USS BOXER DEPLOYS FOR IRAQ

KFMB -TV ^ | 1/14/04 | Unknown

[bkwells]

(01-14-2004) - The amphibious helicopter carrier USS Boxer sails from San Diego Wednesday morning filled with Marine choppers and tons of supplies being sent to support a force rotation in Iraq.

The Pentagon is in the process of pulling about 120,000 personnel involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom out of the Persian Gulf region and replacing them with a more mobile force.

As part of the force rotation, the Boxer is moving equipment and personnel from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force stationed at Camp Pendleton and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The majority of Marines deploying from Camp Pendleton will depart by air in the spring.

The Boxer, with more than 200 Marines and 900 sailors embarked, will carry 16 CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466, two CH-46D Sea Knight helicopters from Combat Support Squadron 11 at Naval Air Station North Island. Three air-cushioned landing craft will also be transported by the ship.

The Boxer is making the trip barely six months after returning from the northern Persian Gulf, where the ship was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

During the deployment, sailors aboard the Boxer were involved in the night rescue of former POW Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch, according to the Navy. The ship's intelligence specialists provided satellite imagery of the hospital and surrounding areas to Marine pilots who staged the rescue mission from the Boxer.

The ship is expected to return to San Diego in late April.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I wonder if this 'force-rotation' is a cover for something else?

Shh!

[SoCalPol]

When leaving the harbor on a whale watching cruise the other day saw the choppers heading out and over to the Boxer.

[RandallFlagg]

I was on the Peleliu on a few deployments out of San Diego. He's lucky to have a FReeper Wife waiting at home for his return.

My first Wife didn't wait; she never saw my 2nd WESTPAC.

Send lots of letters and pictures. He'll need 'em. HE's in good hands. Boxer's a good ship.

All my prayers!

[oyez]

I'm back in Texas.

Is there anything going on at Ingleside(Corpus) anymore or did Clinton shut that down, too?

[Severa]

Actually he's on a submarine. *L* And not able to email off the boat. So I'm fixing him up a care package here soon.

[fourscore]

Godspeed Golden Gator!

[getgoing]

The CC base is still there, for now. Work underway to dredge & open a new channel.

Between sink holes at Nat'l Beach & surveillance flight patrols the gulf it's the safest place in Texas (but don't try to breath near Upriver RD, haa-ha!)

[RandallFlagg]

AWWW! That's sweet of ya.

Sub duty, eh? I couldn't do that. I'd get in trouble for playing my guitar too loud...(The one thing she DIDN'T destroy).

[bkwells]

This is our second deployment ...

I did 1 1/2 deployments on the USS CONSTELLATION in the early 90's and 2 more on the USS TARAWA in 2000 and 2003. It seems like it gets easier, but it really doesn't. This last one took forever though, but me and my wife (cmwells) got lots of support from the Canteen! (Thanks!) Good Luck to you and your husband!

[kingu]

Hey, I wouldn't mind if the U.S. Navy sent Barbara Boxer to Iraq . . . as long as she didn't come back.

Can't, Geneva conventions and all that.

[InABunkerUnderSF]

Hey, I wouldn't mind if the U.S. Navy sent Barbara Boxer to Iraq . . . as long as she didn't come back. Please!!! Iraq is a nation with a great history - Sumarian, Asyrian, Persia, Roman. After Saddam Husein haven't they had enough for one century?

[steveegg]

You forgot Babylonian, Greek and Ottoman. Also, the Romans had only a pair of brief occupations in the 1st Century A.D.

A good source on Iraqi history (last updated at the end of the Iran-Iraq War, unfortunately), is available from the Library of Congress.

[Chad Fairbanks]

or an ASR... talk about small, cooped up, cramped spaces...

[Constitution Day]

"Any word on..."

ROFL!!!

[Petronski]

It is just something that occurred to me: it is very unlikely the Boxer departed with a full load of seaman.

[OXENinFLA]

040114-N-8273J-019 Naval Air Station North Island, Calif. (Jan. 14, 2004) -- USS Boxer (LHD 4) departs San Diego, Calif., on a deployment to the Central Command area of responsibility in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II force rotation. More than 200 Marines and 900 Sailors embarked aboard USS Boxer are providing amphibious lift for a portion of the equipment and personnel from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (1 MEF) stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. The majority of Marines deploying from 1 MEF will depart in the Spring via air transport. Boxer’s deployment order highlights the inherent flexibility of naval forces. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Tiffini M. Jones. (RELEASED)

[jerri]

so, that is what a barnacle looks like. I've always wondered about that.