List of Navy Units Involved in the War




    
    
    Five carrier groups, thousands of sailors and carrier-based aviators were within 
    striking distance of Iraq
    
    
    USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
    
    Date deployed: March 3, 2003. The Nimitz returned home on November 5, 2003.
    Destination: Relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf
    Type of vessel: Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier
    Home port: San Diego, California
    Crew: Approximately 8,000 in battle group
    Power Plant: Two nuclear reactors, four shafts
    Flight Deck: 4.5 acres
    Speed: 30-plus knots
    Aircraft: 85
    Armament: NATO Sea Sparrow missile launchers, three 20 mm Phalanx 
    close-range rapid-fire gun systems
    Commissioned: May 3, 1975
    
    Carrier Air Wing 11
    VFA-14 Top Hatters (12 F/A-18E Super Hornets)
    VFA-41 Black Aces (12 F/A-18F Super Hornets)
    VFA-94 Mighty Shrikes (12 F/A-18C Hornets)
    VFA-97 Warhawks (12 F/A-18A Hornets)
    VAQ-135 Black Ravens (4 EA-6B Prowlers)
    VAW-117 Wallbangers (4 E-2C Hawkeyes)
    VS-29 Dragon Fires (8 S-3B Vikings)
    HS-6 Indians (4 SH-60F Sea Hawks, 2 HH-60H Seahawks)
    VRC-30 Providers (2 C-2A Greyhounds)
    Detachment 3
    
    
    
    USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63)
    
    Date deployed: February 7, 2003. The Kitty Hawk and its accompanying 
    battle group returned home on May 6, 2003.
    Destination: Persian Gulf
    Type of vessel: Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carrier
    Home port: Yokosuka, Japan
    Total personnel: Approximately 8,000 in battle group
    Aircraft: 85
    Armament: Three Sea Sparrow launchers, three 20mm Phalanx rapid-fire 
    close-range gun systems
    Speed: 30-plus knots
    Power plant: Eight boilers, four steam turbines
    Flight deck: 4.1 acres
    Commissioned: April 29, 1961
    
    Carrier Air Wing 5
    VF-154 Black Knights (12 F-14A Tomcats)
    VFA-27 Royal Maces (12 F/A-18C Hornets)
    VFA-192 Golden Dragons (12 F/A-18C Hornets)
    VFA-195 Dambusters (12 F/A-18C Hornets)
    VAQ-136 Gauntlets (4 EA-6B Prowlers)
    VAW-115 Liberty Bells (4 E-2C Hawkeyes)
    VS-21 Fighting Redtails (8 S-3B Vikings)
    HS-14 Chargers (4 SH-60F Sea Hawks, 2 HH-60H) 
    
    
    
    USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75)
    
    Date deployed: December 5, 2002. The carrier returned home on 
    May 23, 2003.
    Destination: Mediterranean Sea
    Type of vessel: Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier
    Home port: Norfolk, Virginia
    Total personnel: Approximately 8,000 in battle group
    Aircraft: 12 squadrons with more than 80 aircraft
    Armament: Three NATO Sea Sparrow missile launchers, four
    20mm Phalanx rapid-fire close-range guns
    Maximum speed: 30-plus knots
    Power plant: Two nuclear reactors
    Flight deck: 4.5 acres
    Commissioned: July 25, 1998
    
    CARRIER AIRWING 3
    VF-32 Swordsmen (10 F-14A Tomcats)
    VFA-37 Bulls (12 F/A-18C Hornets)
    VFA-105 Gunslingers (12 F/A-18C Hornets)
    VMFA-115 (12 F/A-18A Hornets)
    VAQ-130 Zappers (4 EA-6B Prowlers)
    VAW-126 Seahawks (4 E-2C Hawkeyes)
    VS-22 Checkmates (8 S-3B Vikings)
    HS-7 Dusty Dogs (6 SH-60F Sea Hawks, 6 HH-60H Sea Hawks)
    VRC-40 Rawhides (2 C-2A Greyhounds)
    Detachment 3 
    
    
    
    
    USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
    
    Date deployed: January 21, 2003. The carrier returned home on 
    May 29, 2003.
    Destination: Mediterranean Sea
    Type of vessel: Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier
    Home port: Norfolk, Virginia
    Total personnel: Approximately 8,000 in battle group
    Aircraft: 85
    Armament: Three NATO Sea Sparrow eight-tube missile launchers, 
    four 20 mm Phalanx rapid-fire close-range gun systems
    Maximum speed: 30-plus knots
    Power Plant: Two nuclear reactors
    Flight deck: 4.5 acres
    Commissioned: October 25, 1986
    
    CARRIER AIR WING 8
    VF-14 Tophatters (10 F-14D Tomcats)
    VMFA-312 Checkerboards (12 F/A-18B Hornets)
    VFA-15 Valions (12 F/A-18C Hornets)
    VFA-87 Golden Warriors (12 F/A-18C Hornets)
    VAQ-141 Shadowhawks (4 EA-6B Prowlers)
    VAW-124 Bear Aces (4 E-2C Hawkeyes)
    VS-24 Scouts (8 S-3B Vikings)
    HS-3 Tridents (6 SH-60F Sea Hawks, 2 HH-60H)
    VRC-40 Rawhides (4 C-2A Greyhounds)
    Detachment 2
    
    
    
    USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72)
    
    Date deployed: On January 21, 2003, the U.S. Navy ordered the carrier to 
    return to the Persian Gulf. The carrier was at the end of a six-month 
    deployment and had been scheduled to return home. On April 10, after 
    serving in the conflict in Iraq, the U.S. Navy confirmed that the Lincoln and 
    its battle group were head back to the United States. On May 5, the Lincoln 
    arrived in its Everett, Washington home port, ending the longest deployment 
    of any U.S. aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War.
    Destination: Persian Gulf
    Type of vessel: Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier
    Home port: Everett, Washington
    Total personnel: Approximately 8,000 in battle group
    Aircraft: 85
    Armament: Three NATO Sea Sparrow eight-tube missile launchers, 
    four 4 20 mm Phalanx rapid-fire close-range gun systems
    Maximum speed: 30-plus knots
    Power Plant: Two nuclear reactors
    Flight deck: 4.5 acres
    Commissioned: November 11, 1989
    
    CARRIER AIRWING 14
    VF-31 Tomcatters (12 F-14D Tomcats)
    VFA-25 Fist of the Fleet (12 F/A-18C Hornets)
    VFA-113 Stingers (12 F/A-18C Hornets)
    VFA-115 Eagles (12 F/A-18E Super Hornets)
    VAW-113 Black Eagles (4 E-2C Hawkeyes)
    VAQ-139 Cougars (4 EA-6B Prowlers)
    VS-35 Blue Wolves (8 S-3B Vikings)
    HS-4 Black Knight (4 SH-60F Sea Hawks, 2 HH-60H Seahawks)
    VRC-30 Providers (2 C-2A Greyhounds)
    Detachment 1
    
    
    
    
    USS Constellation (CV 64)
    
    Date deployed: November 5, 2002, to the Persian Gulf. The ship returned 
    home from its 21st and final deployment on June 2, 2003. The 
    Constellation one of only three non-nuclear carriers left in the Navy, was 
    decommissioned on August 7, 2003.
    Destination: Arabian Sea
    Type of vessel: Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carrier
    Home port: San Diego, California
    Total personnel: Approximately 8,000 in battle group
    Aircraft: Approximately 75 aircraft in nine squadrons
    Armament: Sea Sparrow missile launchers, three 20mm Phalanx rapid-fire 
    close-range gun systems
    Speed: 30-plus knots
    Power Plant: Eight boilers, four steam turbines
    Flight deck: 4.5 acres
    Commissioned: October 27, 1961
    
    CARRIER AIRWING 2
    VF-2 Bounty Hunters (10 F-14D Tomcats)
    VFA-137 Kestrels (12 F/A-18C Hornets)
    VFA-151 Vigilantes (12 F/A-18C Hornets)
    VMFA-323 Death Rattlers (12 F/A-18C Hornets)
    VAW-116 Sun Kings (4 E-2C Hawkeyes)
    VAQ-131 Lancers (4 EA-6B Prowlers)
    VS-38 Red Griffins (8 S-3B Vikings)
    HS-2 Golden Falcons (2 SH-60F and 6 HH-60H Sea Hawks)
    VRC-30 Providers Detatchment 2 (2 C-2A Greyhounds)
    
    
    
    
    USS Chinook 
    
    Home port: Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, Virginia
    Sailors: 28
    Units: The Chinook is a coastal patrol ship whose primary mission 
    is maritime special operations, including patrol and interdiction 
    surveillance. The ship also can provide mission support for naval 
    special operations forces.
    
    
    
    USS Firebolt 
    
    Home port: Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, Virginia
    Sailors: 28
    Units: The Firebolt is a coastal patrol ship whose primary mission is 
    maritime special operations, including coastal patrol and interdiction 
    surveillance. The ship also can provide mission support for naval special 
    operations forces.
    
    
    
    HSV-X1 Joint Venture 
    
    Home port: Norfolk, Virginia
    Sailors: Crew of approximately 20
    Units: The Joint Venture is an Australian-built high-speed catamaran 
    capable of ferrying vehicles and discharging them via a hydraulically 
    operated vehicle ramp. It also includes a helicopter pad capable of handling
    large military helicopters like the SH-60 Sea Hawk. The U.S. Army, Navy 
    and Marine Corps are jointly leasing the ship for testing coordinated by the 
    Navy Warfare Development Command. The ship is attached to Naval Beach 
    Group Two, a support command for amphibious operations.
    
    
    
    Coast Guard
    
    Deployed to: Persian Gulf
    
    Personnel: About 600 active-duty and reserve personnel
    
    Cutters: Eight 110-foot Island Class cutters
    
    Units: Port Security Unit 305, based at Fort Eustis, Virginia, and Port Security 
    Unit 309, from Port Clinton, Ohio, and Coast Guard elements of the Navy's 
    Harbor Defense Command Unit 206, from Jacksonville, Florida.
    
    The eight cutters and crews being deployed are Coast Guard Cutter (CGC) 
    Wrangell, from South Portland, Maine; CGC Grand Isle, from Gloucester, 
    Massachusetts, CGCs Adak and Bainbridge Island, from Sandy Hook, New 
    Jersey, CGC Aquidneck and the crew of CGC Block Island, from Atlantic 
    Beach, North Carolina, CGCs Pea Island and Knight Island, from St. Petersburg, 
    Florida, CGC Baranof, from Miami; and the crew of the CGC Sapelo, from Key 
    West, Florida.
    
    
    
    U.S. Military Sealift Command 
    
    The Military Sealift Command operates more than 110 ships around the world 
    that are crewed by civilians and carry the designation USNS (United States 
    Naval Ships). They are not commissioned ships but some MSC ships have 
    small military departments assigned to carry out specialized military functions 
    like communications and supply operations. The following MSC ships are 
    working on ferrying military equipment and supplies to the Persian Gulf and 
    back to the United States.
    
    
    
    USNS Comfort
    
    Date deployed: January 6, 2003. The ship returned to its home port on June 
    12, 2003.
    
    Destination: Persian Gulf
    
    Home base: Baltimore, Maryland
    
    Crew: About 300 Navy personnel and 61 civilian mariners. More medical 
    personnel can be flown to the ship as needed.
    
    Duties: The 1,000-bed hospital ship has 12 operating rooms and is equipped to 
    handle troops injured in biological and chemical attacks. During the war in Iraq, 
    it handle 330 patients, most of which were combat-related injuries. As the U.S. 
    military shifted from combat operations to humanitarian relief, the ship provided 
    trauma care to 196 Iraqis. 
    
    The Comfort last deployed for war during Operation Desert Storm in 1990 and 
    1991. It also sailed to New York to assist emergency crews after the collapse 
    of the World Trade Center.
    
    
    
    
    USNS Algol 
    
    Home port: New Orleans, Louisiana
    Crew: 43 civilians
    Type: Commercial container ships converted by the U.S. Navy to "roll-on/roll-off" 
    vehicle cargo ships, capable of rapidly deploying heavy ground forces around the 
    world.
     
    
    
    USNS Altair 
    
    Home port: Lamberts Point, Norfolk, Virginia 
    Crew: 43 civilians
    Type: Commercial container ships converted by the U.S. Navy to "roll-on/roll-off" 
    vehicle cargo ships, capable of rapidly deploying heavy ground forces around the 
    world.
     
    
    
    
    USNS Antares 
    
    Home port: Baltimore, Maryland
    Crew: 43 civilians
    Type: Commercial container ships converted by the U.S. Navy to "roll-on/roll-off" 
    vehicle cargo ships, capable of rapidly deploying heavy ground forces around the 
    world.
     
    
    
    
    USNS Bellatrix 
    
    Home port: New Orleans, Louisiana
    Crew: 43 civilians
    Type: Commercial container ships converted by the U.S. Navy to "roll-on/roll-off" 
    vehicle cargo ships, capable of rapidly deploying heavy ground forces around the 
    world.
    
     
    
    USNS Bob Hope 
    
    Home port: Charleston, South Carolina
    Crew: 30 civilians 
    Type: Commercial container ships converted by the U.S. Navy to "roll-on/roll-off" 
    vehicle cargo ships, capable of rapidly deploying heavy ground forces around the 
    world.
    
     
    
    USNS Brittin 
    
    Crew: 25 civilians
    Type: Large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off sealift ships used to carry U.S. Army 
    equipment for use in the Middle East and Far East.
    
     
    
    USNS Capella 
    
    Home port: Baltimore, Maryland
    Crew: 43 civilians
    Type: Commercial container ships converted by the U.S. Navy to "roll-on/roll-off" 
    vehicle cargo ships, capable of rapidly deploying heavy ground forces around the 
    world.
    
     
    
    USNS Curtiss 
    
    Home port: Port Hueneme, California
    Crew: 33 civilians 
    Type: Merchant ships converted to provide maintenance and logistic support 
    for Marine aircraft in forward operating areas.
    
     
    
    USNS Dahl 
    
    Home port: Diego Garcia
    Crew: 30 civilians 
    Type: Cargo ship normally used to preposition Army cargo at Diego Garcia in 
    the Indian Ocean had off-loaded her cargo in Southwest Asia and returned to 
    the U.S. to load more gear at Jacksonville.
    
     
    
    USNS Denobola 
    
    Home port: Staten Island, New York
    Crew: 43 civilians
    Type: Commercial container ships converted by the U.S. Navy to "roll-on/roll-off" 
    vehicle cargo ships, capable of rapidly deploying heavy ground forces around the 
    world.
    
     
    
    USNS Fisher 
    
    Crew: 25 civilians
    Type: Large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off sealift ships used to carry U.S. Army 
    equipment for use in the Middle East and Far East.
    
     
    
    USNS Mendonca 
    
    Home port: Newport News, Virginia
    Crew: 30 civilians and 14 military personnel
    Type: Large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off sealift ships used to carry U.S. Army 
    equipment for use in the Middle East and Far East.
    
     
    
    USNS Pililaau 
    
    Crew: 25 civilians
    Type: Large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off sealift ships used to carry U.S. Army 
    equipment for use in the Middle East and Far East.
    
     
    
    USNS Pollux 
    
    Home port: New Orleans, Louisiana
    Crew: 43 civilians
    Type: Commercial container ships converted by the U.S. Navy to "roll-on/roll-off" 
    vehicle cargo ships, capable of rapidly deploying heavy ground forces around the 
    world.
    
     
    
    USNS Regulus 
    
    Home port: Norfolk, Virginia
    Crew: 43 civilians
    Type: Commercial container ships converted by the U.S. Navy to "roll-on/roll-off" 
    vehicle cargo ships, capable of rapidly deploying heavy ground forces around the 
    world.
    
     
    
    USNS Seay 
    
    Crew: 25 civilians
    Type: Large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off sealift ships used to carry U.S. 
    Army equipment for use in the Middle East and Far East.
    
     
    
    USNS Shughart 
    
    Home port: Usually forward deployed in the Persian Gulf region.
    Crew: 45 civilians and 50 military personnel
    Type: Commercial ships converted to carry military cargo. A Shughart-class 
    ship can carry 58 M1 Abrams tanks, 48 Bradley Fighting Vehicles and 900 
    trucks and other assorted equipment. The class was named for Sgt. Randy 
    Shughart, a Delta Force sniper who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously 
    for attempting to save the crew of a downed Black Hawk helicopter during the 1993 
    firefight in Mogadishu, Somalia.
    
     
    
    USNS Wright 
    
    Home port: Baltimore, Maryland
    Crew: 33 civilians 
    Type: Merchant ships converted to provide maintenance and logistic support for 
    Marine aircraft in forward operating areas.
    
     
    
    Ready Reserve Force 
    
    The U.S. Maritime Administration, acting on orders from Military Sealift Command 
    (MSC), also activated 26 Ready Reserve Force (RRF) cargo vessels to ferry supplies 
    in support Operation Enduring Freedom. RRF ships are owned and maintained by the 
    Maritime Administration to meet surge-shipping requirements for the U.S. The ships 
    are usually kept in what the MSC calls reduced operating status at various berths 
    around the nation. When activated, RRF ships come under Military Sealift Command 
    operational control. 
    
     
    
    Cape Decision, Cape Diamond, Cape Domingo, Cape Douglas 
    
    Home port: Charleston, South Carolina
    Crew: 27 civilians
    Type: Cargo ships capable of carrying vehicles, shipping containers and other 
    equipment.
    
     
    
    Cape Edmont 
    
    Home port: Charleston, South Carolina
    Crew: 32 civilians
    Type: Cargo ship that carries shipping containers.
    
     
    
    Cape Henry, Cape Horn, Cape Hudson 
    
    Home port: Cape Horn is based at Suisun Bay, California while Cape Henry 
    and Hudson are laid up at Oakland, California.
    Crew: 27 civilians
    Type: Vehicle cargo ships
    
     
    
    Cape Inscription, Cape Intrepid, Cape Isabel, Cape Island 
    
    Home ports: Cape Intrepid and Cape Island at layberths in Tacoma, Washington, 
    and Cape Inscription and Cape Isabel at Long Beach, California. 
    Crew: 36 civilians 
    Type: Cargo ships capable of carrying vehicles, shipping containers and other 
    equipment.
    
     
    
    Cape John, Cape Johnson 
    
    Home ports: Cape Johnson is berthed at Baltimore Maryland and Cape John at 
    Suisun Bay, California
    Crew: Unknown
    Type: Both are used to carry ammunition and other supplies for deployed military 
    ships. 
    
     
    
    Cape Kennedy, Cape Knox 
    
    Home port: New Orleans, Louisiana
    Crew: 43 civilians
    Type: Vehicle cargo ships
    
     
    
    Cape Orlando 
    
    Home port: San Francisco, California.
    Crew: 28 civilians
    Type: Vehicle cargo ships with 10,500 square meters of vehicle parking 
    space and can carry 252 standard 20-foot cargo containers.
    
     
    
    Cape Race, Cape Ray, Cape Rise 
    
    Home port: Portsmouth, Virginia
    Crew: Unknown
    Type: Each ship can carry 1,315 standard 20-foot shipping containers.
    
     
    
    Cape Taylor, Cape Texas, Cape Trinity 
    
    Home port: Houston, Texas
    Crew: 49 civilians
    Type: Each ship can carry about 116,000 square feet of rolling stock and 
    348 containers of cargo.
    
     
    
    Cape Victory 
    
    Home port: Beaumont, Texas
    Crew: Unknown
    Type: Ship has 100,299 square feet of cargo space and can also carry 1,306 
    standard 20-foot shipping containers.
    
     
    
    Cape Wrath, Cape Washington 
    
    Home port: Baltimore, Maryland
    Crew: Unknown
    Type: Both have 170,762 square feet of cargo space and can carry 1,203 standard 
    20-foot cargo containers.
    
    



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