}
Carrier Strike Group 2 (CSG-2 or COMCARSTRKGRU 2) is a
U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
carrier strike group
A carrier strike group (CSG) is a type of carrier battle group of the United States Navy. It is an operational formation composed of roughly 7,500 personnel, usually an aircraft carrier, at least one cruiser, a destroyer squadron of at least tw ...
, tracing its history originally to 1931. The aircraft carrier is the strike group's current flagship. As of Aug 2020, other units assigned to Carrier Strike Group 2 included the nine squadrons of
Carrier Air Wing Three
Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-3), known as the "Battle Axe", is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The wing was created on 1 July 1938 and has seen service in World War II, the Korean War, th ...
; the ;
''USS Monterey'' (CG-61),
USS ''Vella Gulf'' (CG-72) and the s
USS ''Mitscher'' (DDG-57),
USS ''Laboon'' (DDG 58),
USS ''Mahan'' (DDG-72), and
USS ''Thomas Hudner'' (DDG-116) from
Destroyer Squadron 22
Destroyer Squadron 22, often abbreviated as DESRON 22, is a squadron of warships of the United States Navy. It is an operational component of Carrier Strike Group Two. The squadron was formed in March 1943, and later was one of the first two squa ...
.
The group traces its history to the creation of Carrier Division 2 on 1 April 1931. The group took its current form on 1 October 2004. On 29 July 2010, Rear Admiral
Nora W. Tyson assumed command of the group, becoming the first woman to command a U.S. Navy carrier task group. The group's 2011 Mediterranean deployment marked the maiden deployment for the carrier
USS ''George H.W. Bush'' and the
guided-missile destroyer
A guided-missile destroyer (DDG) is a destroyer whose primary armament is guided missiles so they can provide anti-aircraft warfare screening for the fleet. The NATO standard designation for these vessels is DDG, while destroyers who have a prim ...
. The group's units were the first U.S. naval forces to participate in
Operation Inherent Resolve
Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) is the U.S. military's operational name for the International military intervention against IS, including both a campaign in Iraq and a campaign in Syria, with a closely-related campaign in Libya. Throu ...
, the 2014 U.S.-led multi-lateral air campaign against the
Islamic State
An Islamic state is a State (polity), state that has a form of government based on sharia, Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical Polity, polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a t ...
group.
Historical background
On 1 April 1931, Rear Admiral
Joseph M. Reeves
Joseph Mason "Bull" Reeves (November 20, 1872 – March 25, 1948) was an admiral in the United States Navy and an early and important supporter of U.S. Naval Aviation. Though a battleship officer during his early career, he became known as the ...
took command of Carrier Division 2 (CarDiv 2), becoming the first carrier division commander in the U.S. Navy. Reeves was also designated as Commander Aircraft
U.S. Fleet. Carrier Division 2 initially consisted of the U.S. Navy's first true fast aircraft carriers, and , as well as former minesweeper which acted as an aircraft tender and guardship for the two carriers. Under Reeves' leadership, both carriers had previously distinguished themselves in two major naval exercises, the 1929
Fleet Problem IX and the 1930
Fleet Problem X The Fleet Problems are a series of naval exercises of the United States Navy conducted in the interwar period, and later resurrected by United States Pacific Fleet, Pacific Fleet around 2014.
The first twenty-one Fleet Problems — labeled with ro ...
, demonstrating the potential of aircraft carriers and their embarked air groups in naval offensive operations. Aircraft carriers from Carrier Division 2 became the first to embark U.S. Marine Corps aviation units when, on 2 November 1931, squadron VS-14M joined the ''Saratoga'' and squadron VS-15M joined the ''Lexington''.
In 1933, ''Saratoga'' and were assigned to Carrier Division 2, which was under the Commander Aircraft,
Battle Force
The United States Battle Fleet or Battle Force was part of the organization of the United States Navy from 1922 to 1941.
The General Order of 6 December 1922 organized the United States Fleet, with the Battle Fleet as the Pacific presence. This f ...
, while ''Lexington'' was reassigned to Carrier Division One under Commander Aircraft,
Scouting Force
The Scouting Fleet was created in 1922 as part of a major, post-World War I reorganization of the United States Navy. The Atlantic and Pacific fleets, which comprised a significant portion of the ships in the United States Navy, were combined into ...
. In February 1939, Carrier Division Two, now consisting of ''Yorktown'' and ''Enterprise'', participated in the war game
Fleet Problem XX The Fleet Problems are a series of naval exercises of the United States Navy conducted in the interwar period, and later resurrected by Pacific Fleet around 2014.
The first twenty-one Fleet Problems — labeled with roman numerals as Fleet Proble ...
. The scenario for the exercise called for one fleet to control the sea lanes in the Caribbean against the incursion of a foreign European power while maintaining sufficient naval strength to protect vital American interests in the Pacific.
In December 1941, on the eve of the United States' entry into the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Carrier Division Two was under the command of Vice Admiral
William Halsey Jr.
William Frederick "Bull" Halsey Jr. (October 30, 1882 – August 16, 1959) was an American Navy admiral during World War II. He is one of four officers to have attained the rank of five-star fleet admiral of the United States Navy, the others ...
, who was also the Commander Aircraft Battle Force in the Pacific Ocean.
During the Second World War, aircraft carriers assigned to Carrier Division Two participated in the
Doolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, also known as the Tokyo Raid, was an air raid on 18 April 1942 by the United States on the Japanese capital Tokyo and other places on Honshu during World War II. It was the first American air operation to strike the Japan ...
, the
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place on 4–7 June 1942, six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea. The U.S. Navy under Adm ...
, the
Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, fought during 25–27 October 1942, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Santa Cruz or Third Battle of Solomon Sea, in Japan as the Battle of the South Pacific ( ''Minamitaiheiyō kaisen''), was the fourt ...
,
Operation Hailstone
Operation Hailstone ( ja, トラック島空襲, Torakku-tō Kūshū, lit=airstrike on Truk Island), 17–18 February 1944, was a massive United States Navy air and surface attack on Truk Lagoon conducted as part of the American offensive drive ...
, the
Battle of the Philippine Sea
The Battle of the Philippine Sea (June 19–20, 1944) was a major naval battle of World War II that eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invas ...
, and the
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf ( fil, Labanan sa golpo ng Leyte, lit=Battle of Leyte gulf; ) was the largest naval battle of World War II and by some criteria the largest naval battle in history, with over 200,000 naval personnel involved. It was fou ...
, as well as the
Solomon Islands campaign
The Solomon Islands campaign was a major campaign of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign began with Japanese landings and occupation of several areas in the British Solomon Islands and Bougainville, in the Territory of New Guinea, du ...
, the
Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, the
Hollandia and Western New Guinea campaign, the
Philippines Campaign, the
Mariana and Palau Islands campaign
The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, also known as Operation Forager, was an offensive launched by United States forces against Imperial Japanese forces in the Mariana Islands and Palau in the Pacific Ocean between June and November 1944 du ...
, the
Iwo Jima campaign, and the
Okinawan campaign, as part of the Navy's
Fast Carrier Task Force
The Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 38 when assigned to Third Fleet, TF 58 when assigned to Fifth Fleet), was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific War from January 1944 through the end of the war in August 1945. The tas ...
. Rear Admiral
Frederick C. Sherman
Frederick Carl Sherman (May 27, 1888 – July 27, 1957) was a highly decorated admiral of the United States Navy during World War II.
Early life
Sherman was born in Port Huron, Michigan on May 27, 1888. His grandfather, Loren Sherman, was the lo ...
commanded the division in 1943 while it was operating with the Fast Carrier Task Force.
On 1 August 1955 the division was made up of (Newport) and (flagship) at
Mayport. ''Ranger'' sailed as the flagship of
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...
H. H. Caldwell, Commander, Carrier Division 2, from Hawaii to join the
Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. It is headquartered at U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of ...
in February 1959. Air operations off
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
were followed by maneuvers with naval units from
U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay
Naval Base Subic Bay was a major ship-repair, supply, and rest and recreation facility of the Spanish Navy and subsequently the United States Navy located in Zambales, Philippines. The base was 262 square miles, about the size of Singapore. Th ...
. A special weapons warfare exercise and a patrol along the southern seaboard of Japan followed. During this deployment, ''Ranger'' launched more than 7,000 sorties.
After the war, division aircraft carriers were involved in the
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis (of 1962) ( es, Crisis de Octubre) in Cuba, the Caribbean Crisis () in Russia, or the Missile Scare, was a 35-day (16 October – 20 November 1962) confrontation between the United S ...
and the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. flew the flag of Commander Carrier Division 2 in 1963. Rear Admiral Bernard M. Strean, as division commander, led ''Enterprise'', ''Long Beach'', and ''Bainbridge'' around the world in
Operation Sea Orbit
Operation Sea Orbit was the 1964 around-the-world cruise of the United States Navy's Task Force One, consisting of USS ''Enterprise'' (CVAN-65), USS ''Long Beach'' (CGN-9), and USS ''Bainbridge'' (DLGN-25). This all-nuclear-powered unit steamed ...
from July to October 1964. 'Sea Orbit' was a successful test of the first all-nuclear-powered task force. On 25 September 1965,
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...
J. O. Cobb broke his flag as Commander, Carrier Division 2, aboard . The division was re-designated as Commander Carrier Group 2 (ComCarGru 2) in 1973.
In 1986, while commanding Carrier Group Two, Rear Admiral Jerry C. Breast commanded the carrier battle group and Task Group 60.1 of the
U.S. Sixth Fleet during a series of naval maneuvers code-named
Attain Document. These naval maneuvers were intended to assert the
freedom of navigation
Freedom of navigation (FON) is a principle of law of the sea that ships flying the flag of any sovereign state shall not suffer interference from other states, apart from the exceptions provided for in international law. In the realm of internat ...
in the
Gulf of Sidra as well as to challenge the
territorial claims of
Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...
to that body of water. Subsequently, the ''Coral Sea'' carrier battle group and the rest of
Task Force 60
Task Force 60 is a task force of the United States Navy. It is often referred to by the abbreviation CTF 60 (Commander, Task Force 60). As of 2011 Task Force 60 will normally be the commander of Naval Task Force Europe and Africa. Any naval unit ...
carried out
Operation El Dorado Canyon
The 1986 United States bombing of Libya, code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon, consisted of air strikes by the United States against Libya on Tuesday 15 April 1986. The attack was carried out by the U.S. Air Force (USAF), U.S. Navy and U.S. M ...
, a series of punitive air-strikes against Libya in retaliations to the
1986 Berlin discotheque bombing.
On 15 August 1990, the group staff embarked in for a no-notification combat deployment in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The battle group deployed for
Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
only five days after notification, even though she had dispersed her air wing throughout the continental United States for training and just off-loaded stores and material in preparation for a routine yard period. Rear Admiral Riley Mixson, Commander, Carrier Group Two, acted as Commander, Battle Force Yankee of
Naval Forces Central Command during the war. Battle Force Yankee included ''Saratoga'' and probably ''John F. Kennedy,'' and operated in the
Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; T ...
.
In the middle of 1992, the U.S. Navy instituted a concept which mandated greater task group integration of naval air and surface warfare assets into a more permanent carrier battle group structure. Instead of routinely changing the cruisers, destroyers, and frigates assigned to each carrier battle group, there was an attempt made to affiliate certain escorts more permanently with the carriers they escorted. Each of the Navy's 12 existing carrier battle groups was planned to consist of an aircraft carrier; an embarked carrier air wing; cruiser, destroyer, and frigate units; and two nuclear-powered attack submarines. For details regarding this re-alignments as it pertained to Carrier Group Two, see the chart below.
;Carrier Group Two, late 1992
[
During its Mediterranean deployments, the ''Kennedy'' battle group flew large numbers of ]Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operation that began on 12 April 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations (UN) no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The United Nations and NATO later expanded the mis ...
no-fly zone missions over Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and Pars pro toto#Geography, often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of Southern Europe, south and southeast Euro ...
. The battle group also saw service with the U.S. Fifth Fleet in support Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from Summer 1992 to Spring 2003.
United States Central Command's Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) had the mission of mon ...
, the enforcement of a no-fly zone over southern Iraq. Commander Carrier Group Two also served as Commander Joint Task Force 120 during Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy was a military intervention designed to remove the military regime installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état that overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The operation was effectively authorized by ...
, the 1994–1995 intervention designed to remove the military regime in Haiti installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état. It appears that ''Kennedy'' transferred to another carrier group in 1995, as the announced 31 August 1995, listing of Carrier Group Two's composition included and . In addition, was intended to join the group in 1996–97. In September 1995, joined Carrier Group Two. ''Hue City'' was transferred from Carrier Group 2 to the Western Hemisphere Group The Western Hemisphere Group was a United States Navy formation active from 1 September 1995 to 1999–2000. Headquarters was at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.
In October 1996 Commander U.S. Second Fleet created Task Force 28, consisting of indepe ...
on 1 August 1998.
The group deployed in 2000–01 led by ''Harry S. Truman'' (CVN-75).
was reassigned to the group effective 1 February 2004, and the carrier underwent its Docked Planned Incremental Availability overhaul at the Newport Naval Yard
The Naval Station Newport (NAVSTA Newport) is a United States Navy base located in the city of Newport and the town of Middletown, Rhode Island. Naval Station Newport is home to the Naval War College and the Naval Justice School. It once was ...
in Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
between 10 August to 10 December 2004.
Command structure
Commander Carrier Strike Group 2 (COMCARSTRKGRU 2 or CCSG 2) is responsible for unit-level training, integrated training, and material readiness for the group's ships and aviation squadrons. When not deployed, the strike group is part of the U.S. Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFF) is a service component command of the United States Navy that provides naval forces to a wide variety of U.S. forces. The naval resources may be allocated to Combatant Commanders such as United Stat ...
, and its commander reports to Commander, U.S. SECOND Fleet. When deployed overseas, the group comes under command of the numbered fleet (Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, or Seventh) in whose area it is operating, and will have a task force or task group designator, for example, Task Group 50 in the Fifth Fleet area.
Group commanders since 2004 have included:
Operational history
On 1 October 2004, Carrier Group 2 was re-designated as Carrier Strike Group 2. ''Theodore Roosevelt'' underwent sea trials 11–15 December 2004, and the carrier was officially delivered back to the Navy on 17 December 2004.[ Joint Task Force Exercise 05-2 (JTFEX 05-2, or Operation Brewing Storm 2005) was held between 14–22 July 2005. It included Carrier Strike Group 2, ]Carrier Strike Group Ten
Carrier Strike Group 10, abbreviated as CSG-10 or CARSTRKGRU 10, is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. Carrier strike groups gain and maintain sea control as well as project naval airpower ashore.
, CSG-10 consist of , the strike group's curre ...
, the Spanish frigate ''Álvaro de Bazán'', and the Peruvian submarine ''Antofagasta''. The group received its Combat Operations Efficiency certification following the completion of its Composite Training Unit Exercise
COMPTUEX, or Composite Training Unit Exercise, is a rehearsal each US Navy Carrier Strike Group performs before departing for deployment. Each ship and aircraft in the battle group trains in its specialty; COMPTUEX brings ships together to project ...
on 17 July 2005.
2005–2006 deployment
The strike group departed from Norfolk on 1 September 2005 under the command of Rear Admiral James A. Winnefeld. On 6 October 2005, the group began air operations over Iraq, with fighter squadrons VF-213
Strike Fighter Squadron 213 (VFA-213) ''Blacklions'' is an aviation unit of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. It was established in 1955 and is currently equipped with the F/A-18F Super Hornet. The squadron is ...
and VF-31
VFA-31 or Strike Fighter Squadron 31 is known as the ''Tomcatters'', callsign "Felix", a United States Navy strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet. The Tomcatters are the second oldest Navy Fig ...
, along with the strike fighter squadrons VFA-87 and VFA-15, attacking insurgent targets. Electronic Attack Squadron 141 (VAQ-141) operated from Al Asad, Iraq, from 24 September to 6 October 2005, flying 37 combat sorties. VAW-124, VS-24, and HS-3 aircraft flew maritime security missions. Throughout the second week of November aircraft supported Operation Steel Curtain
Operation Steel Curtain (Arabic: الحجاب الفولاذي Al Hejab Elfulathi) was a military operation executed by coalition forces in early November 2005 to reduce the flow of foreign insurgents crossing the border and joining the Iraqi ...
flying five consecutive days of close air support for troops in Iraq. The deployment was the final one for the F-14 Tomcat. It was also the final deployment of the Lockheed S-3 Viking ASW aircraft of squadron VS-24.[ The group transited the Suez Canal on 15 February 2006. It returned to Norfolk on 11 March 2006.
;2005–2006 deployment force composition
;2005–2006 deployment exercises and port visits
]
Operation Bold Step 2006
Codenamed Operation Bold Step, Joint Task Force Exercise 06-2 (JTFEX 06-2) was held off the U.S. eastern coast between 21–31 July 2006 under the overall command of Vice Admiral Mark P. Fitzgerald, the commander of the U.S. Second Fleet. Carrier Strike Group 2, Carrier Strike Group 8
Commander, Carrier Strike Group 8, abbreviated as CCSG-8 or COMCARSTRKGRU 8, is one of five U.S. Navy carrier strike groups currently assigned to the United States Fleet Forces Command. the group flagship is the ''Nimitz''-class aircraft carrier ...
, and the Expeditionary Strike Group
In the United States Navy, the expeditionary strike group (ESG) is a coordinated group of surface ships, aircraft, submarines, and other naval assets. In contrast to carrier strike groups (CSGs), which emphasize air power and are led by a super ...
were the major U.S. naval formations participating in Operation Bold Step which served as a major pre-deployment training exercise. Other allied naval units that participated in Operation Bold Step included the French nuclear-powered submarine ''Émeraude'' and the Colombian diesel-electric submarine ''Tayrona''.
2008–2009 deployment
On 8 September 2008, the strike group departed for a regularly scheduled deployment under the command of Rear Admiral Frank Craig Pandolfe. During its 2008 deployment, group aircraft flew more than 3,100 sorties into Afghanistan and dropped of ordnance while providing vital close air support to coalition forces operating as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. On 9 October 2008, ''Theodore Roosevelt'' and the guided missile cruiser participated in a one-day theater security cooperation exercise with three South African warships and one French Navy
The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...
warship in the Indian Ocean following a 3-day port visit to Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
, the first by a U.S. aircraft carrier since 1967.
Between 5–14 March 2009, ''Theodore Roosevelt'', the cruiser , and the Coast Guard cutter participated in the international naval exercise ''Aman 2009'' off the coast of Pakistan (''pictured''). The exercise was sponsored by the Pakistani Navy
ur, ہمارے لیے اللّٰہ کافی ہے اور وہ بہترین کارساز ہے۔ English: Allah is Sufficient for us - and what an excellent (reliable) Trustee (of affairs) is He!(''Qur'an, 3:173'')
, type ...
, and it included surface exercises, air-defense training, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) exercises, and participation in foreign officer exchanges. ''Aman 2009'' include participants from Australia, Bangladesh, China, France, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nigeria, Turkey, United States, and the United Kingdom. Forty-six observers from naval forces of 27 countries monitored the exercise.
;2008–2009 deployment force composition
;2008–2009 Deployment exercises and port visits
2010 operations
In early 2010, more than 172 sailors from Carrier Strike Group Two took part in Operation Unified Response
Operation Unified Response was the United States military's response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake. It was conducted by Joint Task Force Haiti and commanded by United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) Military Deputy Commander Lieutenant Gene ...
, the relief effort for earthquaked-ravaged Haiti. Rear Admiral David M. Thomas and his command staff managed the movement of U.S. food, water, medical supplies and relief personnel to Haiti from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base ( es, Base Naval de la Bahía de Guantánamo), officially known as Naval Station Guantanamo Bay or NSGB, (also called GTMO, pronounced Gitmo as jargon by members of the U.S. military) is a United States military base ...
, Cuba, and ships operating off the coast. Thomas assumed command of Task Force 41, the U.S. Navy's sea-based element supporting Joint Task Force Haiti, on 1 February 2010, after 's Carrier Strike Group One
Carrier Strike Group One (CSG-1 or CARSTRKGRU 1) is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. is the strike group's current flagship, and other units currently assigned are the ship's Carrier Air Wing 2 and embarked Destroyer Squadron 1, deployed with ' ...
departed the area. The group staff alternated between being embarked aboard the amphibious assault ship and living in tents outside of the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince ( , ; ht, Pòtoprens ) is the capital and most populous city of Haiti. The city's population was estimated at 987,311 in 2015 with the metropolitan area estimated at a population of 2,618,894. The metropolitan area is define ...
until late March. Most of the strike group staff returned to Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk is a United States Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, that is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. The installation occupies about of waterfront space and of pier and wharf space of the Hamp ...
by 25 March 2010 after a 70-day tour of duty, with Rear Admiral Thomas returning on 1 April 2010.
2011 deployment
The group departed from Naval Station Mayport, Florida, for its Joint Task Force Exercise pre-deployment training exercise on 14 February 2011 prior to its deployment. The exercise was supported by personnel from Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO
Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) is the principal naval service command of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Allied Command Operations (ACO), replacing Naval Striking and Support Forces Southern Europe (STRIKFORS ...
(STRIKFORNATO), with representatives from Canada, Denmark, Greece, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The exercise focused on increasing allied interoperability during major combat operations. STRIKFORNATO's interest in JTFEX training cycle dates back to 2008, and this is the first time that STRIKFORNATO had participated as a component commander in a carrier strike group certification.
During its 2011 deployment, the group's aircraft completed nearly 12,000 sorties, made over 9,000 arrested landings, and logged almost 31,000 flight hours. This included 2,216 combat sorties supporting U.S. forces in Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
. Over 20 tons of ordnance were delivered in support of coalition ground forces, consisting of laser-guided bomb
A laser-guided bomb (LGB) is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser guidance to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. First developed by the United States during the Vietnam War, laser-guided bombs quickly p ...
s, GPS munitions, and 20-mm ammunition. Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8), is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier
Mission
To conduct carrier air warfare operations and assist in the ...
also participated in joint air operations with the Royal Jordanian Air Force
The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF; ar, سلاح الجو الملكي الأردني, Silāḥ ul-Jawu al-Malakī 'al-Urdunī) is the aerial warfare branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces.
History
Early days
Jordan gained independence in 19 ...
and the Royal Saudi Air Force
The Royal Saudi Air Force ( ar, الْقُوَّاتُ الْجَوِّيَّةُ الْمَلَكِيَّةْ ٱلسُّعُوْدِيَّة, Al-Quwwat Al-Jawiyah Al-Malakiyah as-Su’udiyah) (RSAF) is the aviation branch of the Saudi Arabia ...
. After departing Djibouti
Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red ...
on 1 July 2011, conducted counter-piracy and maritime security operations as a unit of Combined Task Force 151
Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) is a multinational naval task force, set up in 2009 as a response to piracy attacks in the Gulf of Aden and off the eastern coast of Somalia. Its mission is to disrupt piracy and armed robbery at sea and to enga ...
before paying a goodwill visit to Victoria, Seychelles
Victoria () is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Seychelles, situated on the north-eastern side of Mahé island, the archipelago's main island. The city was first established as the seat of the British colonial government. In 2010 ...
on 18 August 2011. On 13 August 2011, while with Combined Task Force 150
Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150) is a multinational coalition naval task force working under the 34-nation coalition of Combined Maritime Forces and is based in Bahrain established to monitor, board, inspect, and stop suspect shipping to pur ...
operating in the Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden ( ar, خليج عدن, so, Gacanka Cadmeed 𐒅𐒖𐒐𐒕𐒌 𐒋𐒖𐒆𐒗𐒒) is a deepwater gulf of the Indian Ocean between Yemen to the north, the Arabian Sea to the east, Djibouti to the west, and the Guardafui Channe ...
, the destroyer ''Mitscher'' provided assistance to the Sri Lankan cargo vessel ''Al Habib'' which was experiencing engineering problems and running low on water. ''Mitscher''s boarding party transported supplies to the ''Al Habib'' via rigid-hulled inflatable boat
A rigid inflatable boat (RIB), also rigid-hull inflatable boat or rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB), is a lightweight but high-performance and high-capacity boat constructed with a rigid hull bottom joined to side-forming air tubes that are ...
(''pictured'').
Also during this deployment, the group participated in: Exercise Saxon Warrior '11, an eight-day NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
military exercise in the Western Approaches
The Western Approaches is an approximately rectangular area of the Atlantic Ocean lying immediately to the west of Ireland and parts of Great Britain. Its north and south boundaries are defined by the corresponding extremities of Britain. The c ...
. Saxon Warrior '11 included naval forces from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, Canada, and Spain under the overall direction of Flag Officer Sea Training. As part of Saxon Warrior '11, on 21 May 2011, the group's destroyers ''Truxtun'' and ''Mitscher'' joined the U.S. replenishment tanker and the Spanish frigate ''Almirante Juan de Borbón'' in conducting a transit exercise, with the British destroyer and frigate acting as hostile forces during this exercise. Also, the guided-missile cruiser ''Gettysburg'' and the British destroyer conducted joint air defense exercises (''pictured'').
On 8 December 2011, ''Gettysburg'' returned to Naval Station Mayport, Florida, and was greeted by Vice President Joe Biden. On 10 December 2011, ''George H.W. Bush'', ''Anzio'', ''Mitscher'', ''Truxtun'' returned to Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk is a United States Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, that is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. The installation occupies about of waterfront space and of pier and wharf space of the Hamp ...
, Virginia, completing the first overseas deployment for the ''Bush'' and ''Truxtun''.
During 2011, the carrier ''George H.W. Bush'' and Carrier Air Wing Eight logged more than 250 days underway, 30,000 flight hours, and 14,000 sorties launched, which included 11,000 catapults shot, 15,000 aircraft recoveries, and no operational mishaps. The ''Bush'' also received the Battenberg Cup
The Battenberg Cup is an award given annually as a symbol of operational excellence to the best ship or submarine in the United States Navy Atlantic Fleet. The cup was originally awarded as a trophy to the winner of cutter or longboat rowing c ...
, Battle Effectiveness Award, and the Flatley Award
Vice Admiral James Henry Flatley Jr. (June 17, 1906 - July 9, 1958) was a World War II naval aviator and tactician for the United States Navy (USN). He become a fighter ace credited with shooting down six enemy aircraft in aerial combat.
Early ...
for 2011.
;2011 deployment force composition
;2011 deployment exercises and port visits
2012–2014 operations
On 25 July 2012, ''George H.W. Bush'', began its four-month overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships. It is the oldest and largest industrial facility tha ...
at Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is an independent city in southeast Virginia and across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,915. It is part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area.
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval M ...
, which included scheduled short-term technical upgrades. Also undergoing maintenance during 2012 were the guided-missile destroyers ''Bainbridge'', ''Mason'', ''Bulkeley'', ''Ross'', and ''Barry'', as well as the guided-missile frigate ''Kauffman''.
On 1 December 2012, the ''George H.W. Bush'' completed its maintenance cycle and began sea trials on 3 December 2012. After completing its sea trials on 4 December 2012, the ''Bush'' began its training and qualification cycle in preparation for the 2014 deployment of Carrier Strike Group Two. This included the on-loading of munitions in anticipation of the upcoming overseas deployment of Carrier Strike Group Two.
The pre-deployment training cycle for Carrier Strike Group Two began with the successful completion of its Tailored Ship's Training Availability/Final Evaluation Problem (TSTA/FEP) training exercises on 23 August 2013. TSTA integrated individual units of Carrier Strike Group Two into a single formation while FEP is a graded 48-hour training evolution that evaluated how effectively the strike group operated together. These exercises were the first time that the ''George H.W. Bush'' and Carrier Air Wing Eight had operated together since 2011. On 20 November 2013, Carrier Strike Group Two began its 29-day Composite Training Unit Exercise
COMPTUEX, or Composite Training Unit Exercise, is a rehearsal each US Navy Carrier Strike Group performs before departing for deployment. Each ship and aircraft in the battle group trains in its specialty; COMPTUEX brings ships together to project ...
(COMPTUEX). This series of training exercises were designed to certify the carrier strike group's deployment readiness by testing its capability to react to real-world scenarios as an integrated naval combat formation. This included CVW-8 aircraft flying live bombing runs at the U.S. Navy's Pinecastle Bombing Range in Ocala National Forest
The Ocala National Forest ls the second largest nationally protected forest in the U.S. State of Florida. It covers of northern Florida. It is located three miles (5 km) east of Ocala and southeast of Gainesville. The Ocala National For ...
, Florida between 18–18 December 2013.
At the start of 2014, Carrier Strike Group Two was in port and not underway.
;2012–2013 exercises and port visits
2014 deployment
On 15 February 2014, Carrier Strike Group Two began its 2014 Mediterranean and Indian Ocean deployment. The carrier ''George H.W. Bush'' and the destroyer ''Truxtun'' departed Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk is a United States Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, that is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. The installation occupies about of waterfront space and of pier and wharf space of the Hamp ...
, Virginia, to rendezvous with the cruiser ''Philippine Sea'' and destroyer ''Roosevelt'' that departed Naval Station Mayport, Florida, on 15 February 2014. Also on that date, the destroyer ''Arleigh Burke'' departed Norfolk for an independent eight-month Ballistic Missile Defense
Missile defense is a system, weapon, or technology involved in the detection, tracking, interception, and also the destruction of attacking missiles. Conceived as a defense against nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), ...
deployment with the U.S. Fifth Fleet.
On 17 February 2014, Rear Admiral DeWolfe H. Miller, III relieved Rear Admiral John C. Aquilino as Commander, Carrier Strike Group Two. A naval aviator
Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases.
Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-based a ...
, Miller had previously commanded the carrier ''George H.W. Bush'' while Aquilino's next assignment was operations director of the U.S. Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a theater-level component command of the United States Navy, located in the Pacific Ocean. It provides naval forces to the Indo-Pacific Command. Fleet headquarters is at Joint Base Pearl Harbor ...
.[
]
U.S. Sixth Fleet
On 24 February 2014, Carrier Strike Group Two entered the U.S. Sixth Fleet's area of responsibility. On 27 February 2014, the group transited the Straits of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar ( ar, مضيق جبل طارق, Maḍīq Jabal Ṭāriq; es, Estrecho de Gibraltar, Archaic: Pillars of Hercules), also known as the Straits of Gibraltar, is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Medit ...
and entered the Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...
. During its transit across the Mediterranean, the strike group encountered and monitored a Russian naval task group led by the aircraft carrier ''Kuznetsov Kuznetsov, Kuznyetsov, Kuznetsoff, or Kouznetsov (masculine, russian: Кузнецов) or Kuznetsova (feminine, russian: Кузнецова) is the third most common Russian surname, an equivalent of the English "Smith" (derived from a Russian word ...
''.[ Carrier Strike Group Two entered the Suez Canal on 18 March 2014, exiting the Mediterranean Sea.][
;Crimean Crisis
With the Crimean crisis unfolding, on 6 March 2014, the guided-missile destroyer ''Truxtun'' (''pictured'') departed ]Souda Bay
Souda Bay is a bay and natural harbour near the town of Souda on the northwest coast of the Greece, Greek island of Crete. The bay is about 15 km long and only two to four km wide, and a deep natural harbour. It is formed between the Akr ...
, Greece, for operations in the Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
with units of the Romanian
Romanian may refer to:
*anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania
**Romanians, an ethnic group
**Romanian language, a Romance language
*** Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language
** Romanian cuisine, tradition ...
and Bulgarian
Bulgarian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Bulgaria
* Bulgarians, a South Slavic ethnic group
* Bulgarian language, a Slavic language
* Bulgarian alphabet
* A citizen of Bulgaria, see Demographics of Bulgaria
* Bul ...
navies. The official U.S. Navy news release noted that "''Truxtun''s operations in the Black Sea were scheduled well in advance of her departure from the United States." The U.S. Department of Defense also announced that Carrier Strike Group Two's deployment to the U.S. Fifth Fleet would be temporarily delayed, and the carrier group held in the Mediterranean Sea because of the ongoing crisis in the Crimea.
;''Morning Glory'' Incident
In the early morning hours of 17 March 2014, a team of United States Navy SEALs
The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main functions are conducting sma ...
team operating from the USS ''Roosevelt'' successfully retook the hijacked North Korean-flagged oil tanker ''Morning Glory
Morning glory (also written as morning-glory) is the common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, whose current taxonomy and systematics are in flux. Morning glory species belong to many genera, some of ...
'' from Libyan terrorists while steaming in international waters off the southeast coast of Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
. The ''Morning Glory'' had been seized "earlier in the month" by an armed group in the Libyan port of As-Sidra. The hijackers unsuccessfully attempted to sell the ship's oil cargo illegally on the black market
A black market, underground economy, or shadow economy is a clandestine market or series of transactions that has some aspect of illegality or is characterized by noncompliance with an institutional set of rules. If the rule defines the se ...
, with the earnings going to their separatist group and not the Libyan interim central government's National Oil Corporation
The National Oil Corporation (NOC; ar, المؤسسة الوطنية للنفط) is the national oil company of Libya. It dominates Libya's oil industry, along with a number of smaller subsidiaries, which combined account for around 70% the cou ...
.
U.S. Fifth Fleet
On 19 March 2014, Carrier Strike Group Two transited the Suez Canal
The Suez Canal ( arz, قَنَاةُ ٱلسُّوَيْسِ, ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The long canal is a popular ...
and joined the U.S. Fifth Fleet. The destroyer ''Truxtun'' rejoined the carrier group after departing the Black Sea on 21 March 2014. On 22 March 2014, Carrier Strike Group Two relieved Carrier Strike Group Ten
Carrier Strike Group 10, abbreviated as CSG-10 or CARSTRKGRU 10, is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. Carrier strike groups gain and maintain sea control as well as project naval airpower ashore.
, CSG-10 consist of , the strike group's curre ...
in the Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden ( ar, خليج عدن, so, Gacanka Cadmeed 𐒅𐒖𐒐𐒕𐒌 𐒋𐒖𐒆𐒗𐒒) is a deepwater gulf of the Indian Ocean between Yemen to the north, the Arabian Sea to the east, Djibouti to the west, and the Guardafui Channe ...
(''pictured''). Operating in the North Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...
, Carrier Air Wing Eight launched its first combat sorties in support of coalition forces
' ps, کمک او همکاري '
, allies = Afghanistan
, opponents = Taliban Al-Qaeda
, commander1 =
, commander1_label = Commander
, commander2 =
, commander2_label =
, commander3 =
, comman ...
in Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
on 26 March 2014. In addition to close air mission in support of coalition ground forces, Carrier Strike Group Two launched air mission in conjunction with the Afghan run-off elections.[
On 18 October 2014, ]Carrier Strike Group One
Carrier Strike Group One (CSG-1 or CARSTRKGRU 1) is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. is the strike group's current flagship, and other units currently assigned are the ship's Carrier Air Wing 2 and embarked Destroyer Squadron 1, deployed with ' ...
relieved Carrier Strike Group Two in the Persian Gulf (''pictured''). As of that date, Carrier Strike Group Two and its embarked Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8), is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier
Mission
To conduct carrier air warfare operations and assist in the ...
had amassed 32,611 flight hours, 12,548 total sorties, and 9,752 arrested landings on board the carrier ''George H.W. Bush''. This included 3,245 combat sorties in support Operation Inherent Resolve (''see below'') in Iraq and Syria, as well as coalition ground forces in Afghanistan, with 18,333 combat flight hours flown and more than of ordnance expended. Carrier Strike Group Two depart the U.S. Fifth Fleet on 27 October 2014, concluding a seven-month-long deployment.
;Iraqi-Syrian Crises
With the ISIL
An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...
military invasion of Iraq intensifying, Carrier Strike Group Two entered the Persian Gulf on 14 June 2014. Joining the carrier ''George HW Bush'', the cruiser ''Philippine Sea'', and the destroyer ''Truxtun'' were the destroyers ''Arleigh Burke'' and which had been operating in the Persian Gulf. CVW-8 aircraft began flying combat air patrols over Iraq on 19 June 2014.
On 8 August 2014, Carrier Strike Group Two conducted air-strikes directed to stop the advancement of ISIS forces into Erbil
Erbil, also called Hawler (, ar, أربيل, Arbīl; syr, ܐܲܪܒܹܝܠ, Arbel), is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It lies in the Erbil Governorate. It has an estimated population of around 1,600,000.
Hu ...
. These air strikes marked the return of U.S. air combat forces to Iraq since the end of the U.S. military operations in 2011. By 20 August 2014, the strike group had launched 30 airstrikes against ISIS targets although the majority of the sorties have been devoted to surveillance missions.
Beginning 22 September 2014, a multi-lateral air campaign attacked ISIL military positions in Syria. The targets included training compounds, headquarters and command and control facilities, storage facilities, a finance center, as well as supply trucks and armed vehicles. Prior to the launch of the air campaign, a total of 47 land-attack Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired against ISIL military targets from the destroyer and the cruiser (''pictured'') operating from international waters in the Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; T ...
and Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
. These missile strikes also included Khorasan Group
The Khorasan group, sometimes known simply as Khorasan, is an alleged group of senior al-Qaeda members operating in Syria. The group is reported to consist of a small number of fighters who are all on terrorist watchlists, and coordinates with ...
targets located west of Aleppo
)), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black".
, motto =
, image_map =
, mapsize =
, map_caption =
, image_map1 =
...
. Finally, F/A-18 Hornets and EA-6B Prowlers (''pictured'') from Carrier Air Wing 8 executed the majority of the third wave of airstrikes against ISIL positions in Raqqa
Raqqa ( ar, ٱلرَّقَّة, ar-Raqqah, also and ) (Kurdish languages, Kurdish: Reqa/ ڕەقە) is a city in Syria on the northeast bank of the Euphrates River, about east of Aleppo. It is located east of the Tabqa Dam, Syria's largest dam. T ...
, Dayr az Zawr, Abu Kamal
Abu Kamal ( ar, أَبُو كَمَال, ʾAbū Kamāl) or Al-Bukamal ( ar, ٱلْبُوكَمَال, al-Būkamāl) is a city on the Euphrates river in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate of eastern Syria near the border with Iraq. It is the administrat ...
, and Al Hasakah
Al-Hasakah ( ar, ٱلْحَسَكَة, al-Ḥasaka; ku, Heseke/حەسەکە; syr, ܚܣܝܟܐ Hasake), is the capital city of the Al-Hasakah Governorate, in the northeastern corner of Syria. With a 2004 census population of 188,160, it is the ei ...
.
On 6 October 2014, the anti-ISIL air campaign entered its ninth week of operation in Iraq and its fourth week in Syria. As of that date, units of Carrier Strike Group Two contributed 20 percent of the total munitions used at an overall cost of $62 million (USD). Effective 15 October 2014, the United States Central Command
The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Tas ...
officially designated the U.S.-led air campaign against ISIL in Iraq and Syria as Operation Inherent Resolve
Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) is the U.S. military's operational name for the International military intervention against IS, including both a campaign in Iraq and a campaign in Syria, with a closely-related campaign in Libya. Throu ...
. Carrier Strike Group Two concluded its final offensive operations against ISIL on 18 October 2014.[
]
Homecoming and key accomplishments
Carrier Strike Group Two transited the Suez Canal
The Suez Canal ( arz, قَنَاةُ ٱلسُّوَيْسِ, ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The long canal is a popular ...
on 27 October 2014. Following port visits, the strike group transited the Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar ( ar, مضيق جبل طارق, Maḍīq Jabal Ṭāriq; es, Estrecho de Gibraltar, Archaic: Pillars of Hercules), also known as the Straits of Gibraltar, is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Medi ...
on 6 November 2014. Carrier Strike Group Two concluded its nine-month-long deployment when it arrived in Norfolf, Virginia, on 15 November 2014. The strike group was preceded by the return of the destroyer ''Arleigh Burke'' from its eight-month-long independent deployment to the U.S. Fifth Fleet on 17 October 2014.
During its 2014 deployment, the strike group's aviation units flew 12,774 sorties for a total of 34,831 flight hours. This included 3,245 combat sorties with 18,333 combat flight hours flown. Aircraft delivered 232 precision guided bombs and fired more than 2,400 rounds of 20mm ammunition. The aircraft also made 10,003 catapult launches and arrested landings (traps).[
Surface units of Carrier Strike Group Two were also active during this 2014 deployment. The destroyer ''Truxtun'' operated with the ]Romanian
Romanian may refer to:
*anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania
**Romanians, an ethnic group
**Romanian language, a Romance language
*** Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language
** Romanian cuisine, tradition ...
and Bulgarian
Bulgarian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Bulgaria
* Bulgarians, a South Slavic ethnic group
* Bulgarian language, a Slavic language
* Bulgarian alphabet
* A citizen of Bulgaria, see Demographics of Bulgaria
* Bul ...
navies while showing the flag in the Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
amid the ongoing Crimean crisis. The destroyer ''Roosevelt'' served as the mother ship for the re-capture of the hijacked oil tanker ''Morning Glory
Morning glory (also written as morning-glory) is the common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, whose current taxonomy and systematics are in flux. Morning glory species belong to many genera, some of ...
'' from Libyan terrorists.[ Also, destroyer ''Arleigh Burke'' and the cruiser ''Philippine Sea'' launched 47 ]Tomahawk
A tomahawk is a type of single-handed axe used by the many Indigenous peoples and nations of North America. It traditionally resembles a hatchet with a straight shaft. In pre-colonial times the head was made of stone, bone, or antler, and Europ ...
land attack cruise missiles against Syrian targets in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.[
Finally, naval aviation history reached a milestone when the ]Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler
The Northrop Grumman (formerly Grumman) EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine, four-seat, mid-wing electronic-warfare aircraft derived from the A-6 Intruder airframe. The EA-6A was the initial electronic warfare version of the A-6 used by the United S ...
(''pictured'') made its final overseas deployment with Carrier Strike Group Two, retiring after 42 years of operations with the United States Navy.
Forces, operations, and port visits
;2014 deployment force composition[
;2014 deployment operations, exercises, and port visits
]
2015 operations
On 31 January 2015, The ''George H.W. Bush'' departed Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk is a United States Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, that is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. The installation occupies about of waterfront space and of pier and wharf space of the Hamp ...
, Virginia for a six-day underway to conduct Carrier Qualifications with the Carrier Air Wing Eight and off-loaded ammunition offload with the , returning to Norfolk on 6 February 2015. Between 10–18 February, the ''Bush'' was underway for Fleet Replacement Squadron carrier qualifications.
On 1 April 2015, the ''Bush'' departed Norfolk for a 10-day underway for carrier qualification (CQ) operations for members of the Carrier Strike Group Ten
Carrier Strike Group 10, abbreviated as CSG-10 or CARSTRKGRU 10, is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. Carrier strike groups gain and maintain sea control as well as project naval airpower ashore.
, CSG-10 consist of , the strike group's curre ...
and Carrier Air Wing Seven
Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. At the moment, CVW-7 is assigned to the USS George H. W. Bush. The tail code of aircraft assigned to CVW-7 is AG.
Mis ...
in the Atlantic Ocean, returning on 11 April 2015. During a subsequent underway period, between 24–25 April 2015, the ''Bush'' off-loaded its ammunition to the dry cargo ship
A bulk carrier or bulker is a merchant ship specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo — such as grains, coal, ore, steel coils, and cement — in its cargo holds. Since the first specialized bulk carrier was built in 1852, econom ...
in preparation for the carrier's planned incremental availability (PIA) refit. The ''Bush'' conducted a final carrier qualification operation between 6–9 May 2015.
On 16 June 2015, the carrier ''George H.W. Bush'' moored at Super Pier 5 at Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships. It is the oldest and largest industrial facility tha ...
in Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is an independent city in southeast Virginia and across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,915. It is part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area.
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval M ...
, to begin a six-month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) refit and upkeep period. The cruiser ''Philippine Sea'' and the destroyers ''Truxtun'' and ''Roosevelt'' are also scheduled to undergo maintenance and refit during 2015.
2017 operations
In July/August 2017, after operations against Daesh/ISIS, it took part in Exercise Saxon Warrior 17, with command and control temporarily passed to the Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
's Commander UK Carrier Strike Group (COMUKCSG) staff. This allowed COMUKCSG to prepare for future Royal Navy carrier operations.
See also
* History of the United States Navy
The history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that was notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy" the ...
* List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
This is a list of active United States Navy aircraft squadrons. ''Deactivated'' or ''disestablished'' squadrons are listed in the List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons.
Navy aircraft squadron (aviation), squadrons are composed of ...
* U.S. Carrier Group tactics
Naval tactics play a crucial role in modern battles and wars. The presence of land, changing water depths, weather, detection and electronic warfare, the speed at which actual combat occurs and other factors – especially air power  ...
Notes
;Footnotes
;Citations
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carrier Strike Group 02
Carrier Strike Groups
Carrier Strike Group Two
Military in Norfolk, Virginia
Military units and formations established in 2004