Navy
Sailors and Marines with USS Bataan, USS Carter Hall return to Virginia
Stars and Stripes
March 21, 2024
The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), assigned to the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), returns to Naval Station Norfolk following an eight-month deployment operating in the U.S. 5th and U.S. 6th Fleet areas of operation, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Anderson W. Branch/U.S. Navy)
Welcome back to Virginia, USS Bataan and USS Carter Hall.
More than 4,000 sailors and Marines assigned to the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group — which includes Bataan, Carter Hall and USS Mesa Verde — and embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit returned to Hampton Roads on Thursday following an extended eight-month deployment to the 2nd, 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations.
The Bataan returned to its homeport of Naval Station Norfolk. Carter Hall returned to its homeport at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek.
The Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), assigned to the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), returns from an eight-month deployment operating in the U.S. 5th and U.S. 6th Fleet areas of operation, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Manvir Gill/U.S. Navy)
“It is great to be home,” said Amphibious Squadron 8 commodore Capt. Martin Robertson. “I’m proud of the sailors and Marines of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group who return home today knowing that for 8½ months, they were the nation’s rapid response force.”
The Mesa Verde, which dropped off Marines and sailors with the 26th MEU at bases in North Carolina over the weekend, is expected back at its home port, Naval Station Norfolk, “in the coming days,” a U.S. 2nd Fleet statement said.
The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group departed from Norfolk on July 10 on a deployment that began with Iran’s attempted seizures of commercial ships and continued amid the Middle East’s expanding upheaval. Since December, the group had been in the Mediterranean to help keep the Israel-Hamas war from expanding.
Electronics Technician 3rd Class Brennon Potter, assigned to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), greets his family as Bataan returns to Naval Station Norfolk following an eight-month deployment operating in the U.S. 5th and U.S. 6th Fleet areas of operation, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Anderson W. Branch/U.S. Navy)
“These young men and women were called into action from the start to help stop the spread of wildfires in Southern Europe, to deter Iran from seizing U.S.-flagged merchant vessels in the Middle East, and they reacted swiftly at the onset of the crisis in the Bab-El Mandeb to ensure merchant shipping access to the Red Sea,” Robertson said. “Your sons and daughters stood ready to assist American citizens in countries impacted by the Israel-Hamas conflict, and their efforts directly prevented the conflict from expanding to other nations in the region.”
While in the Mediterranean, the Bataan ARG participated in several exercises and made multiple port calls, including at least four to Naval Support Activity Souda Bay on the Greek island of Crete. In August, Bataan and Carter Hall, along with about 3,000 sailors and Marines, arrived in the Middle East as part of a Defense Department push to counter Iranian aggression in the Persian Gulf.
“It’s been a challenging deployment, but we have accomplished a lot, and I am extremely proud of the hard work and resilience of every member of the Bataan team,” said Capt. Paul Burkhart, Bataan’s commanding officer.
Stars and Stripes reporter Alison Bath contributed to this report.
Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Adam Huggins, assigned to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), greets his family as Bataan returns to Naval Station Norfolk following an eight-month deployment operating in the U.S. 5th and U.S. 6th Fleet areas of operation, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Anderson W. Branch/U.S. Navy)
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Kareem Moore, assigned to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), greets his family as Bataan returns to Naval Station Norfolk following an eight-month deployment operating in the U.S. 5th and U.S. 6th Fleet areas of operation, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Anderson W. Branch/U.S. Navy)
Sailors depart the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), assigned to the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), after Bataan returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Anderson W. Branch/U.S. Navy)
The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), assigned to the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), returns to Naval Station Norfolk, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Anderson W. Branch/U.S. Navy)
Gunner’s Mate Seaman Michael Vietri, assigned to the Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), prepares to handle lines on the pier as the Carter Hall returns to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story following an eight-month deployment operating in the U.S. 5th and U.S. 6th Fleet areas of operation, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Manvir Gill/U.S. Navy)
Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Tyler Smith, assigned to the Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), greets his family as the Carter Hall returns to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Manvir Gill/U.S. Navy)
Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Tyler Smith, assigned to the Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), greets his family as the Carter Hall returns to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Manvir Gill/U.S. Navy)
Lt. Jerry Ireland, assigned to the Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), greets his family as the Carter Hall returns to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Manvir Gill/U.S. Navy)
The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), assigned to the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), returns to Naval Station Norfolk, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Anderson W. Branch/U.S. Navy)