End of an era
December 6th, 2011 | 6th Fleet Amphibious operations Amphibious Ready Group Combat support Commanding officers Flight deck certification Homecoming leadership Marine Corps Marine Expeditionary Unit Maritime operations Mine warfare Navy Norfolk Naval Station Odyssey Dawn Photos Ponce Ships The Middle East | Posted by Bill McMichael
On May 7, 1970, the Beatles released their last single: “The Long and Winding Road.”
Last week, the amphibious transport dock Ponce, launched 13 days after the song and commissioned in July 1971, completed its own long journey, coming home for the last time after four decades of service.
Sailors prepare to handle lines on Naval Station Norfolk's Pier 2 as the amphibious transport dock Ponce makes its final return to homeport. Ponce will now begin the long process that will result in the ship's decommissioning early next year. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stevie Tate
Those years were filled with significant events. Ponce helped evacuate nearly 300 mostly U.S. and British Westerners from Lebanon during the 1976 civil war, and supported 6th Fleet air strikes on pro-Syrian militia positions in defense of U.S. Marines ashore. It supported military disaster relief in Florida following 1992′s devastating Hurricane Andrew. It took part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, serving as the flagship of a minesweeping task group that opened the key port of Umm Qasr. Most recently, Ponce, as part of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, supported the NATO strikes on Libya that played a key role in helping rebel forces drive Moammar Gadhafi from power.
It was during that last cruise that the ship’s commanding officer and executive officer were fired by Vice Adm. Harry Harris, then-commander of 6th Fleet — Cmdr. Etta Jones for what investigators said were abuses of power, and Lt. Cmdr. Kurt Boenisch for not standing up to Jones. Jones apologized to the crew in a statement released by her lawyer the same day Ponce returned home last week, saying that she hoped the public “will not overlook their positive story.”
Ponce spent its final operational week supporting air operations for II Marine Expeditionary Force’s air-ground task force. One sailor said he took a lot of pride in being one of the last to man the ship’s flight deck.
“This underway is the last time anyone will fly on Ponce,” Aviation Support Equipment Technician 3rd Class Morgan Butkus was quoted by Ponce’s public affairs office as saying. “How many years have people been here with stuff happening, and this is the last of it.”
Four decades on Ponce, by the numbers: It was served by more than 18,400 sailors and embarked by more than 24,500 Marines; it landed and launched aircraft more than 39,000 times; it was involved in more than 25 major operations; it was commanded by 28 different commanding officers.
The ship will be decommissioned in early 2012 and placed in long-term storage at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia.
Quartermaster 2nd Class Shixi Zhang mans a telescopic alidade on the starboard bridge wing of the amphibious transport dock ship Ponce as the ship gets underway from Naval Station Norfolk for its final scheduled underway period. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Nathanael Miller
It really is a coalition, folks!
March 21st, 2011 | Admirals Carriers French navy Helicopters leadership Odyssey Dawn Photos | Posted by Bill McMichael
The Obama administration is working hard to play down the U.S. role in the airstrikes and no-fly zone operations on and over Libya, with senior officials stressing that the U.S. involvement is “limited” and that the operation is a broad-based coalition effort with international participation and Arab League backing — not a U.S.-led foray into yet another predominantly Muslim nation, which could further damage its already poor image in that part of the world. The Navy released at least seven images Monday, all apparently aimed at reinforcing that sense: All but one includes a coalition officer or aircraft. For example: this photo of liaison officers from coalition countries meeting with Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn (JTF OD) staff members aboard the command ship Mount Whitney to discuss command and control of the “multi-phase international military operations.”
And this one:
A French navy AS365 F Dauphin rescue helicopter from the French carrier Charles de Gaulle test lands aboard Mount Whitney. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Gary Keen
And this one:
Adm. Samuel Locklear, commander of Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn, speaks with French navy Rear Adm. Philippe Coindreau, deputy commander, French maritime forces, aboard the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, operating in the Mediterranean in support of the operation. // U.S. Navy photo
The Navy has released some mostly-shadowy video of U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps-only operations, including several ship-based Tomahawk missile launches from over the weekend. So far, though, the U.S.-only pickings have been rather slim.
The Navy strikes
March 21st, 2011 | Aviation Libya Naval aviation Navy Odyssey Dawn Ships Submarines Tomahawk Video | Posted by Bill McMichael
Navy ships and subs launched a barrage of Tomahawk cruise missiles at Libyan air defenses Saturday, including this one, filmed by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonathan Sunderman, leaping skyward out of the Norfolk-based destroyer Barry. The strikes, and subsequent bomb attacks by U.S., French and British aircraft, followed the March 17 passage of a U.N. resolution authorizing “all necessary measures” to protect civilians in Libya, particularly rebel fighters, being attacked by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s forces.
The coalition air strikes continued Sunday, with the Associated Press reporting that a line of Libyan tanks south of Benghazi were destroyed. Rebel forces had taken the city before coming under a withering counterattack by Libyan forces. AP also reported that a building in Gadhafi’s residential compound in Tripoli was destroyed late Sunday.
More on the other U.S. and coalition assets taking part in Operation Odyssey Dawn here.