The amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) departs Naval Station Norfolk, Va., for a scheduled deployment Monday July 10, 2023. (Manvir Gill/U.S. Navy)
(Tribune News Service) — Approximately 4,000 sailors and Marines deployed Monday from Hampton Roads with the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group following nine months of training.
The amphibious group includes assault ship USS Bataan, transport dock USS Mesa Verde and docking landing ship USS Carter Hall, all of which are homeported in Hampton Roads. Serving aboard are Norfolk and Virginia Beach-based commands Amphibious Squadron 8, Fleet Surgical Team 8, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 26, Assault Craft Unit 4, Beach Master Unit 2, and California-based Tactical Air Control Squadron 12.
Joining the sailors are Marines from Camp Lejeune’s 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The unit was certified as “special operations capable” on Thursday. The designation of a special operations capable marine expeditionary unit (MEU(SOC)) is a first for the U.S. Marine Corps in more than a decade.
The dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) pulls away from the pier at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek/Fort Story for a scheduled deployment on Monday, July 10, 2023. (Kris R. Lindstrom/U.S. Navy)
The amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) pulls away from the pier, departing Naval Station Norfolk for a scheduled deployment on Monday, July 10, 2023. (Kris R. Lindstrom/U.S. Navy)
“Throughout our work-ups, the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and the 26th MEU(SOC) executed multiple advanced at-sea training exercises and fully integrated into a cohesive naval expeditionary force capable of supporting theater campaigning requirements while remaining postured, as the Nation’s Immediate Response Force, to rapidly respond to any crisis,” said Col. Dennis “Dolf” Sampson, commanding officer of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
Coupled with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, the 26th MEU(SOC) is a premier crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious operations, crisis response, and limited contingency operations, to include enabling the introduction of follow-on forces and designated special operations.
“We are ready to complete any mission before us, and we are looking forward to the opportunities we will have to work alongside our allies and partners in the months ahead,” said Capt. Martin Robertson, commander of Amphibious Squadron 8. “Our sailors and marines have trained hard and are ready.”
caitlyn.burchett@virginiamedia.com
©2023 The Virginian-Pilot.
Visit pilotonline.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
