Austin (LPD 4) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 13 text:

ABF3 Bryan Baker AS3 Rafael Perez ABFAN Nickoy Elliott AN Wayne Giscombe f'-Q' AA Iose Jimenez ABFAN Lenin Espinoza AR Riston Essex AR Shaidi Matata THE Air Department operates and maintains a 6-spot flight deck capable of landing all U.S. Military helicopters, the V-22 Ospreyj' and the AV-8B Harrier . Additionally members of the Air Department operate two fuel systems: a 216,000-gallon IP5 Cjet fuelj system and 22,500-gallon MOGAS Qautomotive gasolinej fuel system. During Med Cruise 2000 the crew continually worked long hours in support of the 26 MEU Air Combat Element QACEJ, which operated four H-46 Sea Knights and two UH-1 Hueys from the USS AUSTIN. With the ACE 'package' continuously embarked for the first 4 months of cruise, Air Department performed over 5400 mishap-free aircraft evolutions and transferred 210,000 gallons of IP5 and 2000 gallons of MGGAS to aircraft, boats and vehicles. Air Department contributed to the many AUSTIN firsts by executing the first landing of a Russian-built, Croatian owned Mi-8 Hip helicopter aboard a U.S. Navy vessel. Additionally Air Department provided aviation-related support to all of USS AUSTINS operational commitments, including Operation Atlas Hinge 00, Operation Destined Glory 00, and Croatian PHIBLEX 00. Finally the Air Department said good-bye to LCDR Perry ABE3 Baker, AN Giscombe, and AN Matatta during Med Cruise 2000 while welcoming LT Rapp, AN Waye, AA Hitchings and ABH3 Bridegam. 1 Uss Austin - MARS 3-oo ABHAN Christopher Taylor

Page 12 text:

L- ffmww LT Mark Rakestraw me Y I ABF2 Ron Miller ABFCS Stephen Simandira ABH1 Ramon Carter ABH2 Tim AIITIGT r x 'mw- ABH2 Seane OBrien AS2 Lance A. Shelton A53 Alwali Brown Mft D-Q5 . X- ,-. W,.. ,... ., AIR BOSS, LCDR Stephan Perry is pictured on left end offirst roze He led the Air Department during work-ups and thefirst halfof MARC 3-OO. USS Austin - MARC 3-oo

Page 14 text:

Combat Cargo Dubie is second row Assistant Staff R Gamache i 1 Q. X'f ,.X. .,XxX, RXXX 4 X- M3 WX Q-W. 'I' I 'S 5 X X X xx. X, Xxx, X 'X :SX -M rw WX' :WLMX X. N , M. X X X . , , X F Nl, ,K ,XX ' A Wvv' . ,NL X X X X, X.,, Q ., 1 su X 1 W9 J, 3 . X iQ'3X'? 3'X - X xr' ,ff fu ': j'?:4:N-If - 5 'ATTX '-'Ti' ':Q,.A 'XX 1-m 1cXX!5 - r L: -xv: -1 L-Civ' X V X 2: f'f'TF5f Afikisw, X., X..faXXX,,X.X,,,, J Z-,'nff'wf 1. V-:elf V4 .7 Eiga. j' ilzft-I-: LE ,X ,...x:,v,4x JXP' ,X5,X., V33 'fx -ink, N: x , F f lim A . + 2.512 XL 1,4 Qy X-lf pi- 1, .X ' L.. X A gc, ,.