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Enterprise Strikes

December 16th: At 1:00 am this morning local time, an attack began on Iraq by US and British forces based in the region. US Navy aircraft from the USS Enterprise were amoung the forces. About 200 criuse missiles were fired from B-52 aircraft and ships in the Enterprise Battlegroup.

The USS Carl Vinson Battlegroup is expected to arrive in the Gulf Friday (December 18th) to bolster offensive power.

The attack is expected to last up to 4 days. Navy EA-6B aircraft led the air assault against Iraqi anti-aircraft missile sites. A total of 22 navy ships are currently in the region.

December 23rd: 425 Tommahawk and cruise missiles were fired off during the 4 day mission and 600 sorties were made by US Navy, Airforce and British aircraft. No casualties were reported.

The 4 Divisions of the Republican Guard were amoung the targets and more than 2,000 casualties are thought to have been inflicted.

Four Killed in Collision on Enterprise

November 8th 1920 local time: During night landing re-qualifications aboard Enterprise in the Atlantic, two jets collided. An EA6-B Prowler from VAQ-130 based at Whidbey Island collided with an S-3 Viking from VS-22 (Zappers) based at Jacksonville Fla. The S-3 was sitting on the flight deck, the Prowler then fell into the sea.

All six crew, four from the Prowler and two from the Viking ejected. The two from the S-3 were injured one landing into a radar on the ship's island, the other into the sea. The four crew of the Prowler were killed, one body was found the other three missing presumed killed. The search was called off after 24 hours.

The body of Lt. j.g. Brenden J. Duffy, 27, of Annapolis Md., was recovered soon after the crash. Those missing presumed dead were Lt. j.g. Charles E. Woodward, 26, of Herndon Va., Lt. j.g. Meredith Carol Loughran, 26, of Sanston Va., and the pilot Lt. Cmdr. Kurt W. Barich, 35, of Oak Harbour, Wash. The two injured were Cmdr. James G. Wallace, 44, of Jacksonville Fla., and Lt. j.g. Kirk A. Schneringer of Cardiff, Calif., they were both listed as stable.

UPDATE November 13th: The S-3 had just landed and was in the Prowler's path. The LSO's declared a Fouled Deck but the Prowler clipped the Viking as it attempted to go around. The two survivors, suffering burns are receiving treatment at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center. They will then go home for a few days before rejoining their ship.
-US Navy-

Lincoln Departs Gulf

October 20th 1998: USS Lincoln departed the Gulf and is expected to return to home port by mid December. Capt. J. J. Quinn, Abraham Lincoln's Commanding Officer, estimated that the ship's F-14 Tomcat fighters, F/A-18 Hornets and other support aircraft had flown 1,855 sorties in the Arabian Gulf. Aircrew from the 10 squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 14 have collectively flown more than 10,000 hours in 73 embarked aircraft during the deployment, safely touching down on the 4.5-acre flight deck approximately 5,260 times.
-US Navy-

F/A-18 Lost in Med

September 16th 1998: by USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Public Affairs MEDITERRANEAN SEA (NNS) -- While conducting routine flight operations in the western Mediterranean Sea Sept. 16, an F/A-18 Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 83 attached to USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), was reported in the water approximately 10 miles from the carrier.

The pilot ejected safely from the aircraft and was recovered on board Dwight D. Eisenhower by an HH-60 helicopter attached to Helicopter Squadron (HS) 15. The pilot exited the helo under his own power and is being evaluated by Navy medical personnel. The cause of the incident is under investigation.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, homeported in Norfolk, is forward deployed to the Mediterranean Sea on a routine six-month deployment.

VFA-83 is homeported in Cecil Field, Fla. HS-15 is homeported in Jacksonville, Fla. Both squadrons are assigned to Carrier Air Wing 17 and stationed on board Dwight D. Eisenhower during her deployment.
-USN-

Entire 2nd Fleet Sets Sail

August 27th 1998: Enterprise, Truman and Roosevelt along with 60 other navy ships sailed from Norfolk with 30,000 crew to ride out Hurricane Bonnie. The $7mill cost would be small if ships were battered against wharves in port.

Marine Pilot Killed in F-18 Crash

August 20th 1998: A Marine Pilot from VFMA-212 died in a crash near Katherine, Australia. He was undergoing training on the Delemere range as part of the annual Southern Frontier excercises. No cause as yet been established for the accident.

July 25th 1998: The USS Harry S Truman was commissioned today in front of 20,000 people in Norfolk Viginia. President Clinton spoke and Margaret Truman Daniel, daughter of the late president, will serve as ship's sponsor. Few Republican representatives bothered to attend and support the Navy's newest Nimitz class aircraft carrier.

Pilot Killed in F-14 Collision

August 3rd 1998: Lt. Cmdr. Ronald Lee ``Rhino'' Wise Jr., 36, was killed while ejecting from his Tomcat July 30th in the Med. 3 F-14's were conducting fighter crew training when 2 of them collided. The other Tomcat made it safely back to the Eisenhower with minor damage. The RIO Lt. Richard Kane, 27, sustained a broken leg. They were heading for Antalya, Turkey when they decided to eject.

Lt. Cmdr. Wise was a former Intruder driver and was the last aviator to fly the A-6 at Oceana. It was his first tour with VF-103. He was married and a father of three.

Ballard Searches for Yorktown

June 1st 1998: Robert Ballard, the man who found the Titanic and the Bismark is now searching for the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown sunk by the Japanese at the battle of Midway in 1942.

F/A-18 Lost from Eisenhower

February 11th 1998: About noon Sunday (Feb 8) a navy F/A-18 was lost as it was catapaulted from the Eisenhower in the Atlantic near Puerto Rico. The aviator was rescued and is OK. The aviator, Lt. Cmdr. Tom Halley of Clarksville, Tenn., was from VFA-81.

One Aviator Killed in Collision

February 7th 1998: Two F/A-18's from the George Washington collided today in the Persian Gulf while returning to the ship after a routine patrol over the no-fly zone. Both aviators were recovered by SAR and flown back to the GW. One of the aviators was killed.

Update February 12th: The 2 F/A-18s were from VFM-251, killed was Lt. Col. Henry G. VanWinkle, 41, of Kirkwood, N.Y. The other aviator, Maj. Cary D. Venden, of Conroe, Texas, is in good condition aboard George Washington. The aircraft were on their way to the no-fly zone.

Indy Leaves for Gulf

January 23 1998:WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen announced Jan. 21 that the USS Independence (CV 62) Battle Group (BG) will relieve the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) BG in the Arabian Gulf. Cohen made the announcement aboard Independence, forward-based in Yokosuka, Japan

USS Independence has a crew of approximately 3,150 and an air wing of appoximately 2,400 officers and enlisted personnel and 75 aircraft. USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), USS O'Brian (DD 975), USS Charlotte (SSN 766) and Carrier Air Wing 5 are deploying with Independence. All four ships accompanying USS Independence are Tomahawk capable. -US Navy-

January 13 1998: All four of Truman's catapaults were tested January 13 sending various bits of metal into the James River. The previous day sailors moved aboard ship and the first food was served. It's nuclear reactors are to be energized in about six weeks. Schedule for commissioning is 1 August.