Aboard the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, heroes everywhere.
Posted on 03/28/2003 4:35:46 AM PST by kattracks
Two U.S. Navy cruisers ordered home from Gulf
ABOARD USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, Gulf, March 28 (Reuters) - Two U.S. Navy cruisers that have been firing Tomahawk cruise missiles at Iraq over the past week received the order to return home on Friday after more than eight months at sea.
The Mobile Bay and Shiloh, both part of the Abraham Lincoln battle group, are among some 30 ships that have been bombarding Iraq with missiles since the U.S.-led war started on March 20.
The news was greeted with cheers on the Mobile Bay, whose normal six-month deployment was extended because of the building crisis with Iraq.
The aircraft carrier Nimitz, accompanied by a fleet of cruisers, destroyers and frigates, is on its way to the Gulf to replace the Lincoln and its battle group. The Nimitz is expected to arrive in the Gulf in early April.
Planes from the Lincoln had clear blue skies to launch into on Friday for the first time in days. Many of them were providing close air support for ground troops in Iraq.
Officials said Lincoln planes flew a higher than usual 115 sorties on Thursday, despite lingering dust that led to the cancellation of several flights.
Fewer sorties were scheduled for Friday because the ship took on supplies for several hours during the morning.
03/28/03 07:18 ET
Aboard the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, heroes everywhere.
Aboard the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, heroes everywhere.
Well done, Shipmates.
I be proud of ye
Haaaaarr!
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