Essex (LHD 2) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 424 text:

,! ADMINISTRATION MAJ T. DEVIN CAPTL. MCKNbLLY SSGT W. COFFIE CPL S. GOMEZ CWU2 S. PETERSON CAPT D. MURPHY SGT G. MENDEZ CPL M. SCHMIDT CAPTJ.ADKINSON CAPTS. TORNETEN SGT J. GRENINGER CPLS. STEVENSON CAPT J. GATES ISTLTL. BROWN CPL C. BARGER CPL L. WHEELER CAPT W. KNETSCH CYSGT L. PEINADO CPL V. GALAN CPL E. WITHERITE

Page 423 text:

squadron ' s(5)AV-8B Harriers were transfered to the deck of the USS Belleau Wood(LHA-3) to faciUtate better deck spotting and launch cycles. This allowed the Harriers to fly 177 sorties for 330.3 hours and the rest of the ACE to fly 1810.9 hours during the operation. On 5 February, HMM-161 returned to the coast of Somalia. In September of 1992, the Greyhawks were the first Marines to go into Mogadishu and now the squadron was poised to take the last of the forces out. The ACE provided a Quick Reaction Force that was on 1 hour alert 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the entire time the squadron was off the coast of Somalia. The squadron also coordinated 15 Italian aircraft and incorporated the Air Force AC-130 ' s into the 24 hour close air support plan. The Squaron also flew leader recon teams into and out of Mogadishu International Airport daily. The ACE transported 450,000 pounds of cargo and 3,500 pasengers to and from the multitude of amphibious platforms that took part in Operation United Shield. At 0001 on 28 February, U.S. Marines went ashore to cover the final withdrawal of the United Nations Forces. The squadron coordinated CAS(close air support) sorties to be in the air 24 hours a day while Marines were ashore. The last of the forces were recovered on the 2nd of March. The 3rd was spent transferring all personnel and supplies back to their proper ships. The USS Essex(LHD-2) recovered the Harriers from the USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) and turned east enroute to Australia. On the 17th of March the ARC was pierside in the port of Fremantle, Australia. Liberty Call was sounded at 1200 and the visit to the best port call in 5 months commenced. Beautiful beaches and the friendly people highlighted the 6 day liberty period. On March 23rd, the USS Essex(LHD-2) left Fremantle enroute to Okinawa, Japan. With a quick stop in Okinawa to redistribute supplies, the squadron was again heading East for home. On the 15th of April, the ARC sailed in the port of Peari Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii. It was great to be back in America, and only a week from home. With the transfer of cargo complete, the ARG left Hawaii on the 17th enroute to Camp Pendleton, Calif.,. The 13 MEU(SOC) and HMM-161 (REIN) disembarked on the 24th of .

Page 425 text:

LCpl M. Sd i D. McCullough LCpl J. Bostick Capt C. Taylor I stLt T. Stoichess