denmark, Macedonia, Moldova, Ukraine, and the United States demonstrated a variety of land-based countermeasure operations including convoy operations, counter improvised explosive device procedures, counter attack techniques, vehicle checkpoint protocol, non-lethal combat techniques. and medical evacuation procedures. Closing ceremonies were held at the Ukrainian Officer's Club in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...

 on 18 June 2011.

Fifth Fleet operations

On 21 June 2011, Carrier Strike Group Two relieved Carrier Strike Group Twelve, led by the carrier , in the Bab-el-Mandeb
Bab-el-Mandeb
The Bab-el-Mandeb meaning "Gate of Grief" in Arabic , is a strait located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, Djibouti and Eritrea, north of Somalia, in the Horn of Africa, and connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden...

 Strait, with Enterprise departing after a four-and-a-half month deployment with the U.S. Fifth Fleet.

Beginning 23 July 2011, the strike group's anti-pracy capabilities was augmented by the addition of a U.S. Coast Guard 12-person Advanced Interdiction Team (AIT)
Deployable Operations Group
The Deployable Operations Group is a United States Coast Guard command that provides properly equipped, trained and organized Deployable Specialized Forces to Coast Guard, DHS, DoD and inter-agency operational and tactical commanders...

 embarked aboard the guided-missile destroyer . These deployable Coast Guard boarding teams consisted of highly trained maritime law enforcement specialists capable of Level III non-compliant boardings. As the only organization in the U.S. government with the combined authority of a law enforcement agency, an intelligence agency, and a military service, the AIT unit provided additional capabilities and expertise to Mitschers embarked visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team
Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure
Visit, board, search, and seizure is the term for maritime boarding actions and tactics, designed to capture enemy vessels, to combat terrorism, piracy and smuggling, and to conduct customs, safety and other inspections, as employed by modern navies, marine and maritime services, military and...

. Mitschers VBSS team and the AIT trained together between operations to enhance their joint boarding tactics, boat operation skills, and internal movements.

On 13 August 2011, as part of Combined Task Force 150
Combined Task Force 150
Combined Task Force 150 is a multinational coalition naval task force working under the 25 nation coalition of Combined Maritime Forces and is based in Bahrain established to monitor, inspect, board, and stop suspect shipping to pursue the "War on Terrorism" and in the Horn of Africa region ...

 operating in the Gulf of Aden
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....

, the guided-missile destroyer Mitscher provided assistance the Sri Lankan-flagged cargo vessel Al Habib which was experiencing engineering problems and running low on water. Mitschers VBSS-AIT boarding party transported supplies to the Al Habib via rigid-hulled inflatable boat
Rigid-hulled inflatable boat
A rigid-hulled inflatable boat, or rigid-inflatable boat is a light-weight but high-performance and high-capacity boat constructed with a solid, shaped hull and flexible tubes at the gunwale. The design is stable and seaworthy...

, including two 3-gallon (11.36 liters) containers of water and four cases of bottled water (pictured).

After departing Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...

 on 1 July 2011, the guided-missile cruiser conducted counter-piracy and maritime security operations as a unit of the Combined Task Force 151
Combined Task Force 151
Combined Task Force 151 or CTF-151 or Combined Task Force One Five One is an international naval task force, set up in response to piracy attacks in shipping lanes off the coast of Somalia...

 (CTF-151) before paying a goodwill visit to Port Victoria
Victoria, Seychelles
Victoria is the capital city of the Seychelles and is situated on the north-eastern side of Mahé island, which is the main island of the archipelago. The city was first established as the seat of the British colonial government...

 in the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....

 on 18 August 2011.

On 13 October 2011, the carrier George H.W. Bush paid a port visit to Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali is a port town, located 35 kilometres southwest of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates . The village has a thriving expatriate community with over 300 residents. The area is also home to "5,500 companies from 120 countries"....

, UAE, prior to departing the U.S. Central Command's area of operations. On 3 November 2011, thirteen U.S. sailors from the destroyer Mitscher and nine Pakistani sailors from Pakistani Navy destroyer PNS Shah Jahan (D186)
HMS Active (F171)
HMS Active was a of the Royal Navy. Built by Vosper Thornycroft, Southampton, England, she was completed with Exocet launchers in 'B' position, the first of the class to be so fitted....

 participated in an exchange program between the two warships which included a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) exercise. On 20 November 2011, Carrier Strike Group Two re-entered U.S. Sixth Fleet AOR, completing its five-month deployment to the U.S. Fifth Fleet after being relieved by Carrier Strike Group Three
Carrier Strike Group Three
Carrier Strike Group Three, abbreviated CSG-3 or CARSTRKGRU 3, is one of six U.S. Navy carrier strike groups currently assigned to the U.S. Pacific Fleet. U.S...

 led by its flagship, the carrier .

Exercises & port visits

Number Regional Exercises Port Visits Notes
Duration U.S. Force Bilateral/Multilateral Partner(s) Operating Area Location Dates
1st: 19–26 May 2011 Carrier Strike Group Two Saxon Warrior '11: NATO Western Approaches
Western Approaches
The Western Approaches is a rectangular area of the Atlantic ocean lying on the western coast of Great Britain. The rectangle is higher than it is wide, the north and south boundaries defined by the north and south ends of the British Isles, the eastern boundary lying on the western coast, and the...

Portsmouth, UK
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...

27 May 2011
2nd: –- George H.W. Bush Almirante Juan de Borbón –- Cartagena, Spain
Cartagena, Spain
Cartagena is a Spanish city and a major naval station located in the Region of Murcia, by the Mediterranean coast, south-eastern Spain. As of January 2011, it has a population of 218,210 inhabitants being the Region’s second largest municipality and the country’s 6th non-Province capital...

6–9 Jun. 2011
3rd: –- Mitscher –- –- Durrës, Albania
Durrës
Durrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...

3–6 Jun. 2011
4th: –- Gettysburg –- –- Benidorm, Spain
Benidorm
Benidorm is a coastal town and municipality located in the comarca of Marina Baixa, in the province of Alicante, Valencian community, Spain, by the Western Mediterranean....

6–9 Jun. 2011
5th: –- Anzio –- –- Odessa, Ukraine
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...

3–6 Jun. 2011
6th: 6-18 Jun. 2011 Anzio Sea Breeze 2011 Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...

Batumi, Georgia
Batumi
Batumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. Sometimes considered Georgia's second capital, with a population of 121,806 , Batumi serves as an important port and a commercial center. It is situated in a subtropical zone, rich in...

9–12 Jun. 2011
7th: 6-10 Jun. 2011 Mitscher Partnership of Adriatic Mariners (PAM) Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...

Bar, Montenegro
Bar, Montenegro
Bar is a coastal town in Montenegro. It has a population of 17,727...

10–15 Jun. 2011
8th: –- Truxtun –- –- Limassol, Cyprus 10–13 Jun. 2011
9th –- George H.W. Bush, Gettysburg –- –- Naples, Italy 11–14 Jun. 2011
10th: –- Truxtun –- –- Haifa, Israel 15–16 Jun. 2011
11th: –- Truxtun –- –- Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...

26 Jun. 2011
12th: –- Carrier Strike Group Two –- –- Al Hidd, Bahrain
Al Hidd
Al Hidd is a town in Bahrain, located on a sand spit on the southeastern extremity of Muharraq Island. The town is of Sunni population, of bedouin tribal origin, huwala, or Afro-Arabs. About a third of the inhabitants of Hidd are of Omani descent....

10–14 Jul. 2011
13th: -- Truxtun -- -- Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...

, Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...

25 Jul. - 13 Aug. 2011
14th: 1 Jul. to 18 Aug. 2011 Anzio Combined Task Force 151
Combined Task Force 151
Combined Task Force 151 or CTF-151 or Combined Task Force One Five One is an international naval task force, set up in response to piracy attacks in shipping lanes off the coast of Somalia...

Gulf of Aden
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....

Victoria, Seychelles
Victoria, Seychelles
Victoria is the capital city of the Seychelles and is situated on the north-eastern side of Mahé island, which is the main island of the archipelago. The city was first established as the seat of the British colonial government...

18 Aug. 2011
15th: -- George H.W. Bush -- -- Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali is a port town, located 35 kilometres southwest of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates . The village has a thriving expatriate community with over 300 residents. The area is also home to "5,500 companies from 120 countries"....

, UAE
31 Aug. - 4 Sep. 2011
16th: -- Gettysburg -- -- Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...

, Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...

31 Aug. - 6 Sep. 2011
17th: -- Anzio -- -- Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...

, Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...

29 Sep. 2011
18th: -- Mitscher -- -- Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...

, Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...

29 Sep. - 4 Oct. 2011
19th: -- Truxtun -- -- Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...

, Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...

30 Sep. 2011
20th: -- George H.W. Bush -- -- Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali is a port town, located 35 kilometres southwest of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates . The village has a thriving expatriate community with over 300 residents. The area is also home to "5,500 companies from 120 countries"....

, UAE
31 Oct. 2011
21th: 3 Nov. 2011 Mitscher Pakistani Navy: Shah Jahan Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...

Lisbon, Portugal 23 Nov. 2011
22nd: -- Truxtun -- -- Civitavecchia, Italy
Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia is a town and comune of the province of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is located 80 kilometers west-north-west of Rome, across the Mignone river. The harbor is formed by two piers and a breakwater, on which is a lighthouse...

23 Nov. 2011
23rd: -- Anzio -- -- Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...

24 Nov. 2011
24th: -- George H.W. Bush -- -- Marseille, France
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...

25 Nov. 2011

See also

  • History of the United States Navy
    History of the United States Navy
    The history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that was also notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy", the result of a modernization effort that began in the...

  • List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
  • U.S. Carrier Group tactics
    U.S. Carrier Group tactics
    Naval tactics have played a crucial role in modern battles and wars. The presence of land, changing water depths, weather, detection and electronic warfare, the speed at which actual combat occurs and other factors — especially air power — render naval tactics truly formidable.The basic idea of all...


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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