Military deploying new-look strike force from San Diego

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Seven heavily armed warships departing from here Friday combine troops, ships and weaponry in a new-look Navy and Marine Corps strike force that military officers say will be more powerful and versatile than traditional arrangements.

The Expeditionary Strike Group One is the first of its kind and is being called a part of the military's larger effort to emphasize flexibility along with intimidating firepower and cooperation between various branches. Similar groups are planned for both Pacific and Atlantic fleets.

http://www.13meu.usmc.mil/Stories/SOCEX.htmFighting 13th Earns “SOC” Certification
by Capt. Bill Pelletier

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Aug. 8 – After two weeks at sea, Marines and Sailors of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit returned to Camp Pendleton and MCAS Miramar this week, having completed their final pre-deployment workup, the Special Operations Capable Exercise.

The SOCEX was the culmination of seven months of training ranging from over-the-horizon maritime and ship-to-shore operations to desert fighting in 29 Palms. Operation Iraqi Freedom extended the MEU’s training cycle when the USS BOXER Amphibious Ready Group deployed early this year to take Marines from I Marine Expeditionary Force to the Persian Gulf for war with Saddam Hussein.

In addition, the Marines of Battalion Landing Team 1/1, HMM-163 (Rein) and MSSG-13 compose the Strike Warfare Component for Expeditionary Strike Group-One, a seven-ship battle unit commanded by Navy Rear Adm. Robert Conway designed to provide a mobile, agile, lethal and flexible Navy-Marine force vital to the ongoing War on Terrorism.

The 13th MEU’s Commanding Officer, Col. Mike Regner, welcomed the additional training and the opportunity to take The Fighting 13th on the maiden voyage of the Expeditionary Strike Group, along with Amphibious Ready Squadron Three.

“What it’s done has made our Marines and Sailors that much better warfighters,” said Regner. “And with the capabilities that the ESG brings to the fight, I think we’ll get the chance to use those skills. We’re privileged to be sailing with this great team for whatever the President directs us to do for this Nation.”

The Marines conducted a series of missions, ranging from feeding and providing medical treatment to refugees all the way to destroying SCUD missiles and conducting raids on terrorist camps.

Aboard USS PELELIU Monday, senior officers and Staff NCOs got a hint of how their Devil Dogs performed.

"You've had extra challenges, being the first MEU to do the ESG," said Col. Anthony Haslam, 11th MEU Commanding Officer and one of the senior evaluators. "But you've come together as a team, both within the MEU and with the Navy. You’ve been thorough in the planning and the execution, and you got the job done. Based on what I've seen here, I'm going to recommend to Lieutenant General Conway that the 13th MEU be certified 'Special Operations Capable'."

In addition to PELELIU, Marines will be embarked aboard USS OGDEN and USS Germantown. The other ships of the ESG are USS JARRETT, USS DECATUR, USS PORT ROYAL and USS GREENEVILLE.

Lance Cpl. Neil Westerberg, a signals intelligence specialist, arrived at Camp Pendleton just before the MEU boarded ship for SOCEX. He said despite the late arrival, his fellow Marines helped him get up to speed – high speed, that is.

“I pretty much had to hit the ground running,” said the 24-year-old Cocoa Beach, Fla. native. “But my team showed me the ropes and what I needed to do. I was very impressed with how well they functioned.”

Arabic linguist Lance Cpl. Matthew Lane said he was excited about the upcoming deployment, which he said would provide the Marines with unique memories.

“Just getting used to life aboard ship, learning how to live in the same 20 feet as 16 other Marines has been educational,” said Lane.

The MEU is currently scheduled to deploy the third week of August and remain deployed for 8 ½ months. But look at the bright side, said the 25-year-old Lane.

“I think an eight-month deployment and all the hot spots in the world right now gives us a pretty good chance of doing the job we signed up to do.”

His buddy Westerberg agreed.

“When I was in the recruiting office, this is what the poster showed. This is what being a Marine is supposed to be like.”

http://navysite.de/ships/lha5.htm
USS Peleliu (LHA 5)
- formerly DA NANG, formerly PRINCETON, formerly KHE SANH -

USS PELELIU is the final ship in the TARAWA class. First named KHE SANH, then renamed DA NANG and finally named PELELIU, she is the first ship to bear the name of the island and the second ship named in honor of the battles fought in the Palau Islands.

General Characteristics: Keel Laid: 1976
Launched: November 25, 1978
Commissioned: May 3, 1980
Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding, West Bank, Pascagoula, Miss.
Propulsion system: two boilers, two geared steam turbines
Propellers: two
Aircraft elevators: two
Length: 833,34 feet (254 meters)
Flight Deck Width: 132,2 feet (40.3 meters)
Beam: 106,6 feet (32.5 meters)
Draft: 26,25 feet (8 meters)
Displacement: approx. 39,300 tons full load
Speed: 24 knots
Aircraft: (depends upon mission)
6 AV-8B Harrier attack planes or 6 AV-8B Harrier attack planes
4 AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters 12 CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
12 CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters 9 CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters
9 CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters
4 UH-1N Huey helicopters

Crew: Ship: 82 officers, 882 enlisted Marine Detachment: 1,900+

This information resides on a DOD interest computer.
Important conditions, restrictions, and disclaimers apply.

USS GREENEVILLE (SSN 772)
SUBMARINE (NUCLEAR-POWERED)
UIC: 21831
Class: SSN 688 Fleet: Pacific
Status: Active, in commission Homeport: PEARL HARBOR, HI
Date status changed: 02/16/1996 Berth:
Maintenance Category:
Force: Battle Force MARAD Type:

Builder: NEWPORT NEWS/NEWPT
Delivery Date: 01/29/1996
Award Date: 12/14/1988 Age (since delivery): 7.6 years
Keel Date: 02/28/1992 Commission Date: 02/16/1996
Launch Date: 09/17/1994 Decommission Date:
Age (since launch) 8.9 years Years from Commission to Decommission:
Stricken Date:

Overall Length: 362 ft Waterline Length: 0 ft
Extreme Beam: 33 ft Waterline Beam: 0 ft
Maximum Navigational Draft: 31 ft Draft Limit: 0 ft
Light Displacement: 6000 tons Full Displacement: 6927 tons
Dead Weight: 927 tons
Hull Material: Steel hull, steel superstructure.
Number of Propellers: 1
Propulsion Type: Steam Turbine (Nuclear)
Accommodations: Officers: 12 Enlisted: 98

Custodian: US NAVY Ships Program Manager: 392
Planning Yard: Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co, Newport News, VA Nuclear Planning Yard: Electric Boat Div., General Dynamics, Groton, CT

No changes to this information were reported since 03/26/1998

To learn more about this type of ship visit:

A Wasp class LHD and T arawa LHD are rather tempting targets. I hope that author was mistaken about the number of escorts. A single Aegis cruiser, Destroyer, Frigate, and sub seems rather paltry. 4 OH Perrys and/or Spruance class destroyers are a nice outer ring ASW. A single Tico and Arleigh Burke would work nicely for AA. Still, this force would be in real trouble unless we had air superiority. The Harrier II+ (AV-8B+) are nice, but short ranged and slow. In 10 to 12 years, this type of force would be better off with the new F-35b. For this type of littoral work, the planned DD-21 Zumwalt seems like a good fit. Too bad we are only planning to buid 32 of these to replace twice as many OH Perry Frigates and Spruance Destroyers.

Until this is rectified, we better have a CVBG nearby if things get rough.

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