Kearsarge (LHD 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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r ' if United Stotes Ship Keorscrge LHD3 .. .L -3, 'kyl- Jie- Q . I ,. .snr - s l.'f 4. . A f-su' v A 51 A ' viii' ,. Ai f t fix 5 .. - -- ' X3 i ! if bu an K. I A E Q it wr 1 L fgcgftsive 'nl' A s --o messoge thot is oncient ond ever new. In the words ot the pF0i3heT 'Sw , nr f IO To the coptuves, 'corneout,'-- ond to those in dorkness, be tree Tltonist tor serving our country ond our couse. Moy God bless you dll, Und may i1.n,i,i,f God Continue to bless Americof' President George W. BUSIW X. E

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and .l56Pulfr5W6ll f . . 1 ..-f' ,nn . n , ,,' no . bk is t-li K ' I . lk if Hn, 7-n Nu . ,, .EPT .1 U. - if . ' A . ,, .Q ' .,. -Q r 2 ,pw J I , ig .-I - ' ' -Q f ,i ,v . L xv , Xf les. A .,, , 4 J . E700 ll N s x , 6. -- ' .42 Q .. .- 'I 'E .- 'QAIE-1-:-ll: 1.2.51-3 eat, E3 .747 ' ' ai . i 'A' ' .f-' . 7 ' ' 1 'V .. , , 1 -f-.:'??f.- f -fa. '.'-.1,,'- .-' , V . . 2 The very next day, KEARSARGE hauled up her anchor and departed LHOA-3 for the very last time. The ship and crew were heading home. The crew also continued to clean...and on the flight deck, the Marines from MAG-29 started to wash down the helicopters. An incredibly tedious process, each aircraft was stripped down and washed from top to bottom for the same type of inspection each vehicle had received at Kuwait Naval Base. On 22 May the ship passed through the Strait of Hormuz, ending its service in the Arabian Gulf. The next day the crew started to wash the ship's exterior, starting with the mast and working their way down. The crew also took advantage of an opportunity for 59 Sailors to talk to their families back home using video teleconferencing. For those Sailors, seeing their new babies and families was a priceless opportunity. On the flight deck, Air Department worked for two straight days to rid the ship of the sand that made its way into every crevice. Under a baking sun, the crew uncovered the gray color that had been hidden under a blanket of sand. -affahg , . . 5 - Jn'-,' , . .,, A . .1 '. ,, , . .J-' 'Jia -. 1 .ai 6, Ia ,,g.f '. - 1 -wr-v., IC ,, .,,' ,,. if 4' 4 .,,p ' - -1... '- A .Lg ,wr i. '- I Z -.JJ-fl. AAUY MM,

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. X. ' -at ff ' e and lsuffmeli vim TEA. 11 A, ff ' N 1 E ' Vx ' ' ' 3 1 - ...?lk1up,fsf: ' .J lei. A. , ,5 ll-el-,li-531 . 1 Y , . . I ., gf- - ,,q 1 A .J- , .-if 4 ' Y s l V. ,'r?4 Fffu' ifl3.'T?'f7f'. W .1 -U -u b lx-3 , .,'x ,I .Q I-' ! u gap I -A gfZ5'S?22:ji'i i Q,lf.l-LlJ-L'-Q' fm ' ' V A 'Jr llslwv ?2rLl.L1,l,ll.Ux - .. 4 - +1 - ' ' -' i' 5' ,l ' iq gf - B A Qeliiil-irslarlzw.l.': 4. . . ' .gg f 1 A- NORALE K e4,'f QEQN ww-if Aff' . sw.-,. wg .Jef , M- 'D ,Sy t, -1 jig h 'ii lb, K .b 'S . 1-,Q f . ' fl - if-.sg -.1 . w 1 'i1'9 '. 'tv -is QM l '4 ' Although the back load was complete, the ship was clean, and everyone seemed content knowing we were headed home, there was one more thing that needed to happen to put some closure to the end of our participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom. May 26 was Memorial Day and the Marines and crew began to prepare to honor 23 of their own who had paid the ultimate sacrifice during the war. Not all the Marines were going home. In heavy fire fights, almost two dozen Marines from the 2D MEB had been killed. Memorial Day was going to be difTicult...and that day will forever mean something more to all who senled in Iraq. fy M e.gfggL 5 fag, : A12 5 5 Moy