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6,500 Sailors, Marines Return to San Diego
Story Number: NNS030730-17
Release Date: 7/30/2003 5:11:00 PM
By Journalist 2nd Class Rebecca Horton, Navy Region Southwest Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The last of the wartime amphibious fleet that participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom returned home July 26.
Known as Amphibious Task Force West, the combined 3,500 Sailors aboard the amphibious assault ships USS Boxer (LHD 4), USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), the dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) and the amphibious transport dock ships USS Cleveland (LPD 7) and USS Dubuque (LPD 8) pulled into their homeport for the first time since Jan. 17.
Nearly 3,000 Marines aboard the ships, comprising a composite unit known as Landing Force West, offloaded at Camp Pendleton July 24 and 25.
The end of the 190-day deployment marked the longest deployment in Boxer’s history.
Waiting to greet Dubuque Sailor, Seaman Apprentice Jonathan Brasfield, were his parents, sister, aunt, uncle, and grandparents, all from McKenzie, Tenn.
Brasfield, who joined the Navy last August, had not seen his family since his graduation from Great Lakes Recruit Training Command.
“Johnny’s grandma is losing her battle with breast cancer, and we wanted to make sure that she got to be here for her grandson’s return from war,” said Brasfield’s uncle Greg Barker.
While waiting for the Brasfield’s ship to come in, his family watched Sailors from the Cleveland reuniting with their families.
Brasfield’s aunt, Amy Barker said, “It breaks my heart to see these new dads holding their babies for the first time. I am realizing that people around the country don’t fully understand what all these servicemembers have done and what they are giving up for us.”
All five ships, along with recently returned USS Comstock (LSD 45) and USS Anchorage (LSD 36), arrived in the North Arabian Gulf in February to join a larger amphibious force that brought 33,000 Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen to the region. This amphibious force, named Task Force 51, eventually included 32 U.S. and coalition ships.
Stationed in the Arabian Gulf during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the ships of ATF West provided critical support to the ground troops of the U.S. and coalition forces that pressed into southern Iraq and toward Baghdad. More than 30 aircraft and a dozen landing craft based aboard the ships, conducted daily and nightly combat and logistics missions in support of ground forces.
Boxer personnel were also involved in the night rescue of former POW Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch. The ship’s intelligence specialists provided satellite imagery of the hospital and surrounding areas to Marine pilots who staged for the mission from Boxer.
The ATF made port visits to Manama, Bahrain; the Australian cities of Sydney, Cairns, Townsville, and Brisbane; the island nation of Tonga, and Pearl Harbor.
“It’s great to be back home,” said Aerographer’s Mate 3rd Class Thomas Folds. “I’m definitely looking forward to spending time with my family.”
For related news, visit the Navy Region Southwest Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cnrsw.
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