Posted on 02/27/2006 3:16:43 PM PST by SandRat
PORT OF DORALEH, Djibouti – USS Vicksburg (CG 69) became the first U.S. Navy ship to take on fuel at the new Defense Fuel Supply Point (DFSP) at the Port of Doraleh in Djibouti , Feb. 26.
Vicksburg's historic refueling evolution coincided with DFSP Djibouti's inaugural ceremony, which drew a star-studded audience that included Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh; U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti Marguerita Ragsdale; and Vice Adm. Patrick Walsh, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Bahrain.
The Navy has leased several fuel storage tanks from DFSP Djibouti for the exclusive use of ships operating in and around the Horn of Africa in support of maritime security operations. By having a fuel facility available close to the crossroads of major shipping lanes, the U.S. Navy hopes to increase the flexibility of their forces.
“The multi-faceted fight against terrorism forces us to increase our vigilance and to cooperate very closely with the coalition,” said Guelleh in a post-ceremony interview. “We will do everything possible along with the coalition to secure our maritime environment.”
“USS Vicksburg's presence here is concrete evidence of America 's confidence in the future of Djibouti , and of it's confidence in the ability of Djibouti to help meet America 's security needs,” added Ragsdale. “You can expect to see many U.S. naval vessels refueling here in the future.”
Having a refueling hub in the Horn of Africa is an invaluable logistical asset to the U.S. Navy's fight against piracy and other illegal activities in the region, according to Walsh.
“The key to being successful in [our mission] is that we develop a posture that's sustainable,” he said. “This pier allows us to conduct maritime security operations in places very far away from 5th Fleet headquarters [in Bahrain ] and allows us to be forward in an area that has become increasingly important to the United States and to our coalition partners.”
Lt. Cmdr. Gary Leigh, executive officer of USS Vicksburg, said he felt honored that Vicksburg was chosen as the first warship to represent the U.S. Navy at DFSP Djibouti.
“We're honored to be here and to help boost the ties between the U.S. Navy and our host
nation,” said Leigh. “They've been outstanding hosts.”
Vicksburg , homeported in Mayport , Fla. , deployed to the 5th Fleet area of operations on Jan. 25.
Where in the heck is "Djibouti"? Africa, the Middle East, or South Asia?
I once met my cutie patootie in Djibouti.
If I recall my geography corrrectly it's on the east coast of Africa near the red sea opposite Yemen and was or may still be a French protectorate.
Shake shake shake
Shake shake shake
shake Djibouti
shake Djibouti
BTW, they're over 90% Muslim, which according to some on this forum make them a terrorist nation. Guess we ought to close down that fueling station. [/sarcasm
Djibouti?
No, I didn't, Dji?
ARRGGH! I age, I wither....
(/portgate sarcasm)
Well, no, come to think of it I don't wither, I grow great with Mild....
To get to Djibouti take a left at East Jahunga.
The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Issa-dominated government. Djibouti's first multi-party presidential elections in 1999 resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH. Djibouti occupies a very strategic geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. The present leadership favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country, but has also developed increasingly stronger ties with the United States in recent years. Djibouti currently hosts the only United States military base in sub-Saharan Africa and is a front-line state in the global war on terrorism.
old ping - but Djibouti is the place we used to contract with to refuel our ships before the geniuses in the Clinton Administration dropped it like a hot potato in their haste to suck up to Yemen. Yemen's port of Aden was where the USS Cole was later bombed.
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