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The Virginian-Pilot © May 23, 2003 It's the holiday that heralds the beginning of summer, a time for cookouts, family get-togethers and a first warm weekend at the beach. For most Americans, Memorial Day has lost any meaning apart from a long weekend. Brave men who fell at Valley Forge or Bull Run, on San Juan Hill or Iwo Jima, at Belleau Wood or the Chosin Reservoir tend to be far from Americans' minds during our day's respite from work. But this year will be different. The return this weekend of America's military sons and daughters, flung across the globe...

Story Number: NNS030509-02 Release Date: 5/9/2003 12:09:00 PM From U.S. Atlantic Fleet Public Affairs NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is expected to return to homeport May 29, completing nearly a five-month deployment. Although some Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group surface combatants will return with the aircraft carrier, others will remain in theater, but are expected to return to homeport in July, completing about a six-month deployment. Additional information on the return date of these ships will be provided when their schedules are determined and approved. The Norfolk-based Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group deployed Jan. 6 and conducted a...

Received via email: Mr. Robinson, My name is Ben [last name deleted], a fellow FReeper, stationed at the Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan. My screen name is idc_USN. I have attached several digital photos of the return of the USS Kitty Hawk BATTLE GROUP triumphant return to Yokosuka from OIF early this morning (Tuesday, 06 May). As I know these are the first photos coming out of here, (media attention was negligible), I beat CNN Asia and the other media outlets to the punch. I am not too literate on how to post pictures on the internet, but certainly wanted to...

LANCASTER - Brent Sforzini, a U.S. Navy fire controlman, and his shipmates aboard the USS Shiloh spent their deployment in the Persian Gulf as part of the USS Abraham Lincoln Battle Group during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Friday, Sforzini brought back stories from the battle group to the students at Lincoln Elementary School in Lancaster. A week ago, when the ship docked in San Diego, the 24-year-old Sforzini and his shipmates were greeted by a crowd of people cheering and waving American flags. At Friday morning's assembly in the school yard, Lincoln School students cheered and waved small American flags to...

A decision could soon be on the way for thousands of sailors in the USS Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group.Their return boils down to one question being debated at the highest levels of the military. The answer could mean an early homecoming...or four additional months at sea.WAVY News 10's Military Reporter Patty Culhane has learned there are two dates being debated right now. One brings the Theodore Roosevelt home in early June, which would be the news family members having been hoping to hear.The other - what the crew has been considering the "worst case" scenario - calls for the carrier...

Fox News Channel just announced that the aircfraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, will be coming into port at Pearl Harbor in a very short time from now. 5000+ US sailors will be lining the decks in full dress whites. It should be quite a breathtaking sight.

Two Navy Battle Groups to Leave War Zone By ROBERT BURNS .c The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) - Two U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and the ships in their battle groups will leave the Persian Gulf this week and return to their home ports, a U.S. defense official said Monday. Their departure reflects a winding down of the air campaign, although the Pentagon is still sending more ground forces to Kuwait and Iraq. The USS Kitty Hawk will return to its base at Yokosuka, Japan, and the USS Constellation will return to San Diego, the official said, speaking on condition of...

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...

<p>NORFOLK, Va. (AP) _ More than 8,000 sailors and Marines will leave East Coast ports Thursday with the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman battle group, knowing that they could end up fighting a war with Iraq.</p> <p>The Truman and eight other surface ships are to depart Norfolk Naval Station to begin a regularly scheduled deployment, which typically includes stints in the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf. A 10th ship is to leave from Earle Naval Weapons Station in New Jersey.</p>