U.S. Carrier Truman Leaves Marseille for Possible War on Iraq

tehran times ^ | 12/27/02

[knak]

MARSEILLE, France -- The U.S. Navy's most modern aircraft carrier, USS Harry S. Truman, left the French port of Marseille Friday en route for the eastern Mediterranean to support a possible war on Iraq, harbor authorities said.

The huge, nuclear-powered vessel, which anchored here Monday for a Christmas stop-over for its 5,000 sailors and flight personnel, attracted a demonstration by 1,000 French anti-war protesters Thursday who carried signs reading "U.S. Go Home!" and "Don't Chop Up Iraq!".

U.S. Defense Department officials said the Truman was replacing another carrier, USS George Washington, which last week returned to its home port after a six-month deployment in the Mediterranean.

The deployment of USS Truman means two U.S. aircraft carriers are now currently available for military operations against Iraq, according to the U.S. defense consultancy globalsecurity.org. The other carrier, USS Constellation, is in the Persian Gulf.

Each carrier is accompanied by a "battle group" -- up to a dozen smaller escort vessels including sumbmarines, destroyers and minesweepers.

The Truman, commissioned four years ago, carries 80 aircraft -- F-14 and F-18 fighter/bombers and EA-6B electronic jammers -- and has a battle flag whose motto reads "give 'em hell".

[jwalsh07]

[Momaw Nadon]

Looks like the carrier battle groups are on their way.

Attack on Iraq Betting Pool

[TommyDale]

I hope this Truman has as much influence in the Middle East as the original one had in WWII. May Saddam end up like Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

[Rome2000]

attracted a demonstration by 1,000 French anti-war protesters

Vichy France supported Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.

These socialist anti-semitic snail eating SOB's are their direct descendants and should not be mistaken as representing the views of the French right or French citizens in general.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Japanese language press today are saying the Kitty Hawk, out of Yokosuka in Japan, is expected to be one of the next to move out (along with the Abraham Lincoln in Australia). Reported a few hours ago on Yomiuri (open source/not confidential info here).

[Rome2000]

Good old Uncle Sam.

Speak softly and carry a big stick.

The left is crazy if they think the destruction of the WTC is not going to be avenged 100 fold.

[P8riot]

That makes three carrier groups.

Just got news from a buddy of mine who was hoping to Tiger Cruise back to San Diego with his son (whose been flying F-18 sorties over the Southern NFZ) next month on the Abraham Lincoln, that the Tiger Cruise has been scrubbed, no other data at this time.

[P8riot]

My wife Built the Washington, Truman, and Lincoln when she and I both worked at Newport News Shipbuilding. I did time on three of these babies myself Nimitz, Ike, and Theodore Roosevelt. Gives you a warm spot right there pointing to heart

[Rummyfan]

The Truman leaves Marseilles for the Eastern Med and the George Washington is departing Norfolk within 96 hours. Gee what's up?

[GretchenEE]

bump

[Bombard]

Are you a Plankowner??????

[crystalk]

That ship could easily have visited port in nearby Barcelona, or Genoa, where things are far less expensive and far less crime and danger.

So much Spanish is understood, that even the language barrier would have been much less in either alternative port...

[Hugin]

Word is the Kittyhawk will leave Japan for the Gulf soon. Six?

[judgeandjury]

The Truman, commissioned four years ago, carries 80 aircraft -- F-14 and F-18 fighter/bombers and EA-6B electronic jammers -- and has a battle flag whose motto reads "give 'em hell".

Love it!

[ffusco]

the french sailors call it "the damned ship"

while it resembles a us cvn carrier it has 1/3 the displacement .