Kearsarge (LHD 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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,, Ji' ..l.wl. images and Jleurnel ,Y '. 0 u - 1 I . in , mx! i fu. A4- ' .ra '- ml Us-ff Y 4 I A ,ig ,ll --A ,, .... - 1 :--.-.zz -r ' --fa Q-,- 4.,-.Q -- S S :f-:iff t,,,-L.:- , iii, if 5. .. 4. gq ' 5 -- '------e---.-,--.,-....-.- . mv.. .....,.., -. . ,,, i I ii -.L A s A i' if ..,-.., .. ,M WILFX Presidenhol Suppon Asion Heriloge Labliicgnsii Oiflood Tiger Cruise Homecoming As soon as the President departed Jordan, KEAFISARGE set a course to the Suez Canal. On 6 June the ship crossed back into the Mediterranean and set a course for home. days later the Commanding Officer announced homecoming might be delayed because there was trouble inthe African country of Liberia. The ship continued west, passed through the Strait of Gibraltar, and instead of it 1 crossing the Atlantic, set a southerly course down the coast of Africa. Unfortunately, just four 'O In preparation for that mission, the ship cross- decked hundreds of Marines and many aircraft to give the ship the right mix of assets in case the unrest grew more problematic and . , V . N ,115 I Q 4 i fit? B, KEARSARGE would be need to rescue American citizens or provide security to the embassy in Monrovia. The ship also began to prepare by conducting Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation iNEOl drills to hone , everyone's skills. June

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United Stotes Ship Keorsorge I-HD-3 I' tttt Mom., IN! 'Q 'Ji '. - . i I Q -,X ,B , 5 5.-5, ff I, ' I M142 . lk - 5' N- F? . -1-. A A c R N... . A Stas '-4 A ,Er . ws ,, .-. .. V qi-i I ,I I.. I .-.- JFUQI' '1 5t I, , I xv! Ifxiyf M N ,L A IQ k..-W, -'AI I ' Q 6 f , g-. A QI ,Ramirez--L L NIM s When I took commend ot the Keorsorge, I hod no ideo vvhot this crew I copoble ot. Todoy, nine months loter, I know for o toct whot this Crew If Copoble ot. It is capable ot onything ond everything. Coptoin MCKHIQI I 'IlII'JI ll, V ,.., ..--I- it

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Y-lr 1' , . '8 I Z E I , 2 ' in 5 N ' unned stqfeessfpe I6 I l'i'4r I' - ,f r I -2.1 - . 4 . 4 w I 5. 1 WL? 1 ? Gperotion I f Shining ' I 's. I!- 1.7 I r y ,- . 3-'llf w,g --. -f Express fe' . .fre o U fi? . I gf' 5,1 I s 13, , if I,-1 , -' V 'pf X e ee S- 'T u . I , , s- ,, s M9 A , .P N - Cb L1 I.. 1 I f I ' .I ,- .,f7,'- - 0' J N' 7 .I U I- . A fi f f - , -4, . x 'IK I Q. I. U Q 1 1 ' . y f 1. be i f r W , fi' ' -' ff I I , I- 3 1..- 1 4 Message of Thanks from Ambassador John W. Blaney June l8 ' 2003 ,- -.-H' ,-:. ,'L if ' 4 'L' 1 I want to express my deep thanks to you, the men and women ofthe USS KEARSARGE ILHD 31. Wm ltavc'l - ' victorious in wat: and I salute you while grieving with you for those who have been lost. I te eognize that it is past tlte timelhtr sending you home to your wives, families and friends. Let me assure you that I' the outset. I have done evetjvtlting I can to speed you on you 're way. But, as you prepare to leave, let me also assure ,WIN your stop hen' was intportant. Here 's why. aller our own. 77W -Vl1f 'l' .WW 'INN' Sl'l'l1,lron1 :dar belongs to Liberia, a country created by the United States in the I 9 ' Cl'l1lU U' havenjorjieetl slaves. It is no accident that Liberia flies a flag that looks like ours and has a .system lj government nwllf lu For many years. Liberia was the single shining star of freedom in Africa, and was the first independent republic 1 continent. All the while. Liberia was our closestfriend in Africa and served as an important base jbr thousands QIAI soldiers and our aircraft in WWII. Many Liberians hav So. , QQXJUNE e. in fact, served in our military. Wllllf 'Will H'lY'H.l! I' WWII. bloody tyranny came and stayed in this land in 1980 when a violent coup killed tln I'n'sident ol'Liberia and put an uneducated and corrupt Liberian army sergeant named Samuel Doe into power: tu Ill tu