Latest news with #HarryS.TrumanCarrierStrikeGroup
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
USS Oscar Austin crew accepts combat award for Red Sea deployment
The crew of the destroyer Oscar Austin received military decorations for providing combat support to U.S. naval forces in the Red Sea against Houthi rebels, according to a Navy release. Sailors and other personnel aboard the vessel were awarded Unit Combat Action Ribbons after completing Austin's first forward-deployed Naval Forces-Europe patrol in the U.S. Sixth Fleet and Fifth Fleet, which operate out of Europe and Africa, and the Middle East, respectively. 'I'm honored to have assumed command of Oscar Austin during her first patrol as a forward deployed warship,' said Oscar Austin Cmdr. David Nicolas. 'Having served previously as the ship's executive officer, I feel immense pride in witnessing the growth and development of the crew in their preparation for and completion of Patrol One.' The vessel briefly visited the Mediterranean before joining the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group as it battled missile and drone attacks from Yemen's Houthi rebels — an Iran-backed terrorist group — over several months. President Donald Trump's administration began conducting large-scale bombings against Houthi sites in Yemen on March 15, a shelling that ended in May after the U.S. claimed to have hit more than 800 targets. US strikes dozens of Houthi sites in Yemen as broader campaign begins Oscar Austin left its home base of Naval Station Rota, Spain on Dec. 11, 2024, to join the Republic of Cyprus National Guard and conduct signaling and maneuvering exercises alongside the Cyprus patrol vessel Commodore Andreas Ioannides. In April 2025, the Oscar Austin jointed Fifth Fleet operations, offering air and missile defense reinforcements to the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and serving alongside the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers Jason Dunham and Stout, as well as the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser Gettysburg. Austin's efforts to defend the strike group while under fire from airborne threats notched the vessel's personnel Unit Combat Action Ribbons, which sailors proudly donned upon their return to Spain on June 10. The award is given to service members who participated in surface combat. Capt. Alexander Mamikonian, commodore of Destroyer Squadron 60, presented the crew with their ribbons. 'It was a pleasure watching them perform on patrol, but we're glad they're back home in Rota reunited with their loved ones,' Mamikonian said.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
USS Gettysburg returns to Naval Station Norfolk after 8-month deployment
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – After an 8-month deployment, USS Gettysburg, part of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, has returned to its homeport at Naval Station Norfolk. Bittersweet homecoming for USS Harry S. Truman The Ticonderoga class cruiser departed in September 2024, traveling to Europe and the Middle East to conduct combat operations in the Red Sea, as well as exercises with NATO allies. 'It was amazing in a lot of ways. We learned a lot. We have a lot to share with the fleet based off our experience in the Red Sea in particular, but the feeling to be home as well, it's amazing,' said Captain John Lucas, Commanding Officer of USS Gettysburg. Retired naval aviator shares insight on 'friendly fire' incident in the Red Sea The ship was in headlines back in December following an instance of friendly fire, shooting down a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet over the Red Sea. 'It's under investigation, those results have not been revealed yet to the public. I can tell you again, we took on a lot of lessons from that event,' said Captain Lucas. After the deployment was extended twice, families of the roughly 330 returning sailors gathered along the pier at Naval Station Norfolk to welcome their loved ones home. 'It's a very long time. We're kind of used to it. We have another child in the military, so we've been down this road. But this is her first time having been gone so this long, so it was tough. We're going to take her home and whatever she wants to do is what she wants to do. It's her break, with us along for the ride,' said Carrie Ayd, mother of returning sailor. Captain Lucas said while the Navy is retiring certain cruisers, he's not certain what the future holds for USS Gettysburg, but said he and his crew will be ready when called upon. 'I think we're all ready for a nice long winter nap in the summer. All I can tell you is my job and this crew's job is going to be to be ready to go again when called upon, whenever that might be. I'm excited to maintain and be a part of the team for as long as they'll have me,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Families reunite with sailors as USS Harry S. Truman returns in Norfolk
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The flagship of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group returned to its homeport of Norfolk, along with thousands of sailors excited to reunite with their loved ones. Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group to return after 8-month deployment The 8-month long deployment set off in September 2024 to perform in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations. Families waited pier side on Sunday to welcome their sailors home. Pamela Yarbrough understands sacrifice all too well. Her family welcomed a baby boy into the world while her husband was still on deployment. On Sunday, he was able to meet his son for the first time. Children waited with anticipation to see their loved ones. Signs and American flags lined the pier as sailors finally came into sight after the long deployment. While sailing across Europe and the Middle East, Rear Admiral Sean Bailey said the strike group conducted a wide range of missions. This included exercises with NATO Allies and combat operations in the Red Sea. In February, while operating in the Red Sea, the strike group supported a large-scale airstrike and delivered 124,000 pounds of ordnance against ISIS-Somalia operatives. In March, the group led initial strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets in Yemen to degrade the Houthi's capabilities to disrupt commercial shipping. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group to return after 9-month deployment
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group will begin returning to their respective homeports following a nine-month deployment. The strike group includes USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64), Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Stout (DDG 55) and USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28, and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 with nine embarked squadrons. The USS Stout and the Truman will return Sunday, per a news release issued Thursday. During the deployment, the USS Harry Truman collided with another vessel near Egypt, a F-18 Super Hornet fell overboard during an attack by the Houthis and the USS Gettysburg mistakenly fired another Super Hornet. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Truman, strike group begin homecomings from Red Sea deployment
The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group will return in the coming days from its nine-month deployment, with the Truman itself returning Sunday. The carrier group includes the USS Gettysburg, USS Stout, USS Jason Dunham, and Carrier Air Wing 1. Carrier Air Wing 1, with its nine embarked squadrons, will return from Thursday to Saturday, while the USS Stout will return Sunday, along with the Truman, according to a news release issued Thursday. The Truman shipped out for the Red Sea to beef up U.S. forces combatting the Houthi rebels in Yemen in September Its deployment was extended in March. The deployment had made headlines repeatedly. The carrier collided with a merchant vessel near Egypt, a F-18 Super Hornet fell overboard during an attack by the Houthis, and the USS Gettysburg mistakenly shot down another Super Hornet in December .
